'Take the reins': House Democrat urges young people to vote out the 'current generation establishment'

01 July 2023

United States Representative Ro Khanna (D-California) over the weekend blasted the Supreme Court's Friday ruling that gutted President Joe Biden's student debt relief initiative.

Speaking with The Guardian's Joan Greve on Saturday, Khanna said that the Court "is out of touch" and launching "attacks on modern life," which is "exactly why we need term limits on these Supreme Court justices."

The 6-3 right-wing supermajority "is regressive," Khanna opined, due to its "rolling back women's rights, rolling back rights about racial equality, rolling back environmental protections," and "rolling back now assistance for young people."

Millions of borrowers now face the prospect of becoming poorer because of the Court's reversal of Biden's program, which was implemented under the "national emergency" provision in the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003.

"We've got to figure out how to at least pause the student loan repayment until we make good on our promise to forgive student loans," Khanna said. "The administration has a number of legal options to do that and we must do that. We can't forsake young people who are relying on the president’s policy."

Khanna noted that Biden "plans to invoke the Higher Education Authority Act" instead. The New York Timesexplained on Friday that the law "contains a provision — Section 1082 of Title 20 of the United States Code — that gives the secretary of education the authority to 'compromise, waive, or release any right, title, claim, lien, or demand, however acquired, including any equity or any right of redemption.'"

Khanna also urged young people to "Demand that your generation lead. The current generation establishment is failing you. The establishment is broken. It's hard being young in America today, and we need your generation to lead. Take the reins. Start running for Congress and Senate, for president. Say it's your generation’s turn."

Khanna's interview continues here.

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