I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2023 
To establish a student loan forgiveness program for members of the Sudanese 
Diaspora to enable them to return to southern Sudan and contribute 
to the reconstruction effort of southern Sudan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 24, 2007 
Mr. TANCREDO (for himself, Mr. HOLT, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, and Mr. 
WOLF) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To establish a student loan forgiveness program for members 
of the Sudanese Diaspora to enable them to return to 
southern Sudan and contribute to the reconstruction ef-
fort of southern Sudan. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sudanese Diaspora 
Loan Forgiveness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The 21-year civil war between the North 
and the South in Sudan caused many Sudanese peo-
ple to flee their homeland and seek refuge in other 
countries, including the United States. 
(2) The United States has assisted many Suda-
nese citizens fleeing the violence in their homeland, 
including the Lost Boys in 2001, a group of approxi-
mately 3,800 children that were separated from 
their parents during the civil war and who fled on 
foot to Ethiopia, walking more than 1,000 kilo-
meters on the four-month journey, and who then 
fled again to Kenya to avoid forcible repatriation to 
Sudan. 
(3) Approximately 5,640 Sudanese citizens have 
been granted refugee status in the United States in 
Fiscal Years 2003 and 2004 alone. 
(4) The National Congress Party Government 
and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement 
(SPLM) signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 
in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 9, 2005, formally 
ending the conflict between the North and the South 
and creating a new Government of Sudan that con-
sists of a coalition of opposition groups and the 
former regime. 
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(5) With the signing of the Comprehensive 
Peace Agreement in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 9, 
2005, the Government of Southern Sudan’s plans 
for reconstruction in Southern Sudan are moving 
forward. 
(6) Sudanese refugees in the United States 
have acquired a reputation for being an extremely 
resilient group, and a number of them have, after 
adjusting to a new life in the United States, chosen 
to pursue a higher education, and now have profes-
sional skills to contribute to the rebuilding of their 
homeland. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 
(a) STAFFORD LOANS.—Part B of title IV of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting 
after section 428K (20 U.S.C. 1078–11) the following new 
section: 
‘‘SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE SU-
DANESE DIASPORA. 
‘‘(a) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of 
this section to encourage members of the Sudanese Dias-
pora in the United States to return to Southern Sudan 
for purposes of contributing to the reconstruction efforts 
there. 
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‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amount ap-
propriated under subsection (f) for any fiscal year, the 
Secretary of Education shall, in accordance with sub-
section (c) and in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
carry out a program, through the holder of the loan, of 
assuming the obligation to repay a qualified loan amount 
for a loan made under section 428 or 428H for any bor-
rower who— 
‘‘(1) as of the date of the enactment of this sec-
tion, is a Sudanese citizen who— 
‘‘(A) has been granted refugee or asylum 
status in the United States; 
‘‘(B) has been granted lawful permanent 
resident status in the United States; or 
‘‘(C) is a naturalized United States citizen; 
‘‘(2) commits to returning to Southern Sudan 
for a period of five or more years for purposes of 
contributing professional skills to repairing the dam-
age to the infrastructure of Southern Sudan caused 
by the Sudanese civil war, as approved by the Sec-
retary for purposes of this section; and 
‘‘(3) is not in default on a loan for which the 
borrower seeks forgiveness. 
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED LOANS AMOUNT.— 
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Of the aggregate of the 
loan obligation on a loan made under section 428 or 
428H that is outstanding to an individual who meets 
the requirements of subsection (b), the Secretary 
may, from funds appropriated under subsection (f), 
repay not more than— 
‘‘(A) $3,000 after the first calendar year 
of service described in subsection (b)(2); 
‘‘(B) $4,000 after the second such year of 
service; 
‘‘(C) $5,000 after the third such year of 
service; 
‘‘(D) $6,000 after the fourth such year of 
service; and 
‘‘(E) $7,000 after the fifth such year of 
service. 
‘‘(2) AWARD BASIS.—The Secretary shall make 
payments under this subsection on a first-come first- 
served basis, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions. 
‘‘(d) ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATION LOANS.— 
A loan amount for a loan made under section 428C 
may be a qualified loan amount for the purposes of 
this subsection only to the extent that such loan 
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amount was used to repay a Federal Direct Stafford 
Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, 
or a loan made under section 428 or 428H for a 
borrower who meets the requirements of subsection 
(b), as determined in accordance with regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) DOUBLE BENEFITS PROHIBITED.—No bor-
rower may receive a reduction of loan obligations 
under both this section and section 460A. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State, issue such regula-
tions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this section. 
‘‘(f) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to authorize any refunding of any repayment 
of a loan. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For fis-
cal year 2008 and for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, 
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to repay loans in the amounts specified in 
subsection (c)(1).’’. 
(b) DIRECT LOANS.—Part D of title IV is amended 
by inserting after section 460 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) the fol-
lowing new section: 
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‘‘SEC. 460A. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE SU-
DANESE DIASPORA. 
‘‘(a) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of 
this section to encourage members of the Sudanese Dias-
pora in the United States to return to Southern Sudan 
for purposes of contributing to the reconstruction efforts 
there. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amount ap-
propriated under subsection (f) for any fiscal year, the 
Secretary of Education shall, in accordance with sub-
section (c) and in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
carry out a program of canceling the obligation to repay 
a qualified loan amount in accordance with subsection (c) 
for Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Un-
subsidized Stafford Loans made under this part for any 
borrower who— 
‘‘(1) as of the date of the enactment of this sec-
tion, is a Sudanese citizen who— 
‘‘(A) has been granted refugee or asylum 
status in the United States; 
‘‘(B) has been granted lawful permanent 
resident status in the United States; or 
‘‘(C) is a naturalized United States citizen; 
‘‘(2) commits to returning to Southern Sudan 
for a period of five or more years for purposes of 
contributing professional skills to repairing the dam-
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age to the infrastructure of Southern Sudan caused 
by the Sudanese civil war, as approved by the Sec-
retary for purposes of this section; and 
‘‘(3) is not in default on a loan for which the 
borrower seeks forgiveness. 
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED LOANS AMOUNT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Of the aggregate of the 
loan obligation on a Federal Direct Stafford Loans 
and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that 
is outstanding to an individual who meets the re-
quirements of subsection (b), the Secretary may, 
from funds appropriated under subsection (f), repay 
not more than— 
‘‘(A) $3,000 after the first calendar year 
of service described in subsection (b)(2); 
‘‘(B) $4,000 after the second such year of 
service; 
‘‘(C) $5,000 after the third such year of 
service; 
‘‘(D) $6,000 after the fourth such year of 
service; and 
‘‘(E) $7,000 after the fifth such year of 
service. 
‘‘(2) AWARD BASIS.—The Secretary shall make 
payments under this subsection on a first-come first- 
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served basis, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions. 
‘‘(d) ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATION LOANS.— 
A loan amount for Federal Direct Consolidation 
Loan may be a qualified loan amount for the pur-
poses of this subsection only to the extent that such 
loan amount was used to repay a Federal Direct 
Stafford Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Staf-
ford Loan, or a loan made under section 428 or 
428H for a borrower who meets the requirements of 
subsection (b), as determined in accordance with 
regulations prescribed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) DOUBLE BENEFITS PROHIBITED.—No bor-
rower may receive a reduction of loan obligations 
under both this section and section 428L. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State, issue such regula-
tions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this section. 
‘‘(f) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to authorize any refunding of any repayment 
of a loan. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For fis-
cal year 2008 and for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, 
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there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to repay loans in the amounts specified in 
subsection (c)(1).’’. 
Æ 
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