jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-10-08 00:00:00

Affordable College Textbook Act

This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to make competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support pilot programs that expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students.

 It requires the full and complete digital content of the educational resources created or adopted using grant funds to be made available free of charge to the public: (1) on an easily accessible and interoperable website; and (2) in a machine readable, digital format that anyone can directly download, edit with attribution, and redistribute.

 ED must give special consideration to grant applicants that demonstrate the greatest potential to:

 achieve the highest level of savings for students; expand the use of open textbooks at other IHEs; and produce open textbooks that are of the highest quality, that can be most easily utilized and adapted by faculty members, that correspond to the highest enrollment courses, and that are created or adopted in partnership with entities that will assist in their marketing and distribution. The bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include any educational material developed to accompany a college textbook as supplemental material that is subject to college textbook information disclosure requirements.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Mining Schools Enhancement Act

(Sec. 2)This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to require the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) of the Department of the Interior to ensure that at least 70% of specified research fundsare expended to enhance and support programs at mining and mineral engineering schools in the United States.

In addition, OSMRE shall ensure that research activities relate to conventional fuel resource development and production.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00

Social Security Garnishment Modernization Act of 2015

This bill limits the amount offset (i.e., withheld) from an individual's Social Security benefit payments to repay a defaulted federal student loan to the amount by which such Social Security benefit payments exceed $9,000 annually (i.e., $750 monthly), adjusted for inflation. 

Currently, the federal government may offset certain Social Security, railroad retirement, or black lung benefit payments to repay an individual's nontax federal debts, but the amount offset is limited to the amount of federal benefit payments that exceeds $9,000 annually, unadjusted for inflation.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00

Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow borrowers that received loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (DL) or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program on or after July 1, 2006, to consolidate those loans as Federal Direct Consolidation Loans.

It directs the Department of Education (ED) to consolidate DLs, and send a completed loan consolidation application to FFEL borrowers, within 90 days of this bill's enactment. It gives FFEL borrowers six months after their receipt of such application to endorse it and submit it to ED if they wish to consolidate their loans.

The bill sets the interest rate on Federal Direct Consolidation Loans at 4% or, if the weighted average of the interest rates of the loans being consolidated is less than 4%, the lesser of: (1) that weighted average, or (2) an interest rate equal to 0.4% of the principal balance of the consolidation loan at the time of consolidation.

It adds an origination fee equal to 0.4% of the principal balance of the consolidation loan at the time of consolidation if an FFEL is being consolidated.

It reduces the interest rate on a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan by 0.25% if one or more of the loans being consolidated is an FFEL held by an eligible lender.

The bill prohibits any benefit a borrower is receiving or earning when issued a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan from being affected by the consolidation.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00

Earnings Contingent Education Loans Act of 2015 or the ExCEL Act of 2015

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to replace several existing federal student loan programs with a single repayment plan that caps annual debt repayments based on the borrower's income.

The bill terminates the authority of the Department of Education (ED) to make federal Direct Stafford Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and Direct PLUS loans, subject to exceptions for existing student borrowers, PLUS loans made to parents of undergraduates, and Direct Consolidation Loans.

To replace the programs, the bill establishes the Income Dependent Education Assistance (IDEA) Loan Program and the IDEA Loan Repayment Program, which limit annual repayments based on the borrower's income and prohibit the accrual of interest on loans for active duty service members. Loans under the program are not eligible for the federal public service loan forgiveness program.

The bill amends the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require ED and the Department of Health and Human Services to exchange information necessary to use the National Directory of New Hires to assist in the collection of student loans.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Department of the Treasury to disclose to ED tax return information necessary to carry out the IDEA Loan Repayment Program.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-10-21 00:00:00

Student Loan Fair Prepayment Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require a student loan borrower's prepayment amount on a Federal Family Education Loan, Federal Direct Loan, or Federal Perkins Loan to be applied first toward outstanding fees and then, unless a borrower requests otherwise, in the following order: (1) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest interest rate, if multiple loans have different interest rates; and (2) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest balance, if multiple loans have the same interest rate.

Additionally, it amends the Truth in Lending Act to require a borrower's prepayment amount on a private education loan to be applied first toward outstanding fees and then, unless a borrower requests otherwise, in the following order: (1) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest interest rate, if multiple loans have different interest rates; and (2) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest balance, if multiple loans have the same interest rate.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-10-23 00:00:00

Student Loan Opportunity Act of 2015

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax-exempt private activity bond financing, to: (1) eliminate the restriction on nonprofit corporations that acquire student loan notes to notes incurred under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (thus allowing such corporations to access tax-exempt financing for other types of student loans), and (2) expand the operations of such corporations to include performing student assistance related activities.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-10-29 00:00:00

Employer Participation in Student Loan Assistance Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include payments of qualified education loans paid to either an employee or a lender.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-11-03 00:00:00

Veterans Collaboration Act

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a two-year pilot program in states with the highest veteran populations to promote collaboration between the VA and nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher learning.

