October Term 2005 · Docket 04-881
Can Congress waive the Social Security Act's ban on debt collection?
The dispute centers on whether a specific statute overrides the general ban on collecting student loans from Social Security benefits.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Ms. Blatt asserted the Higher Education Act waives time limits for student loan collection.
Mr. Wolfman argued the Social Security Act bans benefit attachment unless expressly overridden.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 1-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 1-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-7
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests if a specific law can override a general ban on debt collection from Social Security benefits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 2, 2005.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to reverse the lower court judgment.
The government wants the Court to affirm the lower court judgment.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the Social Security Act bans benefit attachment unless Congress expressly refers to it.
The government argues the Higher Education Act waives time limits for student loan collection.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked what remedy exists for the situation.
Justice Scalia asked if one Congress can bind a future Congress through statutory language.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 1-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 1-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-7
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of federal debt collection powers against protected benefits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 1-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 1-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-7
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-21
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.