I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7980 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for deferment 
on the repayment of loans for borrowers who are victims of sexual 
violence, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 8, 2022 
Ms. DEAN 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 
for deferment on the repayment of loans for borrowers 
who are victims of sexual violence, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 Sexual Violence Survivors Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFERMENT FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE. 
Section 455(f)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is amended— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:16 Jun 10, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7980.IH
H7980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph 
(C); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (D) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) not in excess of 3 years (for one or 
more periods of not less than 6 months and not 
more than 12 months) during which the bor-
rower ceases to carry at least one-half the nor-
mal full-time work load for the course of study 
that the borrower is pursuing, as determined by 
the eligible institution (as such term is defined 
in section 435(a)) the borrower is attending, be-
ginning on the date on which the borrower re-
ports to the title IX coordinator (within the 
meaning of section 106.8 of title 34, Code of 
Federal Regulations, or successor regulations) 
of such institution that the borrower is a victim 
of sexual violence (which includes sexual as-
sault, dating violence, domestic violence, and 
stalking, as such terms are defined in section 
485(f)(6)(A)).’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:16 Jun 10, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7980.IH
H7980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
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 SEXUAL VIOLENCE.—In addition to the 
waivers authorized by subparagraphs (D) and 
(E), the Secretary may waive the amounts that 
students are required to return under this sec-
tion with respect to any grant assistance (in-
cluding Federal Pell Grants) or loans made 
under this title if the withdrawals on which the 
returns are based are withdrawals by stu-
dents— 
‘‘(i) whose attendance was interrupted 
due to being a victim of sexual violence 
(within 
the 
meaning 
of 
section 
455(f)(2)(E)); 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.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:16 Jun 10, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7980.IH
H7980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS