WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s conservatives gave a sharply critical hearing Tuesday to President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive more than $400 billion in student loans, arguing that only Congress could approve such a large amount of federal spending.
“We are talking about a half-trillion dollars and 43 million Americans,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who was defending the administration. “We take separation of powers very seriously,” he said, yet Congress had not approved this spending. “And you say there is no role for us to play,” he added.
The comments were echoed by his conservative colleagues, most of whom sounded ready to rule against the administration.
