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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10477 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10477

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the Public Service 
          Loan Forgiveness program and reduce interest rates.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 18, 2024

Mr. Courtney (for himself, Mr. Sarbanes, and Mr. DeSaulnier) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the Public Service 
          Loan Forgiveness program and reduce interest rates.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Efforts for Relief and 
Vital Incentives for Community Service and Engagement Act'' or the 
``SERVICE Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN 
              FORGIVENESS.

    (a) Number of Monthly Payments.--Paragraph (1) of section 455(m) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``120 monthly 
        payments'' and all that follows and inserting ``96 qualifying 
        monthly payments on the eligible Federal Direct Loan after 
        October 1, 2007; and''; and
            (2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
                    ``(B) has been employed in a public service job 
                during the period in which the borrower makes each of 
                the 96 qualifying monthly payments.''.
    (b) Redesignations.--Section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) is further amended by redesignating 
paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), and as paragraphs (3), (6), and (7), 
respectively;
    (c) Monthly Payments.--Section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) is further amended--
            (1) by inserting after paragraph (1), as so amended, the 
        following:
            ``(2) Monthly payments.--
                    ``(A) Qualifying monthly payments.--For the purpose 
                of determining under paragraph (1) the number of 
                qualifying monthly payments made by a borrower on an 
                eligible Federal Direct Loan, the Secretary shall 
                consider the borrower to have made a qualifying monthly 
                payment for each month that--
                            ``(i) the borrower pays (as a lump sum or 
                        in multiple installments) an amount that is not 
                        less than the monthly payment amount due on the 
                        eligible Federal Direct Loan pursuant to any 
                        one or a combination of the following--
                                    ``(I) payments under an income-
                                based repayment plan under section 
                                493C;
                                    ``(II) payments under a standard 
                                repayment plan under subsection 
                                (d)(1)(A), based on a 10-year repayment 
                                period;
                                    ``(III) monthly payments under a 
                                repayment plan under subsection (d)(1) 
                                or (g) of not less than the monthly 
                                amount calculated under subsection 
                                (d)(1)(A), based on a 10-year repayment 
                                period; or
                                    ``(IV) payments under an income 
                                contingent repayment plan under 
                                subsection (d)(1)(D); or
                            ``(ii) in lieu of a payment described in 
                        clause (i), the borrower is in one of the 
                        following periods of deferment or forbearance--
                                    ``(I) cancer treatment deferment 
                                under section 427(a)(2)(C)(iv), 
                                428(b)(1)(M)(v), or 455(f)(3);
                                    ``(II) rehabilitation training 
                                program deferment under section 
                                427(a)(2)(C)(i)(II), 
                                428(b)(1)(M)(i)(II), or 
                                455(f)(2)(A)(ii);
                                    ``(III) military service deferment 
                                under section 428(b)(1)(M)(iii) or 
                                455(f)(2)(C);
                                    ``(IV) unemployment deferment under 
                                section 427(a)(2)(C)(ii), 
                                428(b)(1)(M)(ii), 428B(d)(1)(A)(i), or 
                                455(f)(2)(B);
                                    ``(V) deferment due to an economic 
                                hardship described in section 
                                427(a)(2)(C)(iii), section 
                                428(b)(1)(M)(iv), section 
                                428B(d)(1)(A)(i), section 435(o), or 
                                section 455(f)(2)(D);
                                    ``(VI) Peace Corps service 
                                deferment under section 
                                682.210(b)(2)(ii) or 682.210(k) of 
                                title 34, Code of Federal Regulations 
                                (or successor regulations), as made 
                                applicable to Direct Loan borrowers 
                                under section 685.204(j) of such title 
                                34;
                                    ``(VII) post-active-duty student 
                                deferment under section 493D;
                                    ``(VIII) AmeriCorps forbearance 
                                under section 428(c)(3)(A)(i)(III);
                                    ``(IX) National Guard Duty 
                                forbearance under section 
                                682.211(h)(2)(iii) or 685.205(a)(7) of 
                                title 34, Code of Federal Regulations 
                                (or successor regulations);
                                    ``(X) Department of Defense student 
                                loan repayment program forbearance 
                                under section 428(c)(3)(A)(i)(IV);
                                    ``(XI) administrative forbearance 
                                or mandatory administrative forbearance 
                                under section 428(c)(3)(D) or 
                                428H(e)(7); or
                                    ``(XII) student loan debt burden 
                                forbearance under section 
                                428(c)(3)(A)(i)(II).
                    ``(B) Prepayments.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
                        if, for any month, a borrower makes a 
                        qualifying monthly payment on an eligible 
                        Federal Direct Loan in an amount that exceeds 
                        the monthly payment amount due on such loan for 
                        such month, the Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) if the excess amount is less 
                                than the monthly payment amount due for 
                                the subsequent month on such loan, 
                                apply the excess amount toward the 
                                monthly payment amount due for such 
                                subsequent month;
                                    ``(II) if the excess amount is 
                                equal to the monthly payment amount due 
                                for the subsequent month on such loan, 
                                treat the excess amount as the monthly 
                                payment for such subsequent month;
                                    ``(III) if the excess amount is 
                                greater than the monthly payment amount 
                                due for the subsequent month on such 
                                loan, but less than the total monthly 
                                payment amounts due for the 2 
                                subsequent months on such loan--
