Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act

Bill: 116-hr-3096
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]
Introduced: 2019-06-04
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government information and archives

Health personnel

Higher education

Interest, dividends, interest rates

Law enforcement officers

Military personnel and dependents

Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Student aid and college costs
Latest action: action_date: 2019-06-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-06-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act</strong></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Education to cancel 15%, 15%, 20%, 20%, and 30% of the amount a borrower owes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of public service employment, respectively, on a federal student loan made after this bill's enactment. Currently, the loan is forgiven if the borrower is not in default and has made 120 monthly payments on such loan while employed as a public service employee.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3096 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 4, 2019 Mr. Swalwell of California (for himself, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania , Ms. Norton , Mr. Garamendi , Mr. Welch , Ms. DeGette , Mr. Moulton , Mr. Cisneros , Mr. Bishop of Georgia , Mr. Rush , Mr. Meeks , Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire , Mr. Soto , Mr. Ryan , Ms. Haaland , Ms. Davids of Kansas , Ms. Jackson Lee , Ms. DelBene , and Ms. Pingree ) 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 a percentage of student loan forgiveness for public service employment, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act . 2. Public service loan forgiveness program Section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087e(m) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting , except as provided in paragraph (5), after on any eligible Federal Direct Loan not in default ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (5) Loan cancellation for new loans (A) In general Beginning after the date of enactment of the Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act , after the conclusion of each employment period in a public service job, as described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall cancel the percent specified in such subparagraph of the total amount due on any eligible Federal Direct Loan made after the date of enactment of the Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act for a borrower who is employed in such public service job and submits an employment certification form described in subparagraph (C). (B) Percent amount The percent of a loan that shall be canceled under subparagraph (A) is as follows: (i) In the case of a borrower who completes 2 years of employment in a public service job, 15 percent of the total amount due on the eligible Federal Direct Loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job. (ii) In the case of a borrower who completes 4 years of employment in a public service job, 15 percent of the total amount due on the eligible Federal Direct Loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job. (iii) In the case of a borrower who completes 6 years of employment in a public service job, 20 percent of the total amount due on the eligible Federal Direct Loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job. (iv) In the case of a borrower who completes 8 years of employment in a public service job, 20 percent of the total amount due on the eligible Federal Direct Loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job. (v) In the case of a borrower who completes 10 years of employment in a public service job, 30 percent of the total amount due on the eligible Federal Direct Loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job. (C) Employment certification form (i) In general In order to receive loan cancellation under this paragraph, a borrower shall submit to the Secretary an employment certification form that is developed by the Secretary and includes self-certification of employment and a separate part for employer certification that indicates the dates of employment. (ii) Deferment If a borrower submits to the Secretary the employment certification form described in clause (i), during the period in which the borrower is employed in a public service job for which loan cancellation is eligible under this paragraph, the borrower’s eligible Federal Direct Loan shall be placed in deferment. (D) Interest canceled If a portion of a loan is canceled under this paragraph for any year, the entire amount of interest on such loan that accrues for such year shall be canceled. .