Legis Daily

HIGHER ED Act

USA117th CongressHR-6424| House 
| Updated: 11/1/2022
Peter A. DeFazio

Peter A. DeFazio

Democratic Representative

Oregon

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee, Education and Workforce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Helping Individuals Get a Higher Education while Reducing Education Debt Act or the HIGHER ED Act This bill makes various changes to student loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs. First, the bill authorizes graduate and professional students to receive subsidized Stafford Loans. These students have been ineligible to receive subsidized Stafford Loans since July 1, 2012. Next, the bill allows student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy proceedings. The bill also establishes refinancing programs for student loans. It allows certain borrowers to refinance their federal student loans down to lower interest rates, and it creates the Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loan to allow certain borrowers to refinance their private student loans. Additionally, the bill revises the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, such as by (1) allowing certain part-time faculty to participate in the PSLF program, (2) directing the Department of Education (ED) to annually cancel 10% of the amount a borrower owes after satisfying 12 qualifying monthly payments, (3) revising the process for certification of employment, and (4) requiring ED to establish a dispute resolution process. Further, the bill revises federal student loan repayment programs, including by (1) replacing existing student loan repayment plans with one income-based repayment plan and one standard 10-year repayment plan, and (2) allowing existing borrowers to lower their payments by switching to these new plans. It also establishes a process for ED to enroll a delinquent borrower in a new repayment plan. The bill also requires ED to provide certain notifications to borrowers.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-3102
HIGHER ED Act
Jan 19, 2022
Introduced in House
Jan 19, 2022
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Nov 1, 2022
Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-3102
    HIGHER ED Act


  • January 19, 2022
    Introduced in House


  • January 19, 2022
    Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.


  • November 1, 2022
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

Education

Related Bills

  • S 117-2442: Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2021
  • S 117-603: Coronavirus Emergency Student Loan Refinancing Act
  • S 117-2976: Student Loan Repayment Freedom Act
  • HR 117-4631: POST GRAD Act
  • HR 117-4563: To amend title 11 of the United States Code to make debts for student loans dischargeable.

HIGHER ED Act

USA117th CongressHR-6424| House 
| Updated: 11/1/2022
Helping Individuals Get a Higher Education while Reducing Education Debt Act or the HIGHER ED Act This bill makes various changes to student loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs. First, the bill authorizes graduate and professional students to receive subsidized Stafford Loans. These students have been ineligible to receive subsidized Stafford Loans since July 1, 2012. Next, the bill allows student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy proceedings. The bill also establishes refinancing programs for student loans. It allows certain borrowers to refinance their federal student loans down to lower interest rates, and it creates the Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loan to allow certain borrowers to refinance their private student loans. Additionally, the bill revises the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, such as by (1) allowing certain part-time faculty to participate in the PSLF program, (2) directing the Department of Education (ED) to annually cancel 10% of the amount a borrower owes after satisfying 12 qualifying monthly payments, (3) revising the process for certification of employment, and (4) requiring ED to establish a dispute resolution process. Further, the bill revises federal student loan repayment programs, including by (1) replacing existing student loan repayment plans with one income-based repayment plan and one standard 10-year repayment plan, and (2) allowing existing borrowers to lower their payments by switching to these new plans. It also establishes a process for ED to enroll a delinquent borrower in a new repayment plan. The bill also requires ED to provide certain notifications to borrowers.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

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

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-3102
HIGHER ED Act
Jan 19, 2022
Introduced in House
Jan 19, 2022
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Nov 1, 2022
Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-3102
    HIGHER ED Act


  • January 19, 2022
    Introduced in House


  • January 19, 2022
    Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.


  • November 1, 2022
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.
Peter A. DeFazio

Peter A. DeFazio

Democratic Representative

Oregon

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee, Education and Workforce Committee

Education

Related Bills

  • S 117-2442: Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2021
  • S 117-603: Coronavirus Emergency Student Loan Refinancing Act
  • S 117-2976: Student Loan Repayment Freedom Act
  • HR 117-4631: POST GRAD Act
  • HR 117-4563: To amend title 11 of the United States Code to make debts for student loans dischargeable.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted