I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 489
To expand the teacher loan forgiveness programs under the guaranteed and
direct student loan programs for teachers of mathematics and science,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 7, 2001
Mr. GALLEGLY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To expand the teacher loan forgiveness programs under the
guaranteed and direct student loan programs for teach-
ers of mathematics and science, 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 ‘‘Math and Science
Teacher Recruitment Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. REVISION OF TEACHER LOAN FORGIVENESS PRO-
GRAMS.
(a) GUARANTEED STUDENT LOANS.—Part B of title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by—
(1) redesignating section 428K (20 U.S.C.
1078–11) as section 428L; and
(2) by inserting after section 428J the following
new section:
‘‘SEC. 428K. EXPANDED LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACH-
ERS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to
expand, subject to the availability of appropriations there-
for, the eligibility of individuals to qualify for loan forgive-
ness for teachers beyond that available under section
428J, in order to provide additional incentives for teachers
of mathematics and science in middle and secondary
schools to enter and continue in the teaching profession.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the sums appro-
priated pursuant to subsection (i), the Secretary
shall carry out a program, through the holder of the
loan, of assuming the obligation to repay a qualified
loan amount for a loan made under section 428 or
428H, in accordance with subsection (c), for any
borrower who—
‘‘(A) is employed as a full-time teacher in
grades 7 through 12, inclusive, as a teacher of
mathematics or science, and has been so em-
ployed for not less than 3 consecutive complete
school years;
‘‘(B) had mathematics, life or physical
sciences, technology, or engineering as an un-
dergraduate academic major, or has a graduate
degree in any such field, as certified by the
chief administrative officer of the public or non-
profit private secondary school in which the
borrower is employed;
‘‘(C) has a State certification (which may
include certification obtained through alter-
native means) or a State license to teach, and
has not failed to comply with State or local ac-
countability standards; and
‘‘(D) is not in default on a loan for which
the borrower seeks forgiveness.
‘‘(2) SELECTION
OF
RECIPIENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall by regulations, establish a formula that
ensures fairness and equality for applicants in the
selection of borrowers for loan repayment under this
section, based on the amount available pursuant to
subsection (i).
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED LOANS AMOUNT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall repay
not more than—
‘‘(A) $2,500 for each complete school year
of teaching described in subsection (b)(1)(A)
(after the third or any succeeding such year); or
‘‘(B) a total of $10,000.
‘‘(2) TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATION LOANS.—
A loan amount for a loan made under section 428C
may be a qualified loan amount for the purposes of
this subsection only to the extent that such loan
amount was used to repay a Federal Direct Stafford
Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan,
or a loan made under section 428 or 428H for a
borrower who meets the requirements of subsection
(b), as determined in accordance with regulations
prescribed by the Secretary.
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary is authorized to
issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out
the provisions of this section.
‘‘(e) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall
be construed to authorize any refunding of any repayment
of a loan.
‘‘(f ) ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS.—
‘‘(1) CONTINUED
ELIGIBILITY.—Any teacher
who performs service in a school that—
‘‘(A) meets the requirements of subsection
(b)(1)(A) in any year during such service; and
‘‘(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the
requirements of such subsection,
may continue to teach in such school and shall be
eligible for loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection
(b).
‘‘(2) PREVENTION OF DOUBLE BENEFITS.—No
borrower may, for the same service, receive a benefit
under both this section and subtitle D of title I of
the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.). No borrower may receive
a reduction of loan obligations under both this sec-
tion and section 428J, 460, or 460A.
‘‘(h) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘year’, where applied to service as a teacher, means
an academic year as defined by the Secretary.
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002 and
each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’’.
(b) DIRECT STUDENT LOANS.—Part D of title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting
after section 460 the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 460A. EXPANDED LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACH-
ERS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to
expand, subject to the availability of appropriations there-
for, the eligibility of individuals to qualify for loan forgive-
ness for teachers beyond that available under section 460,
in order to provide additional incentives for teachers of
mathematics and science in middle and secondary schools
to enter and continue in the teaching profession.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the sums appro-
priated pursuant to subsection (i), the Secretary
shall cancel the obligation to repay a qualified loan
amount in accordance with subsection (c) for Fed-
eral Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Un-
subsidized Stafford Loans made under this part for
any borrower who—
‘‘(A) is employed as a full-time teacher in
grades 7 through 12, inclusive, as a teacher of
mathematics or science, and has been so em-
ployed for not less than 3 consecutive complete
school years;
‘‘(B) had mathematics, life or physical
sciences, technology, or engineering as an un-
dergraduate academic major, or has a graduate
degree in any such field, as certified by the
Loan may be a qualified loan amount for the pur-
poses of this subsection only to the extent that such
loan amount was used to repay a Federal Direct
Stafford Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Staf-
ford Loan, or a loan made under section 428 or
428H for a borrower who meets the requirements of
subsection (b), as determined in accordance with
regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary is authorized to
issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out
the provisions of this section.
‘‘(e) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall
be construed to authorize any refunding of any repayment
of a loan.
‘‘(f ) ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS.—
‘‘(1) CONTINUED
ELIGIBILITY.—Any teacher
who performs service in a school that—
‘‘(A) meets the requirements of subsection
(b)(1)(A) in any year during such service; and
‘‘(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the
requirements of such subsection,
may continue to teach in such school and shall be
eligible for loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection
(b).
‘‘(2) PREVENTION OF DOUBLE BENEFITS.—No
borrower may, for the same service, receive a benefit
under both this section and subtitle D of title I of
the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.). No borrower may receive
a reduction of loan obligations under both this sec-
tion and section 428J, 428K, or 460.
‘‘(h) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘year’, where applied to service as a teacher, means
an academic year as defined by the Secretary.
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002 and
each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’’.
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