Cardona: Ed Dept. "moving full speed ahead" with student loan relief prep

• White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre encouraged people to still apply to the program shortly after the plan was blocked.

What they're saying: "Amid some Republicans trying every which way to block the Biden Administration’s debt relief program, the department is moving full speed ahead with preparations for the lawful implementation of our program so we can deliver relief to borrowers who need it most," Cardona wrote.

• "Already, 22 million people have provided the department with the necessary information we need to review their eligibility for student debt relief," he added.
• Though the op-ed's headline said the lawsuit "won't derail Biden's plan," Cardona does not explain why he believes the suit will ultimately fail.

The big picture: Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina filed the lawsuit in September, alleging the Biden administration overstepped its executive powers in going forward with the debt relief program.

• Arizona also joined state-led litigation efforts that month by filing a separate lawsuit.
• The Supreme Court declined to block Biden's program in a separate case involving a conservative tax group last week.

Go deeper: Where things stand with Biden's student loan forgiveness plan