I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3641 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide student loan 

deferment for dislocated military spouses, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 28, 2021 

Ms. STEFANIK (for herself, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. 

MAST, Mr. DESJARLAIS, Ms. HERRELL, Mr. GOHMERT, Ms. NORTON, 

Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma, and Mrs. WAGNER) introduced the 

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

Labor 

A BILL 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide 

student loan deferment for dislocated military spouses, 

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 ‘‘Military Spouse Stu5 dent Loan Deferment Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT FOR DISLOCATED 

2 MILITARY SPOUSES. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 455(f) of the Higher Edu4 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is amended— 

5 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 

6 paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and 

7 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol8 lowing: 

9 ‘‘(4) DEFERMENT FOR DISLOCATED MILITARY

10 SPOUSES.— 

11 ‘‘(A) DURATION AND EFFECT ON PRIN12 CIPAL AND INTEREST.—A borrower of a loan 

13 made, insured, or guaranteed under this part or 

14 part B who meets the requirements of subpara15 graph (B) shall be eligible for a deferment for 

16 a period of 90 days, during which periodic in17 stallments of principal need not be paid, and in18 terest shall not accrue. 

19 ‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—A borrower of a loan 

20 made, insured, or guaranteed under this part or 

21 part B shall be eligible for a deferment under 

22 subparagraph (A) if the borrower— 

23 ‘‘(i) is the spouse of a member of the 

24 Armed Forces serving on active duty; and 

25 ‘‘(ii) has experienced a loss of employ26 ment as a result of relocation to accommoVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:38 Jun 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3641.IH H3641

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1 date a permanent change in duty station of 

2 such member. 

3 ‘‘(C) DOCUMENTATION AND APPROVAL.— 

4 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A borrower may 

5 establish eligibility for a deferment under 

6 subparagraph (A) by providing to the Sec7 retary— 

8 ‘‘(I) the documentation described 

9 in clause (ii); or 

10 ‘‘(II) such other documentation 

11 as the Secretary determines appro12 priate. 

13 ‘‘(ii) DOCUMENTATION.—The docu14 mentation described in this clause is— 

15 ‘‘(I) evidence that the borrower is 

16 the spouse of a member of the Armed 

17 Forces serving on active duty; 

18 ‘‘(II) evidence that a military 

19 permanent change of station order 

20 was issued to such member; and 

21 ‘‘(III)(aa) evidence that the bor22 rower is eligible for unemployment 

23 benefits due to a loss of employment 

24 resulting from relocation to accommoVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:38 Jun 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3641.IH H3641

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1 date such permanent change in duty 

2 station; or 

3 ‘‘(bb) a written certification, or 

4 an equivalent as approved by the Sec5 retary, that the borrower is registered 

6 with a public or private employment 

7 agency due to a loss of employment 

8 resulting from relocation to accommo9 date such permanent change in duty 

10 station.’’. 

11 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

12 subsection (a) shall take effect 90 days after the date of 

13 the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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