Supreme Court decisions ahead on student loan forgiveness, service to LGBTQ customers
The Supreme Court's term ends on Friday and two more decisions are expected. Credit: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough
The United States Supreme Court, which on Thursday ended affirmative action in college admissions, is expected to issue another pair of significant decisions before the end of the session Friday.
Student loan forgiveness
The court is considering a pair of challenges to President Joe Biden’s plan to cancel college loan debt for millions of Americans.
The relief plan, issued by executive order last summer, would cancel $10,000 in federal student loan debt for individuals making less than $125,000, or for households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, would receive an additional $10,000 in loan forgiveness.
Six GOP led states — Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina — have challenged the plan, which would erase $430 billion of federal loan debt over 30 years, arguing it’s unlawful and would financially harm their residents.
A separate case was brought by two student loan borrowers who did not qualify for the program.
During oral arguments in March, many of the conservative justices seemed skeptical of Biden’s authority to do the one-time canceling of debt while others have questioned whether the parties filing the challenges had legal standing.
Denying service to LGBTQ customers
The nation’s highest court is also expected to decide whether private businesses can deny services to an LGBTQ customer because of religious objections to same-sex marriage.
Lorie Smith, a Christian graphic web designer, is seeking an exemption from a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and other factors. The lower courts have sided with Colorado.
Smith, who creates custom websites to celebrate weddings, has said she does not want to work with same-sex couples, insisting that gay marriage is inconsistent with her religious beliefs.
Colorado and many gay rights activists contend that Smith is seeking permission from the court to discriminate based on sexual orientation.
The court, where conservatives hold a 6-3 majority, has thus far seemed sympathetic to Smith, suggesting her position is protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment guarantee against government abridgment of free speech
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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