I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4001 
To provide for the refinancing and recalculation of certain Federal student 
loans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 10, 2017 
Mr. GARAMENDI
(for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. 
BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mrs. BUSTOS, Ms. JUDY CHU of 
California, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, Ms. KUSTER of New 
Hampshire, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. ROY-
BAL-ALLARD, Mr. TONKO, Mr. COSTA, Mr. NOLAN, and Ms. PINGREE) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To provide for the refinancing and recalculation of certain 
Federal student loans, 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 Refi-
nancing and Recalculation Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REFINANCING PROGRAMS. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—Section 451(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘(2)’’; 
and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘; and (3) to make loans under 
section 460A’’ after ‘‘section 459A’’. 
(b) REFINANCING PROGRAM.—Part D of title IV of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 460A. REFINANCING FFEL AND FEDERAL DIRECT 
LOANS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of the Student Loan Re-
financing and Recalculation Act, the Secretary shall estab-
lish a program under which the Secretary, upon the re-
ceipt of an application from a qualified borrower, reissues 
the borrower’s original loan under this part or part B as 
a loan under this part, in accordance with the provisions 
of this section, in order to permit the borrower to obtain 
the interest rate provided under subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) REISSUING LOANS.— 
‘‘(1) FEDERAL DIRECT LOANS.—Upon applica-
tion of a qualified borrower, the Secretary shall re-
issue a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, a Federal Di-
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rect Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, a Federal Direct 
PLUS Loan, or a Federal Direct Consolidation 
Loan of the qualified borrower, for which the first 
disbursement was made, or the application for the 
reissuance of a loan under this section was received 
before July 1, 2017, in an amount equal to the sum 
of— 
‘‘(A) the unpaid principal, accrued unpaid 
interest, and late charges of the original loan; 
and 
‘‘(B) the administrative fee under sub-
section (d)(3). 
‘‘(2) DISCHARGING AND REISSUING FFEL PRO-
GRAM
LOANS
AS
REFINANCED
FEDERAL
DIRECT 
LOANS.—Upon application of a qualified borrower 
for any loan that was made, insured, or guaranteed 
under part B and for which the first disbursement 
was made before July 1, 2010, the Secretary shall 
reissue such loan as a loan under this part, in an 
amount equal to the sum of the unpaid principal, ac-
crued unpaid interest, and late charges of the origi-
nal loan and the administrative fee under subsection 
(d)(3), to the borrower in accordance with the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The interest rate for the 
reissued Federal Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Di-
rect Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Direct 
PLUS Loans, and Federal Direct Consolidation 
Loans, shall be a rate equal to— 
‘‘(A) the high yield of the 10-year Treas-
ury note auctioned at the final auction held 
prior to the first day of the month in which the 
application for reissuance under this section is 
received, plus 
‘‘(B) 1.0 percent. 
‘‘(2) FIXED RATE.—The applicable rate of in-
terest determined under paragraph (1) for a re-
issued loan under this section shall be fixed for the 
period of the loan. 
‘‘(d) TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF LOANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—A loan that is reissued 
under this section shall have the same terms and 
conditions as the original loan, except as otherwise 
provided in this section. 
‘‘(2) NO
AUTOMATIC
EXTENSION
OF
REPAY-
MENT PERIOD.—Reissuing a loan under this section 
shall not result in the extension of the duration of 
the repayment period of the loan, and the borrower 
shall retain the same repayment term that was in ef-
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fect on the original loan. Nothing in this paragraph 
shall be construed to prevent a borrower from elect-
ing a different repayment plan at any time in ac-
cordance with section 455(d)(3). 
‘‘(3) ADMINISTRATIVE
FEE.—The Secretary 
shall charge the borrower of a loan reissued under 
this section an administrative fee of not more than 
0.5 percent of the sum of the unpaid principal, ac-
crued unpaid interest, and late charges, of the origi-
nal loan. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED BORROWER.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘qualified bor-
rower’ means a borrower— 
‘‘(A) of a loan under this part or part B 
for which the first disbursement was made, or 
the application for reissuance under this section 
was received, before July 1, 2017; and 
‘‘(B) who meets the eligibility requirements 
based on income or debt-to-income ratio estab-
lished by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) INCOME REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of the Student 
Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act, the Sec-
retary shall establish eligibility requirements based 
on income or debt-to-income ratio that take into con-
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sideration providing access to refinancing under this 
section for borrowers with the greatest financial 
need. 
‘‘(f) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The Secretary’s 
authority to reissue loans under this section shall expire 
on the date that is determined in accordance with section 
4 of the Fairness in Student Loan Lending Act.’’. 
(c) AMENDMENTS TO PUBLIC SERVICE REPAYMENT 
PLAN PROVISIONS.—Section 455(m) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as 
paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) SPECIAL
RULES
FOR
SECTION
460A 
LOANS.— 
‘‘(A) 
REFINANCED
FEDERAL
DIRECT 
LOANS.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in de-
termining the number of monthly payments 
that meet the requirements of such paragraph 
for an eligible Federal Direct Loan reissued 
under section 460A that was originally a loan 
under this part, the Secretary shall include all 
monthly payments made on the original loan 
that meet the requirements of such paragraph. 
