Terrorism Survivors Student Loan Deferment Act
Bill: S.2020 | Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco (R-FL)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Terrorism Survivors Student Loan Deferment Act
This bill allows a borrower who is a victim of a terrorist attack to defer payment of federal student loans for up to one year.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide student loan 
              deferment for victims of terrorist attacks.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Terrorism Survivors Student Loan 
Deferment Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS.

    (a) 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 (iii), by striking ``or'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(v) not in excess of 1 year due to the 
                        borrower being a victim of a terrorist 
                        attack;''.
    (b) FFEL Program.--Section 428(b) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(M)--
                    (A) in clause (iv), by striking ``or'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) in clause (v), by inserting ``or'' after the 
                semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(vi) not in excess of 1 year due to the 
                        borrower being a victim of a terrorist attack 
                        as described in paragraph (10);''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) Deferment for victims of terrorist attacks.--For 
        purposes of deferment under paragraph (1)(M)(vi), a victim of a 
        terrorist attack is an individual who is designated as a victim 
        of a terrorist attack by the head of the Federal agency that is 
        handling the investigation of the attack.''.
    (c) Direct Loans.--Section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1087e) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (e)(7)(B)(i), by inserting ``or due to 
        the borrower being a victim of a terrorist attack'' after 
        ``section 435(o)''; and
            (2) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``clause (i) or (ii); or'' and inserting 
                        ``clause (i) or (ii);'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) not in excess of 1 year due to the borrower 
                being a victim of a terrorist attack as described in 
                paragraph (6).''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Deferment for victims of terrorist attacks.--For 
        purposes of deferment under paragraph (2)(E), a victim of a 
        terrorist attack is an individual who is designated as a victim 
        of a terrorist attack by the head of the Federal agency that is 
        handling the investigation of the attack.''.
    (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 (v), by striking ``or'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) in clause (vi), by inserting ``or'' after the 
                semicolon; and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (vi) the following:
                            ``(vii) not in excess of 1 year due to the 
                        borrower being a victim of a terrorist attack 
                        as described in subparagraph (D);''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(D) For purposes of deferment under subparagraph 
        (A)(vii), a victim of a terrorist attack is an individual who 
        is designated as a victim of a terrorist attack by the head of 
        the Federal agency that is handling the investigation of the 
        attack.''.
    (e) Designating Victims of Terrorist Attacks.--The head of the 
Federal agency that is handling the investigation of a terrorist 
attack, or has handled the investigation of a terrorist attack, shall 
designate the individuals who are victims of such terrorist attack.
    (f) Anti-Fraud Protections.--The Secretary of Education shall 
establish anti-fraud protections in carrying out the amendments made by 
this Act.
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