I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5588 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for deferment 
on the repayment of loans for borrowers who are victims of sex-based 
harassment, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 
Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania (for herself, Mr. EVANS, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, 
Ms. PRESSLEY, Mrs. HAYES, Mrs. PELTOLA, Ms. CROCKETT, Ms. ROSS, 
Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Ms. ESCOBAR, and Mr. MULLIN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide 
for deferment on the repayment of loans for borrowers 
who are victims of sex-based harassment, and for other 
purposes. 
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 ‘‘Student Loan 
Deferment for Sex-Based Harassment Survivors Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Sep 23, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5588.IH
H5588
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 2. DEFERMENT FOR VICTIMS OF SEX-BASED HARASS-
MENT. 
Section 455(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (C); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of 
subparagraph (D) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) not in excess of 3 years (for 1 or 
more periods of not less than 3 months and not 
more than 12 months), beginning on the date 
on which the borrower— 
‘‘(i) ceases to carry at least one-half 
the normal full-time work load for the 
course of study that the borrower is pur-
suing, as determined by the eligible institu-
tion (as such term is defined in section 
435(a)) the borrower is attending; and 
‘‘(ii) submits documentation to the 
Secretary showing that the borrower re-
ported to a covered individual that the bor-
rower was a victim of sex-based harass-
ment (regardless of whether institutional 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Sep 23, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5588.IH
H5588
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
findings were made regarding that harass-
ment).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) 
DEFINITIONS
REGARDING
SEX-BASED 
HARASSMENT.—For purposes of paragraph (2)(E)— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘covered individual’ means— 
‘‘(i) the title IX coordinator at the in-
stitution (within the meaning of section 
106.8 of title 34, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, or successor regulations); 
‘‘(ii) another title IX official or ad-
ministrator at the institution; or 
‘‘(iii) a health care provider; and 
‘‘(B) the term ‘sex-based harassment’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) sexual harassment, as defined in 
paragraph (1) or (2) of section 106.30(a) 
of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations 
(as in effect on September 30, 2023); 
‘‘(ii) dating violence, domestic vio-
lence, or stalking, as those terms are de-
fined in section 485(f)(6)(A)(i); or 
‘‘(iii) sexual assault, as that term is 
defined in section 485(f)(6)(A)(v).’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Sep 23, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5588.IH
H5588
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 3. RETURN OF FUNDS WAIVER. 
Section 484B(b)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091b(b)(2)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(F) WAIVERS OF GRANT ASSISTANCE AND 
LOAN REPAYMENT BY STUDENTS WHO ARE VIC-
TIMS
OF
SEX-BASED
HARASSMENT.—In addi-
tion to the waivers authorized by subparagraphs 
(D) and (E), the Secretary may waive the 
amounts that students are required to return 
under this section with respect to any grant as-
sistance (including Federal Pell Grants) or 
loans made under this title if the withdrawals 
on which the returns are based are withdrawals 
by students— 
‘‘(i) whose attendance was interrupted 
due to being a victim of sex-based harass-
ment (as such term is defined in section 
455(f)(6)); and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of students who, in 
the absence of this subparagraph, would 
have been required to return loans made 
under this title, who are receiving a 
deferment under section 455(f)(2)(E) on 
such loans.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Sep 23, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5588.IH
H5588
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall prepare and 
submit to Congress a report that includes an evaluation 
of the effectiveness of the activities established under this 
Act, and the amendments made by this Act, including op-
portunities for increased program integrity. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Sep 23, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5588.IH
H5588
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB