Biden falls on stage at Air Force Academy ceremony; Senate blocks student relief program

Senators have voted to block one of Joe Biden's flagship policy promises, progressing a bill that would repeal his student debt relief program and end the administration's pause on federal student loan payments.

The vote was 52-46 to advance the legislation, NBC reported, with Democrats Joe Manchin (West Virginia) and Jon Tester (Montana), plus Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema, breaking ranks and joining Republicans.

BREAKING: Senate votes to block President Biden's student loan relief program.Biden has said he will veto the measure. https://t.co/Ip0IaLGB6H

The bill, however, will not become law because Biden said in a statement last month that he would veto it.

"This resolution is an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery and would deprive more than 40 million hard-working Americans of much-needed student debt relief," Biden said.

"[The bill] would weaken America's middle class. Americans should be able to have a little more breathing room as they recover from the economic strains associated with the Covid-19 pandemic."

Seeking to repeal Biden's program to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for certain borrowers, the bill passed the House last week 218-203.

Its overall fate rests with the supreme court, which is currently weighing the legality of the program Republicans say is an unfair and unnecessary welfare handout.

Documents were uncovered last month showing that Republican states fighting the loan forgiveness plan made false claims they would "suffer injuries" or be financially affected, a debt forgiveness campaign group claimed.