I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2976 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow for the deferment 
of certain student loans during a period in which a borrower is receiving 
treatment for cancer. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 21, 2017 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN
(for herself, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Ms. WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, and Mr. DUNCAN of Ten-
nessee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow for 
the deferment of certain student loans during a period 
in which a borrower is receiving treatment for cancer. 
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 ‘‘Deferment for Active 
Cancer Treatment Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT FOR BORROWERS RE-
CEIVING CANCER TREATMENT. 
(a) DIRECT LOANS.—Section 455(f) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as 
paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) DEFERMENT FOR BORROWERS RECEIVING 
CANCER TREATMENT.— 
‘‘(A) EFFECT ON PRINCIPAL AND INTER-
EST.—A borrower of a loan made under this 
part who meets the requirements of subpara-
graph (B) shall be eligible for a deferment, dur-
ing which periodic installments of principal 
need not be paid, and interest shall not accrue. 
‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—A borrower of a loan 
made under this part shall be eligible for a 
deferment during— 
‘‘(i) any period in which such bor-
rower is receiving treatment for cancer; 
and 
‘‘(ii) the 6 months after such period. 
‘‘(C) 
APPLICABILITY.—This 
paragraph 
shall apply with respect to loans— 
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‘‘(i) made on or after the date of the 
enactment of this paragraph; or 
‘‘(ii) in repayment on the date of the 
enactment of this paragraph.’’. 
(b) TERMS
OF
FEDERALLY
INSURED
STUDENT 
LOANS.—Section 427(a)(2)(C) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1077(a)(2)(C)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and insert-
ing a semicolon; 
(2) in clause (iii), by inserting ‘‘or’’ after the 
semicolon; and 
(3) by inserting after clause (iii) the following: 
‘‘(iv) in which the borrower is receiv-
ing treatment for cancer and the 6 months 
after such period.’’. 
(c) FFEL PROGRAM.—Section 428(b)(1)(M) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078(b)(1)(M)) 
is amended— 
(1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘or (II); or’’ and 
inserting a ‘‘or (II);’’; 
(2) in clause (iv), by inserting ‘‘or’’ after the 
semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(v) during which the borrower is re-
ceiving treatment for cancer and the 6 
months after such period;’’. 
(d) FEDERAL PERKINS LOANS.—Section 464(c)(2) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087dd(c)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in clause (v), by inserting ‘‘or’’ after 
the semicolon; and 
(C) by inserting after clause (v) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(vi) during which the borrower is receiv-
ing treatment for cancer and the 6 months 
after such period;’’. 
(e) INTEREST
ON
UNSUBSUBSIDIZED
STAFFORD 
LOANS.—Section 428H(e)(2) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078–8(e)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Interest’’ 
and inserting, ‘‘Except as provided in subparagraph 
(C), interest’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
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