In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the University of North Carolina's Center 
        for Health Services Research, 55 rural hospitals have closed in 
        the Unites States since January 2010.
            (2) In 2014, iVantage conducted a study for the National 
        Rural Health Association and found 283 hospitals at risk of 
        closure based upon performance indicators that matched those 
        facilities already forced to close in this decade.
            (3) Researchers at the University of North Carolina 
        identified inpatient volume as a substantial contributing 
        factor to the financial performance of rural hospitals, with 
        many of the at-risk hospitals having an average daily bed 
        census of less than 2.
            (4) Adverse impacts to the local economy and the loss of 
        timely access to emergency medical care are 2 major effects of 
        rural hospital closures.
            (5) According to the National Center for Rural Health 
        Works, the typical rural hospital creates over 140 jobs and 
        generates $6,800,000 in compensation while serving an average 
        population of 14,600.
            (6) The 2014 iVantage study estimates that the 283 at-risk 
        hospitals could result in the loss of 36,000 health care jobs, 
        50,000 community jobs, and $10,600,000,000 in gross domestic 
        product.
            (7) Time is the most critical factor for achieving 
        successful outcomes in emergency medicine, and emergency 
        medical clinicians refer to the time-sensitive period during 
        which successful outcomes may be best achieved as the ``golden 
        hour''.
            (8) The National Conference of State Legislatures states 
        that 60 percent of trauma deaths in the United States occur in 
        rural areas, where only 15 percent of the population is 
        represented.
            (9) The disproportionate percentage of trauma deaths in 
        rural areas is likely attributable in large part to a 
        combination of response time to the scene and distance to the 
        nearest emergency room to stabilize trauma victims.
            (10) The percentage of trauma deaths occurring in rural 
        areas could continue to increase as more rural hospitals close, 
        further limiting access to emergency services and requiring 
        patients to travel longer distances to receive emergency 
        medical care.
            (11) The creation of a rural emergency hospital designation 
        under the Medicare program will allow facilities in rural areas 
        to provide emergency medical services without having to 
        maintain inpatient beds.
            (12) In addition to providing emergency care, rural 
        emergency hospitals could convert the space previously used for 
        inpatient services to provide other medical services including, 
        but not limited to, observation care, skilled nursing facility 
        care, infusion services, hemodialysis, home health, hospice, 
        nursing home care, population health, and telemedicine 
        services.

SEC. 3. RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Rural emergency hospital and services defined.--Section 
        1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (e), in the last sentence of the 
                matter following paragraph (9), by inserting ``or a 
                rural emergency hospital (as defined in section 
                1861(iii)(1))'' before the period at the end; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following subsection:

    ``Rural Emergency Hospital; Rural Emergency Hospital Outpatient 
                                Services

