Biden's Office Retreats from Protecting Trans Athletes and Debt Cancellation Plans

President Joe Biden is abandoning his efforts to safeguard transgender athletes' rights and wipe out student debt for millions of Americans. This move is part of a broader plan to withdraw pending regulations before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The White House fears Trump could quickly rewrite these rules to push his own agenda. Even as Biden's administration pulls back, it's still working on other debt relief strategies. The Education Department just approved loans for another 55, 000 individuals through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. However, Trump could start from scratch on his own regulations once in office. Melissa Byrne, a debt relief advocate, expressed disappointment. She blamed Republicans for the situation, saying they want to keep working Americans in debt. The withdrawals come as Washington prepares for a possible government shutdown, complicating Biden's efforts to wrap up unfinished business. The Education Department cited ongoing litigation and public feedback for withdrawing the transgender athlete regulation. It also wanted to focus on helping borrowers resume payments after the pandemic pause. A Trump spokesperson accused Biden's team of adding red tape.

Kate Shaw, who worked in the Obama White House, said it's common for administrations to speed up or slow down rulemaking. But with a time crunch, finishing regulations can be tough. An anonymous administration official confirmed Biden still supports these goals but the process takes time. Federal agencies are now deciding which rules to finish and which to drop. If a rule has had public feedback under Biden, Trump can replace it with his own proposal, skipping the comment period. Biden's debt cancellation proposals were part of a broader effort after the Supreme Court rejected his initial plan. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, criticized Biden's debt cancellation attempts, saying he lacked the authority. Although Biden didn't achieve sweeping debt cancellation, his administration has forgiven an unprecedented $180 billion in student loans through existing programs. Biden's rule on transgender sports, proposed in 2023, aimed to prevent schools from banning transgender athletes outright while allowing limits in certain cases. Both advocates and opponents found it lacking. The rule stalled during the presidential campaign amid Republican backlash.

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