                                            ``(aa) treat the portion of 
                                        the excess amount that covers 
                                        the monthly payment amount due 
                                        for the subsequent month as the 
                                        monthly payment for such 
                                        subsequent month; and
                                            ``(bb) apply the remainder 
                                        of the excess amount toward the 
                                        monthly payment amount due for 
                                        the second subsequent month;
                                    ``(IV) if the excess amount is 
                                equal to or greater than the monthly 
                                payment amount due for the 2 subsequent 
                                months on such loan, but less than the 
                                total monthly payment amounts due for 
                                the 3 subsequent months on such loan--
                                            ``(aa) treat the portion of 
                                        the excess amount that covers 
                                        the monthly payment amounts due 
                                        for the subsequent month and 
                                        the second subsequent month as 
                                        the monthly payments for such 
                                        months; and
                                            ``(bb) apply any remainder 
                                        of such excess amount toward 
                                        the monthly payment amount due 
                                        for the third subsequent month;
                                    ``(V) if the excess amount is equal 
                                to the monthly payment amounts due for 
                                the 3 subsequent months on such loan, 
                                treat the excess amount as the monthly 
                                payments for such months;
                                    ``(VI) if the excess amount is 
                                greater than the monthly payment 
                                amounts due for the 3 subsequent months 
                                on such loan--
                                            ``(aa) treat the portion of 
                                        the excess amount that covers 
                                        the monthly payment amounts due 
                                        for the 3 subsequent months as 
                                        the monthly payments for such 
                                        months; and
                                            ``(bb) apply any remainder 
                                        of such excess amount to the 
                                        principal balance of the 
                                        eligible Federal Direct loan; 
                                        and
                                    ``(VII) notwithstanding subclauses 
                                (I) through (VI), if the borrower has a 
                                monthly payment amount due on such loan 
                                for such month that is equal to $0, 
                                apply any excess amount for such month 
                                to the principal balance of the 
                                eligible Federal Direct loan.
                            ``(ii) Alternative application.--Prior to 
                        or at the time of making a payment that exceeds 
                        the monthly payment amount due on an eligible 
                        Federal Direct Loan for such month, a borrower 
                        may request that any excess amount for such 
                        month be applied to the principal balance of an 
                        eligible Federal Direct loan in lieu of such 
                        excess amount being applied in accordance with 
                        clause (i).
                    ``(C) Buyback payment process.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        establish a buyback payment process under which 
                        a qualified borrower of an eligible Federal 
                        Direct Loan may make a buyback payment in order 
                        to have eligible months of the borrower's 
                        public service employment period during which 
                        the borrower did not make a qualifying monthly 
                        payment on such loan be treated as if the 
                        borrower had made a qualifying monthly payment 
                        on such loan.
                            ``(ii) Qualified borrower.--A borrower is a 
                        qualified borrower for the purposes of making a 
                        buyback payment in accordance with this 
                        subparagraph if the borrower--
                                    ``(I) has an eligible Federal 
                                Direct Loan that is not in default;
                                    ``(II) has been employed in a 
                                public service job for not less than a 
                                96 month employment period, but during 
                                such employment period has made fewer 
                                than 96 qualifying monthly payments on 
                                an eligible Federal Direct Loan; and
                                    ``(III) requests to make a buyback 
                                payment in accordance with this 
                                subparagraph.
                            ``(iii) Eligible month.--For the purposes 
                        of this subparagraph, an eligible month means a 
                        month during which a qualified borrower was 
                        employed in a public service job, was not in an 
                        in-school deferment or grace period, and did 
                        not make a qualifying monthly payment on an 
                        eligible Federal Direct Loan for such month--
                                    ``(I) because the borrower made a 
                                monthly payment on such eligible 
                                Federal Direct Loan pursuant to a 
                                repayment plan that is not a qualifying 
                                repayment plan;
                                    ``(II) because the borrower was in 
                                a period of deferment or forbearance 
                                other than a period described in clause 
                                (ii) of subparagraph (A); or
                                    ``(III) for another reason 
                                determined appropriate by the 
                                Secretary.
                            ``(iv) Buyback payment requirements.--A 
                        buyback payment made in accordance with this 
                        subparagraph--
                                    ``(I) shall be made by a qualified 
                                borrower as a lump sum payment amount, 
                                and in an amount that equals the total 
                                amount the borrower would have paid in 
                                qualifying monthly payments on the 
                                eligible Federal Direct Loan for all 
                                eligible months the borrower is 
                                requesting to buyback, pursuant to a 
                                qualifying repayment plan applicable to 
                                the borrower, in accordance with 
                                section 685.219(g)(6) of title 34, Code 
                                of Federal Regulations (as such section 
                                is in effect on the date of enactment 