    ``(iii)(1) The term `rural emergency hospital' means a facility 
that--
            ``(A)(i) as of December 31, 2014--
                            ``(I) was a critical access hospital; or
                            ``(II) was a hospital with not more than 50 
                        beds located in a county (or equivalent unit of 
                        local government) in a rural area (as defined 
                        in section 1886(d)(2)(D)), or was a hospital 
                        with not more than 50 beds that was treated as 
                        being located in a rural area pursuant to 
                        section 1886(d)(8)(E); or
                    ``(ii) was a critical access hospital described in 
                clause (i)(I) or a hospital described in clause (i)(II) 
                that ceased operations during the period beginning on 
                the date that is 5 years prior to the date of the 
                enactment of this subsection and ending on December 30, 
                2014;
            ``(B) provides 24-hour emergency medical care and 
        observation care that does not exceed an annual per patient 
        average of 24 hours or more than 1 midnight;
            ``(C) does not provide any acute care inpatient beds and 
        has protocols in place for the timely transfer of patients who 
        require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient 
        services;
            ``(D) has elected to be designated as a rural emergency 
        hospital;
            ``(E) has received approval to operate as a rural emergency 
        hospital from the State under section 1834(r)(3)(A); and
            ``(F) is certified by the Secretary under section 
        1834(r)(3)(B).
    ``(2) The term `rural emergency hospital outpatient services' means 
medical and other health services furnished by a rural emergency 
hospital on an outpatient basis.
    ``(3) Nothing in this subsection or section 1834(r)(3) shall be 
construed to prohibit a rural emergency hospital from providing 
extended care services.''.
            (2) Payment for rural emergency hospital services.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 1833(a) of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)) is amended--
                            (i) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' 
                        at the end;
                            (ii) in paragraph (9), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by inserting after paragraph (9) the 
                        following new paragraph:
            ``(10) in the case of rural emergency hospital emergency 
        services and services provided by a rural emergency hospital or 
        other provider of ambulance services to transport patients who 
        require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient 
        services from such rural emergency hospital to a hospital or 
        critical access hospital, the amounts described in section 
        1834(r).''.
                    (B) Payment amount.--Section 1834 of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m) is amended by adding at 
                the end the following subsection:
    ``(r) Payment Rules Relating to Rural Emergency Hospitals.--
            ``(1) Payment for rural emergency hospital outpatient 
        services.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of payment for rural 
                emergency hospital outpatient services of a rural 
                emergency hospital is equal to 110 percent of the 
                reasonable costs of providing such services.
                    ``(B) Telehealth services.--For purposes of this 
                paragraph, in determining the reasonable costs of 
                providing rural emergency hospital outpatient services, 
                costs associated with having a backup physician 
                available via a telecommunications system shall be 
                considered reasonable costs.
            ``(2) Payment for transportation services.--The amount of 
        payment for services provided by a rural emergency hospital or 
        other provider of ambulance services to transport patients who 
        require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient 
        services from such rural emergency hospital to a hospital or 
        critical access hospital is equal to 110 percent of the 
        reasonable costs of providing such services.
            ``(3) Requirements for rural emergency hospitals.--
                    ``(A) State approval to operate as a rural 
                emergency hospital.--No payment shall be made under 
                this subsection to a facility, or to a provider of 
                ambulance services providing transportation services 
                from such facility, unless the State in which the 
                facility is located has approved the facility's 
                designation as a rural emergency hospital.
                    ``(B) Certification of rural emergency hospital.--
                            ``(i) In general.--No payment shall be made 
                        under this subsection to a facility, or to a 
                        provider of ambulance services providing 
                        transportation services from such facility, 
                        unless the facility has been certified by the 
                        Secretary as a rural emergency hospital.
                            ``(ii) Certification requirements.--The 
                        Secretary shall certify a facility as a rural 
                        emergency hospital if the facility--
                                    ``(I) meets the criteria for rural 
                                emergency hospitals described in 
                                subparagraphs (A) through (E) of 
                                section 1861(iii)(1);
                                    ``(II) either--
                                            ``(aa) is verified by the 
                                        American College of Surgeons as 
                                        having the resources required 
                                        of a level IV trauma center or 
                                        higher; or
                                            ``(bb) employs healthcare 
                                        professionals that successfully 
                                        completed the Advanced Trauma 
                                        Life Support Course offered by 
                                        the American College of 
                                        Surgeons within the preceding 4 
                                        years;
                                    ``(III) has in effect a transfer 
                                agreement with a level I or level II 
                                trauma center; and
                                    ``(IV) meets such staff training 
                                and certification requirements as the 
                                Secretary may require.
            ``(4) Coinsurance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of payment for rural 
                emergency hospital services or transportation services 
                made to a rural emergency hospital or other provider of 
                ambulance services under this subsection shall be 
                reduced by the coinsurance amount described in 
                subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Coinsurance amount.--The coinsurance amount 
                described in this subparagraph, with respect to an item 
                or service provided by a rural emergency hospital or 
                provider of ambulance services, shall be calculated in 
                the same manner as the coinsurance amount for an 
                outpatient critical access hospital service is 
                calculated under section 1866(a)(2).''.
    (b) Waiver of Distance Requirement for Replacement CAHs; Subsequent 
Redesignation of Rural Emergency Hospitals as CAHs.--Section 1820(c)(2) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-4(c)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(i)(I), by inserting ``subject to 
        subparagraph (F),'' before ``is located''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(F) Option to waive distance requirement.--
                Beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
                subparagraph, for every critical access hospital 
                located in a State that is certified as a rural 
                emergency hospital under section 1834(r)(3)(B), the 
                State shall have the option of waiving the distance 
                requirement described in subparagraph (B)(i)(I) with 
                respect to another facility located in the State that 
                is seeking designation as a critical access hospital 
                under this paragraph.
                    ``(G) Redesignation of a rural emergency hospital 
                as a critical access hospital.--A rural emergency 
                hospital that was previously designated as a critical 
                access hospital under this paragraph may elect to be 
                redesignated as a critical access hospital (in the same 
                manner that the hospital was originally designated as a 
                critical access hospital) at any time, subject to such 
                conditions as the Secretary may establish.''.
    (c) Studies and Reports.--
            (1) Studies.--The Secretary of Health & Human Services 
        shall conduct 3 studies to evaluate the impact of rural 
        emergency hospitals on the availability of health care and 
        health outcomes in rural areas (as defined in section 
        1886(d)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww)). 
        The Secretary shall conduct a study--
                    (A) 2 years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act;
                    (B) 5 years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act; and
                    (C) 10 years after the date of the enactment of 
                this Act.
            (2) Reports.--Not later than 6 months after each date that 
        the Secretary of Health & Human Services is required to conduct 
        a study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a 
        report to Congress containing the results of each such study.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to items and services furnished on or after the date that is 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AS HEALTH SERVICES UNDER THE 
              NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS.

    Section 331(a)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
254d(a)(3)(D)) is amended by inserting ``, and includes emergency 
medicine provided by physicians in a rural emergency hospital (as 
defined in section 1861(iii) of the Social Security Act)'' before the 
period.

SEC. 5. PERMITTING HOSPITALS WITH APPROVED RESIDENCY PROGRAMS IN 
              EMERGENCY MEDICINE TO INCLUDE TIME SPENT BY INTERNS AND 
              RESIDENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF A RURAL HOSPITAL 
              IN FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT COUNT.

    (a) Indirect Medical Education.--Section 1886(d)(5)(B)(iv) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(B)(iv)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subclause:
            ``(III) Effective for discharges occurring on or after 
        October 1, 2015, all of the time spent in patient care 
        activities in the emergency department of a rural hospital by 
        interns and residents in emergency medicine from a hospital 
        with an approved medical residency training program (as defined 
        in subsection (h)(5)(A)) in such specialty shall be included in 
        determining the number of full-time equivalent interns and 
        residents in such program if the hospital with such program 
        incurs the costs of the stipends and fringe benefits of the 
        interns or residents during the time the interns or residents 
        spend in that rural hospital in accordance with subclause (II). 
        In this subclause, the term `rural hospital' means a hospital 
        that is located in a rural area (as defined for purposes of 
        paragraph (2)(D)).''.
    (b) Direct Medical Education.--Section 1886(h)(4)(E) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395(h)(4)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and'';
            (2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following new 
        clause:
                            ``(iii) effective for cost reporting 
                        periods beginning on or after July 1, 2015, all 
                        of the time so spent in the emergency 
                        department of a rural hospital by residents in 
                        emergency medicine from a hospital with an 
                        approved medical residency training program in 
                        such specialty shall be counted towards the 
                        determination of full-time equivalency in such 
                        program if the hospital with such program bears 
                        all, or substantially all, of the costs of 
                        training such residents in the rural hospital. 
                        In this subparagraph, the term `rural hospital' 
                        means a hospital that is located in a rural 
                        area (as defined for purposes of subsection 
                        (d)(2)(D)).''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``For 
        purposes of this subparagraph, the emergency department of a 
        rural hospital described in clause (iii) is a nonprovider 
        setting.''.

Ex Output:
Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act  This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to designate as a rural emergency hospital any facility that as of December 31, 2014, was:   a critical access hospital (CAH) or a hospital with at most 50 beds located in a county in a rural area or treated as located in a rural area, or one of such hospitals that ceased operations during the period beginning five years before enactment of this Act and ending on December 30, 2014.  A rural emergency hospital:  must provide 24-hour emergency medical care and observation care not exceeding an annual per patient average of 24 hours or more than 1 midnight, does not provide any acute care inpatient beds and has protocols in place for the timely transfer of patients who require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient services, has elected to be designated as a rural emergency hospital, has received approval to operate as one from the state, and is certified by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) shall cover rural emergency hospital emergency services as well as ambulance services provided by a rural emergency hospital or other provider to transport patients who require acute care inpatient services or other inpatient services from the rural emergency hospital to a hospital or a CAH. Payment for rural emergency hospital outpatient services of a rural emergency hospital, including telehealth and ambulance services, shall be 110% percent of their reasonable costs. Rural emergency hospitals must be approved by the state and certified by HHS. States shall have the option of waiving a specified distance requirement between a CAH certified as a rural emergency hospital and another facility located in the state that is seeking designation as a CAH. Primary health services which the National Health Service Corps may provide under the Public Health Service Act shall include emergency medicine provided by physicians in a rural emergency hospital. Hospitals with approved residency programs in emergency medicine shall include time spent by interns and residents in the emergency department of a rural hospital in the full-time equivalent count with respect to reimbursement for the indirect (stipend, fringe benefit) and direct (all or substantially all training) costs of medical education in subsection (d) hospitals. (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Education 
Opportunity Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Part B of title XI of the Education Amendments of 
1978 (25 U.S.C. 2000 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 1141 as section 1142; and
            (2) by inserting after section 1140 the following:

``SEC. 1141. BUREAU FUNDING OF TRIBAL-BASED EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT 
              PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) Bureau disbursements.--At the request of Tribes, the 
        Secretary of the Interior shall, for the 2018-2019 school year 
        and each subsequent school year, disburse not more than 90 
        percent of the amounts made available under sections 1127 and 
        1130 for the school year to such Tribes that administer 
        education savings account programs to enable the Tribes to 
        award grants to education savings accounts for ESA eligible 
        students for such school year, in accordance with subsection 
        (b).
            ``(2) Applicability.--This section shall apply with respect 
        to ESA eligible students who have submitted their application 
        for participation under this section to the Tribe of which the 
        student is an enrolled member on or after January 1, 2018.
            ``(3) Account administration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A Tribe may enter into an 
                agreement with a nonprofit entity for the 
                administration of the accounts created through the 
                Tribe's education savings account program.
                    ``(B) Nonprofit entity defined.--In this paragraph, 
                the term `nonprofit entity' means an entity that is 
                described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
                Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 
                501(a) of such Code.
            ``(4) Use of funds.--Funds disbursed to a Tribe under this 
        section may be used for--
                    ``(A) private school tuition and fees;
                    ``(B) textbooks, curriculum, and instructional 
                materials;
                    ``(C) academic, Native language, or cultural 
                tutoring;
                    ``(D) educational services and therapies for 
                students with special needs;
                    ``(E) tuition and fees for a non-public online 
                learning program;
                    ``(F) educational technology;
                    ``(G) examination fees; or
                    ``(H) transportation to and from a school not to 
                exceed $2,000 per year, per ESA eligible student.
    ``(b) Disbursements.--
            ``(1) Amount.--The amount disbursed by the Secretary of the 
        Interior under subsection (a) to a Tribe shall be, with respect 
        to each ESA eligible student for which the Tribe awards a grant 
        under this section for a school year, the lesser of--
                    ``(A) the amount of the grant provided by the Tribe 
                to the education savings account of the ESA eligible 
                student for the applicable school year; and
                    ``(B) 90 percent of the amount that the Secretary 
                would provide to a Bureau-funded school on behalf of 
                such student for the applicable school year under 
                sections 1127 and 1130.
            ``(2) Quarterly disbursements.--A Tribe that receives a 
        disbursement amount under subsection (a) shall make quarterly 
        grant distributions of such amount to education savings 
        accounts for ESA eligible students.
            ``(3) Limitation.--A Tribe shall allocate not more than 15 
        percent of the amount received per pupil under this section to 
        the administration of the education savings account programs of 
        the Tribe.
            ``(4) Roll over and remaining funds in an account.--Not 
        more than 50 percent of an ESA eligible student's total grant 
        amount for a school year made under this section may roll over 
        for use to the following school year.
    ``(c) Effect on Allotments.--For purposes of any calculation 
regarding the total number of eligible Indian students under section 
1127, the Secretary shall include all ESA eligible students who 
participate in an education savings account program under this section.
    ``(d) Rule of Construction.--A grant awarded to an ESA eligible 
student under this section shall be considered assistance to the 
student and shall not be considered assistance to a school that enrolls 
the ESA eligible student or any other educational service provider from 
which the ESA eligible student receives services.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) ESA eligible student.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `ESA eligible student' 
                means an individual who--
                            ``(i) is--
                                    ``(I) an elementary school or 
                                secondary school student who attended a 
                                Bureau-funded school in the semester 
                                preceding the date on which the student 
                                first applies for participation in an 
                                education savings account program; or
                                    ``(II) a child who will be eligible 
                                to attend a Bureau-funded school for 
                                kindergarten or any other elementary 
                                school grade in the next semester that 
                                will start after the date on which the 
                                student first applies for participation 
                                in an education savings account 
                                program;
                            ``(ii) will not be attending a Bureau-
                        funded school, receiving an education savings 
                        account from another Tribe, or attending a 
                        public elementary school or secondary school, 
                        while the student is participating in an 
                        education savings account program of a Tribe; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) meets any eligibility requirements 
                        of the education savings account program of the 
                        Tribe in which the student applies to 
                        participate.
                    ``(B) Period of eligibility.--A student who meets 
                the requirements of clauses (i) and (iii) of 
                subparagraph (A) for a school year and who was an 
                enrolled member of the Tribe to which the student 
                submitted an application for participation in the 
                education savings account program of the Tribe at the 
                time of submitting the application to the Tribe shall 
                be deemed to meet the requirements of such clauses 
                until the date on which the student graduates high 
                school or reaches the age of 21 years, whichever occurs 
                first.
            ``(2) Education savings account program.--The term 
        `education savings account program' means a program 
        administered by a Tribe in which the Tribe awards a grant to an 
        account controlled by a parent of an elementary school or 
        secondary school student from which the parent may purchase 
        goods and services needed for the education of the student.
            ``(3) Parent.--The term `parent' means a parent, guardian, 
        custodian, or other person with the authority to act on behalf 
        of an ESA eligible student.
            ``(4) Tribe.--The term `Tribe' means any recognized Indian 
        tribe included on the current list published by the Secretary 
        of the Interior under section 104 of the Federally Recognized 
        Indian Tribe Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1126(c) of the Education 
Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2006(c)) is amended by striking ``section 
1141(12)'' and inserting ``section 1142(12)''.
    (c) GAO Study.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall--
            (1) conduct a review of the implementation of the 
        amendments made by this Act during the preceding 3-year period, 
        including any factors impacting increased participation in 
        education savings account programs established pursuant to the 
        amendments made by this Act;
            (2) submit a report describing the results of the review 
        under paragraph (1) to--
                    (A) the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate; 
                and
                    (B) the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska 
                Native Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources of 
                the House of Representatives; and
            (3) publish the report under paragraph (2).

Ex Output:
Native American Education Opportunity Act This bill amends the Education Amendments of 1978 to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), at the request of a federally recognized Indian tribe, to &nbsp;provide funds for tribal education savings account programs to make grants to education savings accounts for students who: (1)&nbsp;attended or will be eligible to attend a BIA-funded school; (2) will not be attending a BIA-funded school, receiving an education savings account from another tribe, or attending public elementary or secondary school while participating in the program; and (3) meet program eligibility requirements. Funds may be used for:   private school tuition and fees;  textbooks, curriculum, and instructional materials;  academic, Native language, or cultural tutoring;  educational services and therapies for students with special needs;  tuition and fees for a private online learning program;  educational technology;  examination fees; or  transportation to and from school.   Three years after this bill's enactment, the Government Accountability Office must review the implementation of the bill, including any factors impacting increased participation in education savings account programs.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sudanese Diaspora Loan Forgiveness 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The 21-year civil war between the North and the South 
        in Sudan caused many Sudanese people to flee their homeland and 
        seek refuge in other countries, including the United States.
            (2) The United States has assisted many Sudanese citizens 
        fleeing the violence in their homeland, including the Lost Boys 
        in 2001, a group of approximately 3,800 children that were 
        separated from their parents during the civil war and who fled 
        on foot to Ethiopia, walking more than 1,000 kilometers on the 
        four-month journey, and who then fled again to Kenya to avoid 
        forcible repatriation to Sudan.
            (3) Approximately 5,640 Sudanese citizens have been granted 
        refugee status in the United States in Fiscal Years 2003 and 
        2004 alone.
            (4) The National Congress Party Government and the Sudanese 
        People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed the Comprehensive 
        Peace Agreement in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 9, 2005, formally 
        ending the conflict between the North and the South and 
        creating a new Government of Sudan that consists of a coalition 
        of opposition groups and the former regime.
            (5) With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 
        in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 9, 2005, the Government of 
        Southern Sudan's plans for reconstruction in Southern Sudan are 
        moving forward.
            (6) Sudanese refugees in the United States have acquired a 
        reputation for being an extremely resilient group, and a number 
        of them have, after adjusting to a new life in the United 
        States, chosen to pursue a higher education, and now have 
        professional skills to contribute to the rebuilding of their 
        homeland.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

    (a) Stafford Loans.--Part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 428K (20 U.S.C. 1078-11) 
the following new section:

``SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE SUDANESE DIASPORA.

    ``(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to 
encourage members of the Sudanese Diaspora in the United States to 
return to Southern Sudan for purposes of contributing to the 
reconstruction efforts there.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--From the amount appropriated under 
subsection (f) for any fiscal year, the Secretary of Education shall, 
in accordance with subsection (c) and in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, 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 for any borrower who--
            ``(1) as of the date of the enactment of this section, is a 
        Sudanese citizen who--
                    ``(A) has been granted refugee or asylum status in 
                the United States;
                    ``(B) has been granted lawful permanent resident 
                status in the United States; or
                    ``(C) is a naturalized United States citizen;
            ``(2) commits to returning to Southern Sudan for a period 
        of five or more years for purposes of contributing professional 
        skills to repairing the damage to the infrastructure of 
        Southern Sudan caused by the Sudanese civil war, as approved by 
        the Secretary for purposes of this section; and
            ``(3) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower 
        seeks forgiveness.
    ``(c) Qualified Loans Amount.--
            ``(1) In general.--Of the aggregate of the loan obligation 
        on a loan made under section 428 or 428H that is outstanding to 
        an individual who meets the requirements of subsection (b), the 
        Secretary may, from funds appropriated under subsection (f), 
        repay not more than--
                    ``(A) $3,000 after the first calendar year of 
                service described in subsection (b)(2);
                    ``(B) $4,000 after the second such year of service;
                    ``(C) $5,000 after the third such year of service;
                    ``(D) $6,000 after the fourth such year of service; 
                and
                    ``(E) $7,000 after the fifth such year of service.
            ``(2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall make payments under 
        this subsection on a first-come first-served basis, subject to 
        the availability of appropriations.
    ``(d) Additional Provisions.--
            ``(1) 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.
            ``(2) Double benefits prohibited.--No borrower may receive 
        a reduction of loan obligations under both this section and 
        section 460A.
    ``(e) Regulations.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry 
out the provisions of this section.
    ``(f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--For fiscal year 2006 and 
for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, there are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to repay loans in the 
amounts specified in subsection (c)(1).''.
    (b) Direct Loans.--Part D of title IV is amended by inserting after 
section 460 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) the following new section:

``SEC. 460A. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE SUDANESE DIASPORA.

    ``(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to 
encourage members of the Sudanese Diaspora in the United States to 
return to Southern Sudan for purposes of contributing to the 
reconstruction efforts there.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--From the amount appropriated under 
subsection (f) for any fiscal year, the Secretary of Education shall, 
in accordance with subsection (c) and in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, carry out a program of canceling the obligation to 
repay a qualified loan amount in accordance with subsection (c) for 
Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford 
Loans made under this part for any borrower who--
            ``(1) as of the date of the enactment of this section, is a 
        Sudanese citizen who--
                    ``(A) has been granted refugee or asylum status in 
                the United States;
                    ``(B) has been granted lawful permanent resident 
                status in the United States; or
                    ``(C) is a naturalized United States citizen;
            ``(2) commits to returning to Southern Sudan for a period 
        of five or more years for purposes of contributing professional 
        skills to repairing the damage to the infrastructure of 
        Southern Sudan caused by the Sudanese civil war, as approved by 
        the Secretary for purposes of this section; and
            ``(3) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower 
        seeks forgiveness.
    ``(c) Qualified Loans Amount.--
            ``(1) In general.--Of the aggregate of the loan obligation 
        on a Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct 
        Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that is outstanding to an individual 
        who meets the requirements of subsection (b), the Secretary 
        may, from funds appropriated under subsection (f), repay not 
        more than--
                    ``(A) $3,000 after the first calendar year of 
                service described in subsection (b)(2);
                    ``(B) $4,000 after the second such year of service;
                    ``(C) $5,000 after the third such year of service;
                    ``(D) $6,000 after the fourth such year of service; 
                and
                    ``(E) $7,000 after the fifth such year of service.
            ``(2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall make payments under 
        this subsection on a first-come first-served basis, subject to 
        the availability of appropriations.
    ``(d) Additional Provisions.--
            ``(1) Treatment of consolidation loans.--A loan amount for 
        Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 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.
            ``(2) Double benefits prohibited.--No borrower may receive 
        a reduction of loan obligations under both this section and 
        section 428L.
    ``(e) Regulations.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry 
out the provisions of this section.
    ``(f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--For fiscal year 2006 and 
for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, there are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to repay loans in the 
amounts specified in subsection (c)(1).''.

Ex Output:

Sudanese Diaspora Loan Forgiveness Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish education loan forgiveness programs for Sudanese citizens who have become naturalized U.S. citizens or who are lawfully residing in the United States if they commit to returning to Southern Sudan for five or more years to help repair damage to infrastructure caused by the Sudanese civil war.