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To increase purchasing power, strengthen economic recovery, and restore fairness in financing higher education in the United States through student loan forgiveness, caps on interest rates on Federal student loans, and refinancing opportunities for private borrowers, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-1127| House 
| Updated: 2/16/2017
Karen Bass

Karen Bass

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (3)
Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Kathy Castor (Democratic)Bennie G. Thompson (Democratic)

Ways and Means Committee, Financial Services Committee, Education and Workforce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Student Loan Fairness Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish a 10/10 Loan Repayment Plan that allows borrowers of Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) and Direct Loans (DLs) to limit their monthly loan payments to one-twelfth of 10% of the amount by which their adjusted gross incomes and that of their spouses (if applicable) exceed 150% of the federal poverty level. Additionally, it establishes a 10/10 Loan Forgiveness Program that provides FFEL and DL forgiveness to borrowers who, over 10 years, have made 120 monthly payments under the 10/10 Loan Repayment Plan or under another repayment plan that required them to make payments at least as large as those they would have made under the 10/10 Loan Repayment Plan. It caps the interest rate on new DLs at 3.4%. It amends the public service employee loan forgiveness program to forgive the DLs of participants who have made 60 (currently, 120) monthly payments on such loans pursuant to specified repayment plans. The bill includes primary care physicians in medically underserved areas in the public service employee loan forgiveness program. Certain borrowers may consolidate their private education loans as Direct Consolidation Loans. It amends the Truth in Lending Act to direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue regulations that require private education lenders to sell private education loans to the Department of Education (ED) for consolidation as Direct Consolidation Loans. ED must pay the interest that accrues on certain student loans due to the borrower's lack of full-time employment for an interest-free deferment period of up to three years. It excludes from a borrower's gross income for income tax purposes the principal and interest on FFELs and DLs that is forgiven pursuant to income-based repayment plans.
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Timeline
Feb 16, 2017
Introduced in House
Feb 16, 2017
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Ways and Means, 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.
  • February 16, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • February 16, 2017
    Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Ways and Means, 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.

Education

Administrative law and regulatory proceduresConsumer Financial Protection BureauEducation programs fundingGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment lending and loan guaranteesHealth care coverage and accessHealth personnelHigher educationIncome tax exclusionInterest, dividends, interest ratesMedical educationStudent aid and college costs

To increase purchasing power, strengthen economic recovery, and restore fairness in financing higher education in the United States through student loan forgiveness, caps on interest rates on Federal student loans, and refinancing opportunities for private borrowers, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-1127| House 
| Updated: 2/16/2017
Student Loan Fairness Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish a 10/10 Loan Repayment Plan that allows borrowers of Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) and Direct Loans (DLs) to limit their monthly loan payments to one-twelfth of 10% of the amount by which their adjusted gross incomes and that of their spouses (if applicable) exceed 150% of the federal poverty level. Additionally, it establishes a 10/10 Loan Forgiveness Program that provides FFEL and DL forgiveness to borrowers who, over 10 years, have made 120 monthly payments under the 10/10 Loan Repayment Plan or under another repayment plan that required them to make payments at least as large as those they would have made under the 10/10 Loan Repayment Plan. It caps the interest rate on new DLs at 3.4%. It amends the public service employee loan forgiveness program to forgive the DLs of participants who have made 60 (currently, 120) monthly payments on such loans pursuant to specified repayment plans. The bill includes primary care physicians in medically underserved areas in the public service employee loan forgiveness program. Certain borrowers may consolidate their private education loans as Direct Consolidation Loans. It amends the Truth in Lending Act to direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue regulations that require private education lenders to sell private education loans to the Department of Education (ED) for consolidation as Direct Consolidation Loans. ED must pay the interest that accrues on certain student loans due to the borrower's lack of full-time employment for an interest-free deferment period of up to three years. It excludes from a borrower's gross income for income tax purposes the principal and interest on FFELs and DLs that is forgiven pursuant to income-based repayment plans.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Feb 16, 2017
Introduced in House
Feb 16, 2017
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Ways and Means, 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.
  • February 16, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • February 16, 2017
    Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Ways and Means, 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.
Karen Bass

Karen Bass

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (3)
Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Kathy Castor (Democratic)Bennie G. Thompson (Democratic)

Ways and Means Committee, Financial Services Committee, Education and Workforce Committee

Education

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresConsumer Financial Protection BureauEducation programs fundingGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment lending and loan guaranteesHealth care coverage and accessHealth personnelHigher educationIncome tax exclusionInterest, dividends, interest ratesMedical educationStudent aid and college costs