                                of this paragraph) or any other 
                                relevant regulations in effect on such 
                                date;
                                    ``(II) may not be made with respect 
                                to an eligible Federal Direct Loan that 
                                has been paid off, discharged, or 
                                cancelled; and
                                    ``(III) with respect to an eligible 
                                Federal Direct Loan that is a 
                                consolidation loan, may not be used to 
                                buyback eligible months that occurred 
                                before the date of the consolidation of 
                                such loan.
                    ``(D) Hold harmless against retroactive 
                determinations.--For purposes of determining under 
                paragraph (1) the number of qualifying monthly payments 
                made by a borrower, any payment or period of deferment 
                or forbearance that is determined to be a qualifying 
                monthly payment may not, at a later time, be determined 
                not to be a qualifying monthly payment.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (6), as redesignated by section 2(b), by 
        adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Qualifying repayment plan.--The term 
                `qualifying repayment plan' means any of the repayment 
                plans listed in clause (i) of paragraph (2)(A).''.
    (d) Loan Cancellation.--Paragraph (3) of section 455(m) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)), as redesignated by 
subsection (b), is amended to read as follows:
            ``(3) Loan cancellation amount.--Upon certification by a 
        borrower of completion of 96 qualifying monthly payments by the 
        borrower, the Secretary shall determine whether the borrower 
        meets each of the requirements of paragraph (1), and--
                    ``(A) if the Secretary determines that the borrower 
                does meet such requirements, cancel the obligation to 
                repay the balance of principal and interest due as of 
                the time of such cancellation on the eligible Federal 
                Direct Loans made to the borrower under this part, 
                without further action by the borrower; or
                    ``(B) if the Secretary determines that the borrower 
                does not meet such requirements, notify the borrower of 
                such determination in accordance with paragraph (4).''.
    (e) Reconsideration Process.--Section 455(m) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)), as redesignated by 
subsection (b), is further amended by inserting after paragraph (3), as 
so amended, the following:
            ``(4) Initial determination of ineligibility for loan 
        cancellation.--In a case in which the Secretary determines that 
        a borrower has not met the requirements of paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) notify the borrower that--
                            ``(i) the borrower's application has been 
                        denied, including the basis for such denial;
                            ``(ii) the borrower is in a 90-day 
                        forbearance period described in subparagraph 
                        (B); and
                            ``(iii) the Secretary will resume 
                        collection of the eligible Federal Direct Loans 
                        for which the borrower was seeking loan 
                        cancellation under this subsection after such 
                        90-day forbearance period, unless the borrower 
                        opts to extend such forbearance period under 
                        paragraph (5)(A)(ii); and
                    ``(B) grant the borrower a 90-day forbearance 
                period, beginning on the date of the notice described 
                in subparagraph (A) provided to the borrower, and 
                during which--
                            ``(i) payments of principal and interest 
                        need not be made on the eligible Federal Direct 
                        Loans for which the borrower was seeking loan 
                        cancellation under this subsection; and
                            ``(ii) any interest accrued and not paid 
                        may not be capitalized.
            ``(5) Reconsideration process.--
                    ``(A) Request for reconsideration.--Not later than 
                90 days after the date of the notice described in 
                paragraph (4)(A) provided to the borrower--
                            ``(i) the borrower may request, on a form 
                        approved by the Secretary, that the Secretary 
                        reconsider the basis for the Secretary's denial 
                        under paragraph (4)(A)(i); and
                            ``(ii) if the Secretary grants the 
                        borrower's reconsideration request, offer the 
                        borrower an extension of the 90-day forbearance 
                        period described in paragraph (4)(B), which 
                        shall--
                                    ``(I) begin on the date of the 
                                borrower's reconsideration request 
                                under this subparagraph; and
                                    ``(II) end on the date of the 
                                notice provided to the borrower under 
                                subparagraph (C)(i)(I) of the 
                                Secretary's reconsideration decision.
                    ``(B) Consideration of reconsideration request.--In 
                evaluating a reconsideration request from a borrower, 
                the Secretary shall consider any relevant evidence or 
                supporting documentation that may assist the Secretary 
                in determining whether the borrower meets each of the 
                requirements of paragraph (1) to qualify for loan 
                cancellation under this subsection.
                    ``(C) Decision by the secretary.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than 6 months 
                        after receipt of a borrower's reconsideration 
                        request, the Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) notify the borrower of the 
                                reconsideration decision and the reason 
                                for the Secretary's determination;
                                    ``(II) in a case in which the 
                                reconsideration request is granted, 
                                adjust the borrower's number of 
                                qualifying monthly payments under 
                                paragraph (1) or cancel the loan under 
                                paragraph (3); and
                                    ``(III) in a case in which the 
                                Secretary denies the reconsideration 
                                request, with respect to a borrower who 
                                agrees to the forbearance extension 
                                described in subparagraph (A)(ii), 
                                include in the notice provided to the 
                                borrower under subclause (I), a 
                                reminder that the Secretary will resume 
                                collection of the eligible Federal 
                                Direct Loans for which the borrower was 
                                seeking loan cancellation under this 
                                subsection as of the date of such 
                                notice.
                            ``(ii) Final decision.--After the Secretary 
                        makes a decision on the borrower's 
                        reconsideration request, the Secretary's 
                        decision is final, and the borrower will not 
                        receive additional reconsideration.''.

SEC. 3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

    (a) Independent Contractors.--Section 455(m) is further amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Treatment of independent contractors.--For purposes 
        of this subsection, each reference to `employment' and 
        `employed' shall be treated as including work as an independent 
        contractor.''.
    (b) Definitions.--Paragraph (6) of section 455(m) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)), as redesignated by section 
2(b), is further amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) Full-time.--The term `full-time' means, with 
                respect to a public service job, working 1 or more such 
                jobs--
                            ``(i) a minimum average of 30 hours per 
                        week during the period being certified;
                            ``(ii) a minimum of 30 hours per week 
                        throughout a contractual or employment period 
                        of at least 8 months in a 12-month period; and
                            ``(iii) with respect to an individual who 
                        is in nontenure track employment at an 
                        institution of higher education, the equivalent 
                        of 30 hours per week as determined by 
                        multiplying each credit or contact hour taught 
                        by such individual per week by a number to be 
                        determined by the Secretary.
                    ``(E) Independent contractor.--The term 
                `independent contractor' means an individual who is not 
                an employee and who is working in a public service job 
                in a position or providing services which, under 
                applicable State law, cannot be filled or provided by 
                an employee of the public service job.''.

SEC. 4. ONLINE PORTAL AND DATABASE OF PUBLIC SERVICE JOBS.

    Section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) Online portal and database of public service jobs.--
                    ``(A) Online portal.--
                            ``(i) Borrowers.--The Secretary shall 
                        establish an online portal that provides to 
                        borrowers of eligible Federal Direct Loans the 
                        following information:
                                    ``(I) Instructions on how to access 
                                the database established under 
                                subparagraph (B) so that the borrower 
                                can determine whether the borrower is 
                                employed in a public service job.
                                    ``(II) An identification of the 
                                loans of the borrower that are eligible 
                                Federal Direct Loans, and an 
                                identification of the qualifying 
                                repayment plans for which such eligible 
                                Federal Direct Loans qualify.
                                    ``(III) With respect to each such 
                                eligible Federal Direct Loan--
                                            ``(aa) the number of 
                                        qualifying monthly payments the 
                                        borrower has made in accordance 
                                        with paragraph (1); and
                                            ``(bb) the estimated number 
                                        of qualifying monthly payments 
                                        under such paragraph remaining 
                                        on such loan before the 
                                        borrower may be eligible for 
                                        loan cancellation under this 
                                        subsection.
                                    ``(IV) With respect to each loan of 
                                the borrower that is not eligible for 
                                loan cancellation under paragraph (3) 
                                of this subsection, an explanation of 
                                why the loan is not so eligible and 
                                instructions on how what, if anything, 
                                the borrower may do to make the loan so 
                                eligible.
                                    ``(V) Instructions for the 
                                submission of any forms associated with 
                                such loan cancellation, and an ability 
                                for the borrower to use the portal to 
                                electronically sign and submit such 
                                forms.
                                    ``(VI) In a case in which a 
                                borrower submits to the Secretary an 
                                application for loan cancellation under 
                                this subsection that is denied by the 
                                Secretary--
                                            ``(aa) a notice of such 
                                        denial that meets each of the 
                                        requirements of paragraph 
                                        (4)(A), including an 
                                        explanation of the 90-day 
                                        forbearance period;
                                            ``(bb) a form that meets 
                                        each of the requirements of 
                                        paragraph (5)(A), which the 
                                        borrower may use to request 
                                        reconsideration of such denial, 
                                        including accepting an 
                                        extension of the 90-day 
                                        forbearance period; and
                                            ``(cc) a notice of the 
                                        Secretary's reconsideration 
                                        decision, which meets each of 
                                        the requirements of paragraph 
                                        (5)(C).
                                    ``(VII) An explanation of the 
                                buyback payment process described in 
                                paragraph (2)(C), and a form to request 
                                such a buyback, including the eligible 
                                months for which the borrower may 
                                request a buyback, and the amount that 
                                the borrower would be required to pay 
                                for such buyback.
                                    ``(VIII) An explanation of how 
                                consolidating one or more Direct Loans 
                                into a Direct Consolidation Loan, 
                                including a Direct PLUS Loan made to a 
                                parent borrower, will affect the number 
                                of qualifying monthly payments 
                                attributed to the borrower.
                            ``(ii) Appropriate contacts.--The Secretary 
                        shall ensure that an appropriate contact for a 
                        public service job of a borrower has the option 
                        to electronically sign and submit any forms 
                        associated with loan cancellation under 
                        paragraph (3) of this subsection.
                            ``(iii) Information.--The Secretary shall 
                        ensure that any information provided through 
                        the online portal described in this 
                        subparagraph contains up-to-date information.
                    ``(B) Database of public service jobs.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary, in 
                        consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall 
                        establish and regularly update a database that 
                        lists public service jobs.
                            ``(ii) Public availability.--The database 
                        established under clause (i) shall be made 
                        available on a publicly accessible website of 
                        the Department of Education in an easily 
                        searchable format.''.

SEC. 5. TREATMENT OF PERIODS OF DEFERMENT AND FORBEARANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 455(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``and 
        Forbearance'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``capitalized or''; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) Forbearance.--With respect to a loan that is in a 
        period of forbearance, interest on such loan may not be 
        capitalized after the conclusion of such period.''.
    (b) Application of Amendment.--The amendments made by subsection 
(a) shall apply to any period of deferment or forbearance in effect as 
of the date of the enactment of this Act, and any period of deferment 
or forbearance beginning on or after such date of enactment.

SEC. 6. TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATED AND REFINANCED LOANS.

    Section 455(m)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087e(m)(2)), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is 
further amended by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
                    ``(E) Determination of number of qualifying monthly 
                payments for consolidation loans.--With respect to 
                determining the number of qualifying monthly payments 
                for a borrower seeking loan forgiveness under this 
                subsection who consolidates one or more Direct Loans 
                into a Direct Consolidation Loan, including a Direct 
                PLUS Loan made to a parent borrower, the Secretary 
                shall use the weighted average of the payments the 
                borrower made on the Direct Loans prior to 
                consolidating that met the criteria under this 
                subsection.''.

SEC. 7. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACHERS.

    (a) In General.--The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 
et seq.) is further amended--
            (1) in section 428J(g)(2) (20 U.S.C. 1078-10(g)(2))--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or'' after 
                the semicolon at the end;
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B); and
                    (C) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
                subparagraph (B); and
            (2) in section 460(g)(2) (20 U.S.C. 1087j(g)(2))--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or'' after 
                the semicolon at the end;
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B); and
                    (C) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
                subparagraph (B).
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 455(m)(7) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as redesignated by section 2(b) of this Act, is 
amended by striking ``section 428J, 428K, 428L, or 460'' and inserting 
``section 428K or 428L''.

SEC. 8. GAO STUDY ON DATA MATCHING AGREEMENTS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN 
              FORGIVENESS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing data matching 
agreements for public service loan forgiveness under section 455(m) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) that would allow 
a borrower to forego requesting certification of employment from the 
appropriate contact for the public service job of the borrower. The 
study shall include an examination of the Department of Education and 
the Department of Defense's progress towards automatic data matching 
for military and veteran borrowers.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate containing the findings and recommendations 
resulting from the study required under subsection (a).
    (c) Cooperation.--The head of each relevant Federal agency, 
including the Secretary of Education, Secretary of Defense, and 
Commissioner of Internal Revenue, shall cooperate with the Comptroller 
General to facilitate the completion of the study required under 
subsection (a).
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