I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8496 
To prohibit the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, and 
the Attorney General from cancelling student loans except as specifically 
authorized by law. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 26, 2022 
Mr. GROTHMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of 
the Treasury, and the Attorney General from cancelling 
student loans except as specifically authorized by law. 
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 ‘‘Fairness for Respon-
sible Borrowers Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The executive branch does not have the 
statutory authority to cancel student loans on a 
large scale. 
(2) Student loan forgiveness is unfair to those 
who have already paid off their loans and to those 
who did not attend college. 
(3) Student loan forgiveness is inherently re-
gressive and would disproportionately benefit upper- 
class Americans. 
(4) An undergraduate degree is by no means 
the only option for a successful career path. 
(5) Community and technical colleges are a fan-
tastic way for students to learn a valuable skill set 
without taking on a large debt burden. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON MASS CANCELLATION OF STU-
DENT LOANS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary of Education, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, or the Attorney General 
shall not take any action to cancel or forgive the 
outstanding balances, or portion of balances, of cov-
ered loans, except as provided in paragraph (2). 
(2) EXEMPTION.—The prohibition described in 
paragraph (1) shall not apply to targeted Federal 
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student loan forgiveness, cancellation, or repayment 
programs carried out under the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.). 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘‘covered 
loan’’ means— 
(1) a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under 
part B, D, or E of title IV of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.; 1087a et seq.; 
1087aa et seq.) before, on, or after the date of en-
actment of this Act; or 
(2) a loan under the Health Education Assist-
ance Loan Program under title VII of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.) made be-
fore, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of Education, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, or the Attorney General may 
not implement, or publish in any form, any regulation, or 
take any action, that modifies, alters, amends, cancels, 
discharges, forgives, or defers the repayment of any stu-
dent debt not expressly permitted within statute or regula-
tion, regarding covered loans, except to the extent that 
such regulation or action reflects the clear and unequivocal 
intent of Congress in legislation. 
Æ 
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