Biden says he's considering some student debt relief, but not $50,000
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden shot down speculation that he is open to canceling up to $50,000 in debt for federal student loan borrowers Thursday, after Democratic lawmakers in favor of forgiveness suggested he was moving in their direction.
"I am considering dealing with some debt reduction," Biden told reporters at an event highlighting his request to Congress for additional aid for Ukraine. "I am not considering $50,000 debt reduction. But I'm in the process of taking a hard look at whether or not there will be additional debt forgiveness."
Biden has faced increasing pressure to announce how he plans to address student loan debt, a key issue for many younger voters who make up a critical part of the Democratic base. Members of his party have urged him to use executive action to either fulfill his campaign promise of forgiving $10,000 in debt for borrowers, or issue more generous relief.
The president, however, has been reluctant to act unilaterally. There's some debate over whether he has the legal authority to do so, and any move would almost certainly be challenged in court.
—Los Angeles Times
No ‘parents bill of rights’ or ban on trans athletes: Kansas House fails to override veto
TOPEKA, Kan. — Efforts to ban transgender athletes from girls sports and establish a “parents bill of rights” failed in the Kansas Legislature on Thursday, but Republicans have pledged to make the issues a hallmark of campaigns this August and November.
The Kansas House failed to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto on both issues, falling short of the needed two-thirds majority.
The Senate easily passed the overrides on Tuesday, but attempts in the House were a long shot. The House’s original votes on the bills fell several votes short of the needed majority.
Earlier this week, House Speaker Ron Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, told reporters he wouldn’t have enough votes if the decision came this week. On Thursday, he said that day would be the chamber’s best chance; they had 85 Republican members present and needed 84 votes for the override. The chamber is allowed to reconsider the votes Thursday or the next day the body meets.
—The Kansas City Star
‘Hate is a real danger.’ Florida sees surge in antisemitic attacks on people, buildings
MIAMI — Four men in an SUV hurled garbage and insults including “die jew” and at a Jewish family vacationing as they walked in Bal Harbour last May.
Swastikas and antisemitic messages were scrawled on synagogues, a school and a memorial statue across Florida. And a Jewish middle school student in Palm Beach County was told by his teammates to “burn in the gas chamber.”
These were some of the 190 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism that happened in Florida in 2021, according the Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit of antisemitic incidents released Tuesday. Antisemitic incidents were up 50% in Florida over last year’s 127 incidents.
The statistic is part of a troubling trend seen nationwide, according to the audit. In 2021, there were 2,717 incidents — up 34% from the previous year — the highest number the ADL has seen since it began tracking incidents in 1979.
—Miami Herald
German parliament backs heavy weapons supplies for Ukraine
Germany’s parliament approved a cross-party motion urging the government to quickly supply Ukraine with heavy weapons and other equipment to bolster its defense against invading Russian forces.
The three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition and the largest opposition group — which combined hold over 80% of the seats in the lower house of parliament — put aside their differences and teamed up to support the motion in a show of broad solidarity for the government in Kyiv.
In the rare collaboration, the measure was passed on Thursday with 586 out of 693 votes and only the far-right and far-left parties refused to back the plan. The motion also calls for an end to imports of Russian oil and gas and criticized China over its support for Moscow.
The move by lawmakers provides a legislative anchor for the government to expand support for Ukraine more rapidly. Scholz, who is in Japan on his first trip to Asia as chancellor, has faced intense criticism from international partners and domestic critics to do more to help, including supplying tanks and other advanced weapons systems.
—Bloomberg News