The VA shall emphasize collaboration with: (1) veterans service organizations that provide personnel with appropriate credentials to assist veterans in filing disability compensation claims and appeals with the VA, and (2) educational institutions that provide veterans with pro bono legal assistance.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-04 00:00:00

Recruiting and Retaining Effective School Leaders Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Department of Education to establish a student loan forgiveness program for school principals employed in schools where at least 30% of students meet federal poverty guidelines. Loans are forgiven over a seven-year period.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Student Loan Payment Optimization Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Truth in Lending Act to establish rules that lenders must follow regarding the overpayment and underpayment of student loan payments for borrowers with one or more loans that are grouped together. These rules are applicable to the Federal Family Education Loan and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan programs, except for income-based repayment plans, and federal Perkins Loans.

The bill requires lenders to apply payments that are more than the monthly payment amount towards any outstanding fees owed and then towards the principal due on the loan that bears the highest interest rate. In addition, lenders must apply payments that are less than the monthly payment amount towards any outstanding fees owed and then towards the loan with the smallest balance of principal and interest combined unless the borrower requests otherwise.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Student Loan Transfers Disclosure Act of 2015

This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish requirements related to the transfer of servicing of postsecondary education loans. "Transfer of servicing" refers to the assignment, sale, or transfer of student loan servicing from one servicer to another.

A postsecondary education lender must disclose to each loan applicant, at the time of application, whether there may be a transfer of servicing of the loan.

Both the transferor servicer and the transferee servicer must provide specified notice of a transfer to the borrower within a certain timeframe.

Loan payments improperly received by the transferor servicer instead of the transferee servicer (or vice versa) during the transfer period may not be treated as late.

A transferee servicer shall make available a simple, online process through which the borrower may transfer any electronic fund transfer authority that the borrower had provided to the transferor servicer.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is authorized to establish regulations and grant reasonable exceptions in accordance with the bill. A lender shall not be liable to a borrower for failure to comply with the bill's disclosure and notice requirements with respect to events that occur before such regulations take effect.

As a condition of eligibility for certain federal funding, an institution of higher education must ensure compliance with the bill's requirements.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Veterans' STEM Education Program 

This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay an additional appropriate amount, beyond other educational assistance, to each individual entitled to post-9/11 educational assistance who is pursuing a program of education with a STEM focus (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Information on such additional payments must be included in a currently required annual VA educational assistance report.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Career and Technical Education Opportunity Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand the programs eligible to participate in federal student aid.

Specifically, it makes eligible for Direct Loan program and Federal Perkins Loan program participation an educational program that provides at least 250 hours of instruction over a minimum of 5 weeks that leads to an industry-recognized credential.

An industry-recognized credential: (1) is high quality, as demonstrated by the institution offering the program; (2) meets local or regional workforce needs; and (3) is endorsed by a national industry trade association.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Stop Social Security Garnishment for Student Debt Act of 2015

This bill prohibits offsetting an individual's Social Security, railroad retirement, or black lung benefits to pay a federal student loan debt.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2015 or the JOBS Act of 2015 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish the Job Training Federal Pell Grant Program. The Department of Education must award job training Federal Pell Grants to eligible students. An eligible student is one who does not have a degree, attends an institution of higher education (IHE), is enrolled in a job training program at such IHE, and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Federal Pell Grant. The maximum job training Federal Pell Grant award is 50% of the discretionary base maximum award specified in annual appropriations law. Any period during which a student receives a job training Federal Pell Grant counts toward that student's Federal Pell Grant eligibility period.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Military and Veterans Education Protection Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than federal educational assistance, or risk becoming ineligible for title IV funding. Federal educational assistance includes title IV federal student aid and federal educational assistance for military personnel and veterans. Currently, this so-called 90/10 rule requires proprietary institutions to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV federal student aid, but it allows federal educational assistance for military personnel and veterans to count toward the 10%.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Start-up America's Students Act

This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (with program participation agreements) for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, expanding, and improving business incubators operated by or affiliated with them.

 A business incubator is a facility primarily used to provide space where start-up businesses in operation for under 4 years with 10 or fewer employees:

 share space, support staff or services, physical resources, or overhead expenses; and receive technical assistance, financial advice, or business planning services.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act of 2015

This bill declares that, if a veteran is forced to discontinue a course as a result of a a permanent school closure and did not receive credit or lost training time toward completion of the education program, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance payments shall not, for a specified period of time, be:

 charged against the individual's entitlement to educational assistance, or counted against the aggregate period for which such assistance may be provided. The bill applies to courses and programs of education discontinued beginning with FY2015.

