I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6689 

To direct the Secretary of Education to forgive the Federal student loans 

of borrowers who are enrolled for benefits under part A of title XVIII 

of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 7, 2023 

Mr. SCHIFF (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Mr. 

GOMEZ, Ms. NORTON, and Ms. TOKUDA) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 

and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Education to forgive the Federal 

student loans of borrowers who are enrolled for benefits 

under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 

and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Student Loan Relief 

5 for Medicare and Social Security Recipients Act of 2023’’. 

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1 SEC. 2. FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR BOR2 ROWERS ENROLLED IN MEDICARE. 

3 (a) FORGIVENESS REQUIRED.—Notwithstanding any 

4 other provision of law, the Secretary of Education shall 

5 forgive the outstanding balance of principal, interest, and 

6 fees due on the eligible Federal student loans of borrowers 

7 who meet the requirements of subsection (b). 

8 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—A borrower is eligible to receive 

9 forgiveness under this section if, at the time of application 

10 for forgiveness, such borrower is— 

11 (1) enrolled for benefits under part A of title 

12 XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c 

13 et seq.); or 

14 (2) in the 24-month waiting period for such 

15 benefits as described under section 226(b) of the So16 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426(b)). 

17 (c) APPLICATION.—A borrower seeking forgiveness 

18 under this section shall submit to the Secretary of Edu19 cation an application at such time, in such manner, and 

20 containing such information as the Secretary may require. 

21 (d) METHOD OF LOAN FORGIVENESS.—As soon as 

22 practicable after the Secretary of Education confirms that 

23 an applicant meets the requirements of subsection (b), the 

24 Secretary of Education shall— 

25 (1) for each eligible Federal student loan of the 

26 borrower that is held by the Department of EduVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Dec 27, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6689.IH H6689
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1 cation, cancel the outstanding balance of principal, 

2 interest, and fees due on the loan; and 

3 (2) for each eligible Federal student loan of the 

4 borrower that is not held by the Department of Edu5 cation— 

6 (A) through the holder of a loan, assume 

7 the obligation to repay the outstanding balance 

8 of principal, interest, and fees due on the loan; 

9 and 

10 (B) upon assuming such obligation, cancel 

11 the outstanding balance of such principal, inter12 est, and fees. 

13 (e) REPAYMENT REFUNDS PROHIBITED.—Nothing 

14 in this section shall be construed to authorize the refund 

15 of any payments made by a borrower on an eligible Fed16 eral student before the date on which the borrower’s loans 

17 are forgiven in accordance with this section. 

18 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

19 (1) ELIGIBLE FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN.—The 

20 term ‘‘eligible Federal student loan’’ means a loan— 

21 (A) received by a borrower at least 10 

22 years before the date on which such borrower 

23 applies for forgiveness under subsection (c); 

24 (B) used to pay for— 

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1 (i) the undergraduate or graduate 

2 education of the borrower; or 

3 (ii) in the case of a loan made to a 

4 parent on behalf of a dependent student, 

5 the undergraduate or graduate education 

6 of such dependent student; and 

7 (C) made, insured, or guaranteed under— 

8 (i) part B, part D, or part E of title 

9 IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

10 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.), including a con11 solidation loan; or 

12 (ii) part E of title VIII of the Public 

13 Health Service Act. 

14 (2) FEES.—The term ‘‘fees’’ means any 

15 amounts owed by a borrower, other than principal 

16 and interest, on an eligible Federal student loan, in17 cluding the amounts of any outstanding administra18 tive fees, late charges, and collection costs. 

19 (3) GRADUATE EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘grad20 uate education’’ means a postbaccalaureate program 

21 of study that leads to a graduate degree, including 

22 a master’s or doctoral degree. 

23 (4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

24 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

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1 meaning given that term in section 102 of the High2 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 

3 (5) UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION.—The term 

4 ‘‘undergraduate education’’ means a postsecondary 

5 program of study at an institution of higher edu6 cation that leads to a certificate, associate degree, or 

7 baccalaureate degree. 

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