I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7761 

To provide for student loan forgiveness for public service workers whose 

employment may have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 

(COVID–19) pandemic. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 23, 2020 

Mr. SWALWELL of California (for himself, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. CISNEROS, 

Mr. COOPER, Ms. DEAN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. HASTINGS, Mrs. HAYES, 

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. MENG, Mr. 

MOULTON, Mr. ROUDA, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mrs. TRAHAN, and Mr. VARGAS) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 

Labor 

A BILL 

To provide for student loan forgiveness for public service 

workers whose employment may have been affected by 

the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Access to 

5 Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants During the 

6 COVID–19 Pandemic Act’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 7761 IH

1 SEC. 2. PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. 

2 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

3 (1) EMPLOYMENT DISRUPTION.—The term 

4 ‘‘employment disruption’’ means a lapse in an indi5 vidual’s employment that is related to the novel 

6 coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID–19), such as a 

7 furlough or reduction in force by the employer or the 

8 individual’s resignation due to illness or family 

9 caregiving responsibilities. 

10 (2) PUBLIC SERVICE JOB.—The term ‘‘public 

11 service job’’ has the meaning given the term in sec12 tion 455(m)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

13 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(3)). 

14 (3) QUALIFYING EMERGENCY.—The term 

15 ‘‘qualifying emergency’’ has the meaning given the 

16 term in section 3502 of division A of the 

17 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 

18 (Public Law 116–136). 

19 (4) QUALIFYING INDIVIDUAL.—The term 

20 ‘‘qualifying individual’’ means an individual who— 

21 (A) has a loan that qualifies for public 

22 service loan forgiveness under section 455(m) of 

23 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

24 1087e(m)); and 

25 (B) during the qualifying emergency pe26 riod— 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 7761 IH

1 (i) was employed in a public service 

2 job; and 

3 (ii) experiences an employment dis4 ruption with respect to the public service 

5 job and no longer is employed in a public 

6 service job. 

7 (b) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (c), during 

8 the qualifying emergency, a monthly payment made by a 

9 qualifying individual pursuant to a repayment plan listed 

10 in section 455(m)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 

11 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(1)(A)) (including a payment 

12 deemed under section 3513(c) of the Coronavirus Aid, Re13 lief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136) to 

14 have been made pursuant to such a repayment plan) shall 

15 be deemed to be a monthly payment made by an individual 

16 employed in a public service job for purposes of the public 

17 service loan forgiveness program under section 455(m) of 

18 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)). 

19 (c) SPECIAL RULE.—Subsection (b) shall only apply 

20 to a qualifying individual who resumes employment in any 

21 public service job by the date that is 6 months after the 

22 last day of the qualifying emergency, except that any 

23 qualifying individual who, as a result of the application 

24 of subsection (b), would have completed the requirements 

25 for loan cancellation under section 455(m)(2) of the HighVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:13 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7761.IH H7761

pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 7761 IH

1 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(2)) during 

2 the qualifying emergency, shall receive such loan cancella3 tion without any required resumption of public service job 

4 employment. 

5 (d) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 60 days after the 

6 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education 

7 shall develop and make available guidance for qualifying 

8 individuals regarding the assistance available under this 

9 section, including a description of any documentation such 

10 an individual shall provide to the Secretary to confirm 

11 whether the individual’s lapse in employment meets the 

12 definition of employment disruption. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS