CGS Disappointed in U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down the Biden Administration's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

CGS Contact: Kelley Karnes
602-791-8278 / kkarnes@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC – Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Biden v. Nebraska that the Biden Administration did not have the authority to implement their student loan forgiveness plan, which would have addressed some of the financial harm that resulted from a global pandemic for 44 million Americans. The court found that Department of Education v. Brown did not have standing.

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) supported the plan because it would have helped many people in need. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan would have brought much-needed help to low- and middle-income earners with nearly 90% of relief dollars going to those earning less than $75,000 a year.

“We at CGS are disappointed with the Supreme Court’s ruling because the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness would have helped so many borrowers who struggled financially during the pandemic,” Suzanne T. Ortega, President of CGS, said. “Graduate education is essential to the American workforce. Now more than ever, we need the White House and Congress to work together to reform the student aid and loan process so more Americans will have opportunities to pursue graduate education.”

Graduate education is important to many vital jobs in our communities. Increasingly, a graduate education is required for entry level jobs or advanced professions. In fact, entry level jobs requiring master’s degrees are expected to grow by 17 percent through 2026, the fastest of any education level, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For these reasons, CGS believes that it is important to increase access to graduate education for all students. CGS will continue to support legislative proposals that allow the use of Pell Grant funds for graduate studies, reinstate subsidized federal loans for graduate students, reduce the annual interest rate paid by graduate borrowers, and eliminate origination fees. Graduate education is essential to state and national workforce needs and it is imperative that graduate education be made accessible to everyone.

Explore all of CGS’s policy priorities for improving access to graduate education.

About CGS

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices.