Court Blocks New Rules for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

法院阻止新規定 限制公共服務貸款豁免

Jun 30, 2026, 22:12
USPolitics

Introduction

A federal judge has stopped the Trump administration from using a new rule that would limit student loan forgiveness for employees of organizations accused of having illegal goals.

一名聯邦法官已阻止川普政府執行一項新規定，該規定原將限制被指擁有非法目標之組織員工的學生貸款豁免。

Main Body

The legal battle began after a March 2025 executive order. In this order, the president claimed that the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was being used to fund organizations that harmed national security and American values. As a result, the Department of Education created a new rule in October, set to start on July 1. This rule changed the definition of 'public service' to exclude groups involved in activities such as providing gender-affirming care for minors, helping illegal immigration, or supporting terrorism.

這場法律之爭始於 2025 年 3 月的一項行政命令。在該命令中，總統聲稱「公共服務貸款豁免」(PSLF) 計畫被用於資助損害國家安全與美國價值的組織。因此，教育部在 10 月制定了一項新規定，預計於 7 月 1 日生效。該規定修改了「公共服務」的定義，將參與如為未成年人提供性別肯定醫療、協助非法移民或支持恐怖主義等活動的團體排除在外。

Several non-profit organizations, cities, and Democratic-led states sued the government. They argued that the administration did not have the legal power to create these exceptions and that the rule was simply a way to punish organizations supporting transgender healthcare and immigration rights. Judge Myong Joun agreed, stating that the Department of Education went beyond its legal authority. He emphasized that the administration cannot use the PSLF program to force people to follow political preferences that were not passed by Congress.

數個非營利組織、城市及由民主黨領導的州政府起訴了政府。他們主張政府沒有法律權力制定這些例外情況，且該規定僅僅是用來懲罰支持跨性別醫療與移民權利的組織。法官 Myong Joun 表示同意，指出教育部超越了其法律權限。他強調，政府不能利用 PSLF 計畫強迫民眾遵循未經國會通過的政治偏好。

This decision is part of a larger pattern of legal losses for the administration's changes to student debt. For example, in the same week, another court in Washington DC stopped the Department of Education from lowering the federal loan limits for graduate students in nursing and other healthcare fields.

這項裁決是政府在學生債務改革中一系列法律失利的縮影。例如，在同一週內，華盛頓特區的另一家法院阻止了教育部降低護理及其他醫療領域研究生的聯邦貸款上限。

Conclusion

The court has kept the current eligibility rules for the PSLF program in place, preventing the government from using political reasons to deny loan forgiveness.

法院維持了 PSLF 計畫現有的資格準則，防止政府以政治理由拒絕貸款豁免。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The Power Shift: From Simple Actions to 'Legal Influence'

An A2 student says: "The judge stopped the rule." A B2 student says: "The judge prevented the government from using political reasons to deny loan forgiveness."

To bridge this gap, we are focusing on Complex Verb Patterns found in this text. B2 fluency isn't about bigger words; it's about how you connect people to actions.

🛠️ The 'Verb + Object + To-Infinitive' Engine

Look at this sentence from the text:

"...preventing the government from using political reasons..."

Wait, let's look at a more powerful structure used here:

"...force people to follow political preferences..."

The Formula: Verb →\rightarrow Person →\rightarrow to [Action]

At A2, you use simple sentences. To reach B2, you must use verbs that influence others. Instead of saying "The law says we must do X," try these patterns extracted from the legal context of the article:

  • Force someone to [do something]: (Strong/Required) →\rightarrow The rule forced organizations to change.
  • Prevent someone from [doing something]: (Stopping/Blocking) →\rightarrow The judge prevented the administration from changing the rule.
  • Allow someone to [do something]: (Permitting) →\rightarrow The decision allows the PSLF program to continue.

🔍 Linguistic Nuance: 'Authority' vs. 'Power'

In the text, we see "legal power" and "legal authority."

  • Power (A2): General ability to do something. ("He has the power to move the rock.")
  • Authority (B2): The official or legal right to give orders. ("The judge decided the Department lacked the authority.")

Pro Tip: When discussing rules, work, or government, swap "power" for "authority" to instantly sound more professional and precise.

🚀 Quick Application

Stop using "The boss told me to..." Try: →\rightarrow "My manager authorized me to..." or "The company prevented me from..."

Vocabulary Learning

forgiveness (n.)
The action of canceling a debt, so that the money no longer needs to be paid back.
Example:The government offered student loan forgiveness to those working in public service.
executive order (n.)
A rule or order issued by a president or governor that has the force of law.
Example:The president signed an executive order to protect endangered species.
exclude (v.)
To leave out or remove someone or something from a group or list.
Example:The new rules exclude certain organizations from receiving federal funding.
exception (n.)
A person or thing that is not included in a general rule.
Example:Everyone must wear a uniform, with the exception of the guest speakers.
authority (n.)
The legal power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.
Example:The judge ruled that the agency did not have the legal authority to change the law.
emphasize (v.)
To give special importance or attention to something when speaking or writing.
Example:The teacher emphasized the importance of reviewing the vocabulary before the exam.
eligibility (n.)
The state of having the right to do or receive something based on specific rules.
Example:The committee is checking the eligibility of the candidates for the scholarship.
Practice B2 words in a crossword→