TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Federal judges in Kansas and Missouri on Monday blocked parts of a Biden administration student loan repayment plan that provides a faster path to cancellation and lower monthly payments for millions of borrowers.

The judges’ rulings said that the U.S. Department of Education cannot help borrowers ease their loan repayment burdens going forward under a rule set to go into effect July 1. The decisions do not cancel assistance already provided to borrowers.

In Kansas, U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree ruled in a lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general, Kris Kobach, on behalf of his state and 10 others. In his ruling, Crabtree allowed parts of the program that allows students who borrowed $12,000 or less to have the rest of their loans forgiven if they make 10 years’ worth of payments, instead of the standard 25.

Crabtree’s ruling means that the Department of Education won’t be allowed to implement parts of the program meant to help students who had larger loans and could have their monthly payments lowered and their required payment period reduced from 25 years to 20 years.

In Missouri, U.S. District Judge John Ross’ order applies to different parts of the program than Crabtree’s. His order says that the U.S. Department of Education cannot forgive loan balances going forward.

Ross issued a ruling in a lawsuit filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on behalf of his state and six others.

Together, the two rulings appeared to significantly limit the scope of the Biden administration’s efforts to help borrowers after the U.S. Supreme Court last year rejected the Democratic president’s first attempt at a forgiveness plan.

Both orders are preliminary, meaning the injunctions imposed by the judges would remain in effect through a trial of the separate lawsuits. However, to issue a temporary order each judge had to conclude that the states were likely to prevail in a trial.

Both judges were appointed by former President Barack Obama.

There was no immediate statement on the rulings from the White House.

Bailey hailed the ruling, calling it “a huge win for the rule of law, and for every American who Joe Biden was about to force to pay off someone else’s debt.”

Kobach also praised the decisions, framing the Biden plan as “unconstitutional” and an affront to “blue collar Kansas workers who didn’t go to college.”

Posted on June 24, 2024 |

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Following are the St. Louis Labor Council and Missouri AFL-CIO Committee On Political Education (COPE) endorsements for Missouri’s Aug. 6 primary election. Asterisks (*) indicate an incumbent.

U.S. CONGRESS
1st Dist. OPEN (D)
2nd Dist. Ray Hartmann (D)
3rd Dist. Kurt Schaefer (R)
3rd Dist. OPEN (D)

U.S. SENATE
U.S. Senate Lucas Kunce (D)

STATEWIDE
Governor Crystal Quade (D)
Lt. Governor Richard Brown (D) (AFT Local 691 member retired)
Secretary of State OPEN (R) Barbara Phifer (D)
Treasurer NO ENDORSEMENT (R)    Mark Osmack  (D)
Attorney General NO ENDORSEMENT (R)    Elad Gross (D)

FRANKLIN COUNTY
Missouri House
Dist.109 Eleanor Maynard (D)   Kyle Marquart (R)*
Dist. 118 Mike McGirl (R)*
Dist. 119 Brad Banderman (R)*    Amy Thompson (D)

JEFFERSON COUNTY
Missouri House
Dist.112 Renee Reuter (R)*
Dist.113 Phil Amato (R)*
Dist. 114 Ken Waller (R)*
Dist. 115 OPEN

Missouri Senate
Dist. 3 OPEN (R)

Jefferson County Council
Dist. 2 Billy Crow (R). (SMART Local 36 member)
Dist. 4 Leslie E. Cheek (R)
Dist. 6 Stan Richardson (R)
Dist. 6 Brad Basler (R)
Sheriff David Marshak (R)
Treasurer Paula Wagner (R)

MINERAL AREA
Missouri House
Dist. 117 Casey Cassidy (D)

St. Francois County
Sheriff Dan Bullock (R)
Associate County Commissioner Dist. 2 David Kater (R)

