GOP presidential candidates applaud Supreme Court striking down Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

Republican presidential candidates are applauding the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority to strike down President Biden's ambitious and expensive student debt relief program.

In a 6-3 decision Friday, the high court ruled that the White House lacked the legal authorization to provide billions in federal loan forgiveness for borrowers, absent clear authorization from Congress. 

The move by the Supreme Court will prevent more than 40 million low- and middle-income borrowers from receiving $10,000 in federal loan forgiveness under the Biden administration's plan — and is a major defeat for the president on one of his key 2020 election campaign promises. 

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Former Vice President Mike Pence said the Biden administration's plan was "an egregious violation of the Constitution," adding that he was "pleased that the Court struck down the Radical Left’s effort to use the money of taxpayers who played by the rules and repaid their debts in order to cancel the debt of bankers and lawyers in New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C."

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Pence touted that he was "honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured today’s welcomed decision, and as President I will continue to appoint judges who will strictly apply the law and enforce our Constitution’s separation of powers."

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina also applauded the ruling.

"The U.S. Supreme Court was right to end the illegal and immoral effort by the Biden Administration to transfer student debt to taxpayers," he said in a statement to Fox News.

In a digital video, Scott argued that "Joe Biden wants you to pay off student loans of lawyers and professors. I want to strengthen vocational education and apprenticeships."

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"We need more welders, carpenters, and electricians. These are the jobs that built America and these are the jobs liberal elites can't shift to China. College isn't the only path to the American dream and it's time for a president who values hard work and the people who do it," the senator emphasized.

Former ambassador and former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina emphasized in a statement that "a president cannot just wave his hand and eliminate loans for students he favors, while leaving out all those who worked hard to pay back their loans or made other career choices. The Supreme Court was right to throw out Joe Biden’s power grab."

Republican presidential candidate, entrepreneur and conservative commentator Vivek Ramaswamy charged that the Biden plan was "disastrous." 

"We have a bad habit in America of paying people to do the exact opposite of what we want them to do: more $$ to stay at home than to work, more $$ to be a single mother than married, more $$ for those who *fail* to repay loans than those who do. As a matter of policy, this decision helps reverse that trend," Ramaswamy argued.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who launched his GOP White House bid a month ago, said in a statement that "the American financial system was built on the idea that if you borrow money, you pay it back. President Joe Biden knew his student loan gambit was on shaky legal ground, as the Constitution clearly states that spending originates in Congress, but he proceeded anyway in an attempt to score political points. Erasing the debt of high-paid, college-educated workers at the expense of blue-collar Americans is wrong, and would have exacerbated inflation significantly."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who's primary challenging President Biden for the Democratic nomination, called the Supreme Court ruling "unfortunate" but charged it was "the predictable result of Biden's failure to bring Congress together on this issue of crucial importance to young Americans."

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"President Biden knew his plan wouldn't survive a legal challenge. His plan gave the appearance of action, while accomplishing nothing," argued Kennedy, an environmental activist, high-profile vaccine skeptic, and scion of the famous Kennedy political dynasty.

Kennedy added that "this is an issue of grave importance to our country. As President, I will galvanize public support to pressure Congress to put down their partisan positions and legislate meaningful relief to the tens of millions of Americans who are drowning in student debt."

Fox News' Bill Mears contributed to this story