The VA may continue to pay educational assistance and subsistence allowances to eligible veterans and eligible persons enrolled in specified courses for up to 4 weeks in any 12-month period when schools are temporarily closed under an established policy based on an executive order of the President or due to an emergency situation.

The VA may also continue to pay a monthly housing stipend following a permanent school closure, but only until the earlier of: (1) the date of the end of the term, quarter, or semester during which the school closure occurred; and (2) the date that is four months after the school closure.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Students Before Profits Act of 2015

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education (ED) to recalculate the cohort default rate and redetermine title IV eligibility for an institution of higher education (IHE) that engages in default manipulation.

 ED may impose enhanced civil penalties and sanctions on IHEs and officers for substantial misrepresentation or other serious violations of title IV requirements. The bill requires ED to establish the Student Relief Fund, financed by civil penalties, to provide financial relief to students enrolled in an IHE that is sanctioned or fails to comply with title IV requirements.

If ED takes an enforcement action (e.g., heightened financial oversight) against a proprietary (i.e., for-profit) IHE, then ED may hold the executive officer of such proprietary IHE personally liable for financial losses related to the enforcement action. Additionally, ED may pursue claims against an IHE's executive officers and board of directors to recover discharged federal student loans.

A proprietary IHE must, as a condition of continued eligibility to participate in title IV programs, prohibit an individual who defrauds students from being a member of the board of directors or an executive officer of the institution.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-16 00:00:00

Stopping Unfair Collateral Consequences from Ending Student Success Act or the SUCCESS Act 

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify federal student aid eligibility criteria.

Specifically, the legislation repeals a provision that suspends a student's federal student aid eligibility for a one-year, two-year, or indefinite period following that student's first, second, or third drug offense.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise provisions related to financial aid and educational programs for children and youths who are homeless or in foster care.

With respect to a student's independence for purposes of financial aid, a financial aid administrator must: (1) in the absence of conflicting information, accept a homelessness determination made by an authorized individual; and (2) make such a determination if the student cannot get documentation from a designated authority. A student who is determined to be independent on this basis shall generally be presumed to be independent for a subsequent award year at the same institution.

The bill expands the duties of the Student Loan Ombudsman to include the review and resolution of complaints regarding such determinations.

To be eligible for certain federal funds, an institution must meet specified requirements related to student housing, coordination, and notice of financial assistance eligibility with respect to children and youths who are homeless or in foster care.

In approving applications for entities to carry out specified programs related to higher education, the Department of Education shall require an entity to make specified assurances with respect to the participation of children and youths who are homeless or in foster care. A federal work-study agreement must prioritize employment for such students.

For purposes of income-based financial aid determinations, the bill excludes from income: (1) the value of specified vouchers for education and training, and (2) direct payments made through an extended foster care program.

With respect to children or youths who are homeless or in foster care, a state may not charge a tuition rate that is higher than the in-state tuition rate.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

Ensuring Quality Education for Veterans Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive not less than 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV or the educational assistance programs of the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, or become ineligible for title IV funding and participation in those programs. (Currently, this 90/10 rule requires these schools to derive not less than 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV or become ineligible for title IV funding.)
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Student Visa Security Improvement Act

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to:

 require DHS employees to review the applications, conduct in-person interviews where appropriate, and conduct on-site reviews of applications and supporting documentation with respect to student and exchange program visa applicants prior to final visa adjudication, with emphasis on determining whether an applicant is inadmissible for terrorist-related activities; require an institution or exchange visitor program participating in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program to ensure that each covered student or exchange visitor is an active program participant, is observed, and is reported to DHS if he or she transfers institutions or academic majors; provide Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) access to appropriate employees of a SEVIS program sponsor under specified circumstances; and require a SEVIS upgrade to add data fields that include verification that students are meeting minimum academic standards.
Topic: Education — Higher
Subject: Education
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Minority-Serving Institution Fairness Act

This bill amends titles III (Institutional Aid) and V (Developing Institutions) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to permit an eligible minority-serving institution of higher education (IHE) to concurrently receive grant funds under more than one of the following programs: (1) the Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions program; (2) the Strengthening Native American-serving, Nontribal Institutions program; (3) the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions program; and (4) the Hispanic-Serving Institutions program.

At least 35% of grant funds awarded under each program must be awarded to IHEs that are not eligible to concurrently receive funds under more than one program.

An eligible minority-serving IHE is a Hispanic-serving institution, Alaska Native-serving or Native Hawaiian-serving institution, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution, or a Native American-serving nontribal institution.