I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5890 
To protect borrowers of Federal student loans during the transition period 
following the end of the COVID–19 student loan repayment pause, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 5, 2021 
Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mrs. MCBATH, Ms. WILD, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. 
DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, and Mr. LOWENTHAL) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To protect borrowers of Federal student loans during the 
transition period following the end of the COVID–19 
student loan repayment pause, 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 Bor-
rower Safety Net Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF APPLICATION AND RECERTIFI-
CATION DEADLINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3513 of the CARES Act 
(20 U.S.C. 1001 note) is amended— 
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(1) by amending subsection (g) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(g) NOTICE TO BORROWERS OF COVERED LOANS 
RELATING TO TRANSITION PERIOD.—Not later than the 
date that is 60 days prior to the first day on which a bor-
rower’s payment obligations on a covered loan are no 
longer suspended, as determined by the Secretary, the 
Secretary shall carry out a program to provide not less 
than 6 notices by postal mail, telephone, or electronic com-
munication to such a borrower indicating— 
‘‘(1) when the borrower’s normal payment obli-
gations will resume; 
‘‘(2) that the borrower may be eligible to enroll 
in income-driven repayment, including a brief de-
scription of available income-driven repayment op-
tions; and 
‘‘(3) the options, including a brief description of 
the benefits and consequences of these options, to 
rehabilitate or consolidate the loans of a borrower 
who is in default.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) PRIORITY NOTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 
(g), the Secretary shall give priority in accordance 
with paragraph (2) to notifying borrowers who— 
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‘‘(A) during the 5-year period preceding 
March 31, 2020, missed a payment or pay-
ments for a period of not less than 60 days 
with respect to a covered loan; and 
‘‘(B) in the 5 years preceding March 31, 
2020— 
‘‘(i) missed a payment in the first 3 
months of entering repayment with respect 
to such a covered loan; 
‘‘(ii) entered into a non-administrative 
forbearance 
or 
a 
economic 
hardship 
deferment with respect to such a covered 
loan— 
‘‘(I) on 2 or more occasions; or 
‘‘(II) for a period of longer than 
1 year; 
‘‘(iii) were enrolled and subsequently 
unenrolled, or changed to less-than-half- 
time enrollment status, more than twice 
after entering repayment with respect to 
such a covered loan; 
‘‘(iv) defaulted on such a covered 
loan; or 
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‘‘(v) on 3 or more occasions, missed 
two or more consecutive payments with re-
spect to such a covered loan. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In carrying out paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) notify borrowers described in such 
paragraph of the information specified in sub-
section (g) through at least 3 additional and 
subsequent notifications after the initial notifi-
cation; or 
‘‘(B) carry out other evidence-based out-
reach activities that are designed to assist 
struggling borrowers or borrowers who were 
otherwise at risk for default before the COVID– 
19 pandemic, and report to Congress on such 
activities. 
‘‘(i) APPLICATION OR RECERTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A borrower of a covered 
loan may— 
‘‘(A) during the period beginning on the 
date of enactment of the Student Loan Bor-
rower Safety Net Act of 2021, and ending on 
the date that is one year after the first day on 
which a borrower’s payment obligations on such 
loan are no longer suspended, submit a written, 
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