DETROIT (WXYZ) — It's back to the drawing board for the Biden Administration as it tries to deliver on a campaign promise to forgive student loans.
Friday, the Supreme Court overturned a ruling that allowed up to $20,000 in student federal loan debt cancellation for borrowers. Justices said the president overstepped his authority.
So, what does this meaning for Michigan?
According to the White House, 864,000 Michigan citizens were eligible for the relief. Of those, 566,000 applications for relief had been fully approved.
"I was very excited about it. It was something that could definitely help me financially, something that could help my score," Jennata Eddington told 7 Action News.
The Oakland Community College and Wayne State University alum who studied nursing said that excitement turned to frustration on Friday after hearing the high court's ruling.
"I have about $40,000 and most of it is interest," Eddington explained. "That was very disappointing. It made me feel like we can only bail out major corporations and the banks and when it comes down to everyday citizens like students, it wasn't important enough."
While there are hundreds of thousands of people who likely share Eddington's sentiments, 7 Action News also heard from someone who agrees with the Supreme Court ruling.
"I paid my way through," Ronald Clark said.
He said he made a conscious decision to attend Macomb Community College, in part, to avoid paying the higher costs of obtaining a four-year degree.
Clark explained, "We know what we're getting ourself into, and I think the last thing we're looking for is the government to step in because (it's) our personal responsibility. What are we teaching our kids if the government steps in?"
Professor Noah Hall, who teaches law at Wayne State University, said the Supreme Court's ruling was predictable.
"Most of us who study this field of law and are watching what the court is up to these days expected the court to strike this down," he said.
Hall said the amount of money at stake, the number of borrowers involved and the magnitude of the student loan program is legally much of the reason the Supreme Court decided this decision must be left to Congress.
Friday, in response to the ruling, Biden said he will use the 1965 Higher Education Act as another attempt to deliver on his promise to forgive student loans.
Hall explained,"Leaving it to the Biden Administration, even to come up with another approach and go back to court, maybe they'll have a better case, maybe they'll have another strategy, but I don't know if the outcome will be different. This is really a decision and a reform that needs to come from Congress."
Whichever branch of the federal government has the authority to make the decision, Eddington just wants the relief.
"Without this help, I'll probably be paying student loans for the rest of my life," she chuckled.
