ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor is joining in the legal fight for President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to wipe out student loan debt for 40 million Americans.
With the U.S. Supreme Court taking up two cases on the program, City Council voted unanimously Monday night, Jan. 23, to ratify the city administration’s decision to have the city — home to the University of Michigan — sign on to an amicus brief in support of the Biden program.
“I’m very happy to see us doing this,” said Council Member Lisa Disch, a UM political science professor, noting Ann Arbor joins dozens of local governments across the country in doing so.
“It is completely right and appropriate that we sign on to this brief, particularly as we … are home to a large, expensive, leading research university, whose students suffer debt burdens,” she said. “I see that in my other job.”
Ann Arbor is being listed as a supporting municipality in a brief filed with the nation’s high court by the Public Rights Project, arguing the parties opposing Biden’s debt cancelation lack standing to sue and the administration’s actions to cancel the debt were legal and proper.
The two Supreme Court cases are Biden v. Nebraska and Department of Education v. Brown.
“Americans owe nearly $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, which is the largest component of personal debt,” City Council stated in its resolution, saying it causes substantial hardship and contributes to poverty and economic stagnation, among other social ills.
“Student loan debt affects people of all ages as it follows them throughout their lives, preventing or delaying financial independence, child-rearing, housing security, and retirement,” the resolution further states.
Biden exercised executive authority to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those under certain income thresholds and an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients, prompting Nebraska and other Republican-led states to sue over it.
“It’s something that’s a long time coming,” Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said of student loan debt cancellation. “And it’s shocking that it should be opposed in court and elsewhere. I’m delighted that we as a municipality are able to do our small part by signing on to this amicus brief.”
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