Biden Cancels Another $1.2 Billion in Student Debt Amid GOP Opposition

U.S. President Joe Biden canceled an additional $1.2 billion in student debt for 35,000 borrowers, bringing the beneficiary total to 4.76 million. Despite Republican objections, this move aligns with Biden's promise to find alternatives for debt relief after the Supreme Court thwarted a more extensive $430 billion debt cancellation plan.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday canceled another $1.2 billion in student debt for 35,000 borrowers, bringing the total number of people to benefit from his debt relief push to 4.76 million, despite Republican opposition.

Republicans have called the Democratic president's student loan forgiveness approach an overreach of authority and an unfair benefit to college-educated borrowers while others received no such relief. Each of the beneficiaries under the plan will receive $35,000 in debt cancellation, the White House said in a statement.

Biden, keen to shore up waning support among young people ahead of the November presidential election, had pledged last year to find other avenues for tackling debt relief after the Supreme Court had blocked his broader plan to cancel $430 billion in student loan debt. In May, Biden canceled $7.7 billion in student debt for 160,000 borrowers.

(With inputs from agencies.)