On Wednesday (June 7), President Joe Biden vetoed a bill that would have canceled his $400 billion student loan bill, vowing to “not back down” on the issue of forgiving billions in college debt.
In a video posted on his Twitter account, Biden shares that “Republicans in Congress led an effort” to pass legislation that blocked his “administration’s plan to provide up to $10,000 in student debt relief and up to $20,000 for borrowers that received a Pell Grant.”
He added that “nearly 90 percent” of the aid would be given to people earning less than $75,000 a year.”
“I’m not going to back down on my efforts to help tens of millions of working and middle class families,” he continued, stating that as the reason he had vetoed the bill.
Although Biden criticized Republicans, he failed to mention two Democratic Senators, Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Jon Tester (Mont.), who voted with all Republicans last week to advance the bill. The group was also joined by Independent Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema also voted in favor, bringing the final result to 52-46.
The President also did not mention Democratic Reps. Jared Golden (Maine) and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.), who joined House Republicans to vote in favor of the bill. The final result in the lower chamber was 218-203.
Biden went on to say that some members who voted for the bill “personally received [government subsidized] loans to keep their small business afloat during the pandemic” and had “supported” giving “huge tax cuts” to businesses and the wealthy.
He insisted that “when it comes to hardworking Americans” who want to get ahead but were struggling with student loan debt, that’s where those lawmakers “drew the line,” sharing his belief that “it’s wrong.”
Biden declared that he would “never… apologize for helping working and middle-class Americans as they recover from this pandemic,” before vetoing the bill.
Wednesday’s veto is Biden’s fifth since taking office.