NORTH COUNTY
Missouri House
Dist. 66 Marlene Terry (D)*
Dist. 67 Tonya Rush (D)
Dist. 68 Kem Smith (D)
Dist.70 Durrell Reeves (D)
Dist. 71 LaDonna Applebaum (D)*
Dist. 72 Doug Clemens (D)*
Dist. 73 Raychel Proudie (D)*
Dist. 74 Kevin Windham (D)*
Dist. 75 Catina Howard (D) (ATU 788 member)
Dist. 85 Yolanda Fountain-Henderson (D)*
Dist. 86 OPEN
Dist. 87 Connie Steinmetz (D). (NEA member retired)

Missouri Senate
Dist. 13 Angela Mosley (D)*

St. Louis County Council
Dist. 2 Gretchen Bangert (D)
Dist. 4 Shalonda Webb (D)*

ROCKWOOD AREA
Missouri House
Dist. 88 Kyle Luzynski (D)
Dist. 89 Eric Morse (D)
Dist. 94 Kyle Kerns (D)
Dist. 95 Deb Langland (D)
Dist. 96 Leslie Derrington (D)
Dist. 97 David Casteel (R)
Dist. 98 Jaclyn Zimmerman (D)
Dist. 99 Ian Mackey (D)*
Dist. 100 Colin Lovett (D)
Dist. 101 Jacqueline Cotton (D)
Dist.110 Josh Thackston (D)

Missouri Senate
Dist. 1 Doug Beck (D)*  (Plumbers & Pipefitters 562 member)
Dist.15 Joe Pereles (D)

St. Louis County Council
Dist. 6 Ernie Trakas (R)*     Kevin Schartner (D)

SOUTH COUNTY
Missouri House
Dist. 90 Mark Boyko (D)
Dist. 91 Jo Doll (D)*
Dist. 92 Michael Burton (D)*
Dist. 93 Bridget Walsh-Moore (D)*
Dist. 94 Kyle Kerns (D)
Dist. 95 Deb Langland (D)
Dist. 96 Leslie Derrington (D)

Missouri Senate
Dist. 1 Doug Beck (D)*  (Plumbers & Pipefitters 562 member)

St. Louis County Council
Dist. 6 Ernie Trakas (R)*    Kevin Schartner (D)

ST. LOUIS CITY
Missouri House
Dist. 76 Marlon Anderson (D)*
Dist. 77 Kimberly-Ann Collins (D)*
Dist. 78 Marty Joe Murray (D)
Dist. 79 LaKeysha Bosley (D)*
Dist. 80 Ben Murray (D)
Dist. 81 Steve Butz (D)*
Dist. 82 Nick Kimble (D)  (SMART 36 household member)
Dist. 84 Del Taylor (D)*

Missouri Senate
Dist. 5 Steve Roberts (D)*

St. Louis City
Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore (D)*
Treasurer Adam Layne (D)*
Sheriff Vernon Betts (D)*

TRI-COUNTY
Missouri House
Dist. 41 Hans Stock (D)
Dist. 42 Shaun Sparks (D)
Dist. 43 Eric Richardson (D)
Dist. 63 Tricia Byrnes (R)*
Dist. 64 Cheryl Hibbeler (D)
Dist. 65 OPEN
Dist. 69 Chris Chapman (D)
Dist. 102 Alex Hissong (D)
Dist. 103 OPEN
Dist. 104 Tara Murray (D)
Dist. 105 Ron Odenthal  (D)
Dist. 106 Karen Edge (D)
Dist. 107 Gary Wester (D)
Dist. 108 Susan Shumway (D)

Missouri Senate
Dist. 23 Matt Williams (D)

St. Charles County Council
Dist. 2 OPEN
Dist. 4 Debbie Cook (R)
Dist. 6 OPEN

Associate Circuit Judge
Division 13 Gwendolyn Goeke (R)

Circuit Judge
Circuit 11, Dist. 4 Dennis Chassaniol (R)

WARREN COUNTY
Warren County
Coroner Jodi Hayeslip (R)
Bond Issue Fire Bond     YES

Warren County Commission
Dist. 2 John D. Miller (R)