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‘‘(B) REFINANCED FFEL LOANS.—In the 
case of an eligible Federal Direct Loan reissued 
under section 460A that was originally a loan 
under part B, only monthly payments made 
after the date on which the loan was reissued 
may be included for purposes of paragraph 
(1).’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (4)(A) (as redesignated by 
paragraph (1) of this subsection), by inserting ‘‘(in-
cluding any Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal 
Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
Stafford Loan, or Federal Direct Consolidation 
Loan reissued under section 460A)’’ before the pe-
riod at the end. 
(d) INCOME-BASED REPAYMENT.—Section 493C of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1098e) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(a) REFINANCED FEDERAL DIRECT
AND FFEL 
LOANS.—In calculating the period of time during which 
a borrower of a loan that is reissued under section 460A 
has made monthly payments for purposes of subsection 
(b)(7), the Secretary shall deem the period to include all 
monthly payments made for the original loan, and all 
monthly payments made for the reissued loan, that other-
wise meet the requirements of this section.’’. 
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SEC. 3. INTEREST RATES. 
(a) INTEREST RATES.—Section 455(b) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(b)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (9) as para-
graph (10); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(9) INTEREST
RATE
PROVISIONS
FOR
NEW 
LOANS ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2017.— 
‘‘(A) RATES FOR UNDERGRADUATE FDSL 
AND
FDUSL.—Notwithstanding the preceding 
paragraphs of this subsection, for Federal Di-
rect Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Unsub-
sidized Stafford Loans issued to undergraduate 
students, for which the first disbursement is 
made on or after July 1, 2017, the applicable 
rate of interest shall, for loans disbursed during 
any 12-month period beginning on July 1 and 
ending on June 30, be determined on the pre-
ceding June 1 and be equal to the lesser of— 
‘‘(i) a rate equal to— 
‘‘(I) the high yield of the 10-year 
Treasury note auctioned at the final 
auction held prior to such June 1, 
plus 
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‘‘(II) 1 percent; or 
‘‘(ii) 8.25 percent. 
‘‘(B) RATES FOR GRADUATE AND PROFES-
SIONAL
FDUSL.—Notwithstanding 
the 
pre-
ceding paragraphs of this subsection, for Fed-
eral Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans issued 
to graduate or professional students, for which 
the first disbursement is made on or after July 
1, 2017, the applicable rate of interest shall, for 
loans disbursed during any 12-month period be-
ginning on July 1 and ending on June 30, be 
determined on the preceding June 1 and be 
equal to the lesser of— 
‘‘(i) a rate equal to— 
‘‘(I) the high yield of the 10-year 
Treasury note auctioned at the final 
auction held prior to such June 1, 
plus 
‘‘(II) 1 percent; or 
‘‘(ii) 9.5 percent. 
‘‘(C) PLUS LOANS.—Notwithstanding the 
preceding paragraphs of this subsection, for 
Federal Direct PLUS Loans, for which the first 
disbursement is made on or after July 1, 2017, 
the applicable rate of interest shall, for loans 
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rate in the Federal Register as soon as prac-
ticable after the date of determination. 
‘‘(F) RATE.—The applicable rate of inter-
est determined under this paragraph for a Fed-
eral Direct Stafford Loan, a Federal Direct Un-
subsidized Stafford Loan, or a Federal Direct 
PLUS Loan shall be fixed for the period of the 
loan.’’. 
(b) IN SCHOOL DEFERMENT.—Section 455(f) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘A borrower’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (5), a bor-
rower’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)(A)— 
(A) by striking the matter following clause 
(ii); 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking the comma at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) is serving in a medical or dental 
internship or residency program;’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
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‘‘(5) 
SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
IN
SCHOOL 
DEFERMENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision 
of this Act, a borrower described in paragraph 
(2)(A) shall be eligible for a deferment, during which 
periodic installments of principal need not be paid, 
and interest— 
‘‘(A) shall not accrue, in the case of a bor-
rower with an expected family contribution of 
not more than $10,000 (computed in accord-
ance with part F of this title); and 
‘‘(B) shall accrue at the rate equal to the 
high yield of the 10-year Treasury note applica-
ble to such loan under subsection (b)(9), in the 
case of a borrower of an unsubsidized loan with 
an expected family contribution of more than 
$10,000 (computed in accordance with part F 
of this title).’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect as if enacted on 
July 1, 2017. 
SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF ORIGINATION FEES FOR FEDERAL 
DIRECT LOANS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that no origination fees should be charged on any 
future Federal Direct Loans. 
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(b) REPEAL OF ORIGINATION FEES.—Subsection (c) 
of section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1087e(c)) is repealed. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (b) shall apply with respect to loans made 
under part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) for which the first dis-
bursement of principal is made, or, in the case of a Fed-
eral Direct Consolidation Loan, the application is received, 
on the first July 1 after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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