Protecting Access to Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants During the COVID–19 Pandemic Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7761 To provide for student loan forgiveness for public service workers whose employment may have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 23, 2020 Mr. SWALWELL of California (for himself, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. COOPER, Ms. DEAN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. HASTINGS, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. MENG, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. ROUDA, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mrs. TRAHAN, and Mr. VARGAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To provide for student loan forgiveness for public service workers whose employment may have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Access to 4 Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants During the 5 COVID–19 Pandemic Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:13 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7761.IH H7761 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7761 IH SEC. 2. PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. 1 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 2 (1) EMPLOYMENT DISRUPTION.—The term 3 ‘‘employment disruption’’ means a lapse in an indi- 4 vidual’s employment that is related to the novel 5 coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID–19), such as a 6 furlough or reduction in force by the employer or the 7 individual’s resignation due to illness or family 8 caregiving responsibilities. 9 (2) PUBLIC SERVICE JOB.—The term ‘‘public 10 service job’’ has the meaning given the term in sec- 11 tion 455(m)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 12 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(3)). 13 (3) QUALIFYING EMERGENCY.—The term 14 ‘‘qualifying emergency’’ has the meaning given the 15 term in section 3502 of division A of the 16 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 17 (Public Law 116–136). 18 (4) QUALIFYING INDIVIDUAL.—The term 19 ‘‘qualifying individual’’ means an individual who— 20 (A) has a loan that qualifies for public 21 service loan forgiveness under section 455(m) of 22 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 23 1087e(m)); and 24 (B) during the qualifying emergency pe- 25 riod— 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:13 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7761.IH H7761 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7761 IH (i) was employed in a public service 1 job; and 2 (ii) experiences an employment dis- 3 ruption with respect to the public service 4 job and no longer is employed in a public 5 service job. 6 (b) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (c), during 7 the qualifying emergency, a monthly payment made by a 8 qualifying individual pursuant to a repayment plan listed 9 in section 455(m)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 10 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(1)(A)) (including a payment 11 deemed under section 3513(c) of the Coronavirus Aid, Re- 12 lief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136) to 13 have been made pursuant to such a repayment plan) shall 14 be deemed to be a monthly payment made by an individual 15 employed in a public service job for purposes of the public 16 service loan forgiveness program under section 455(m) of 17 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)). 18 (c) SPECIAL RULE.—Subsection (b) shall only apply 19 to a qualifying individual who resumes employment in any 20 public service job by the date that is 6 months after the 21 last day of the qualifying emergency, except that any 22 qualifying individual who, as a result of the application 23 of subsection (b), would have completed the requirements 24 for loan cancellation under section 455(m)(2) of the High- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:13 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7761.IH H7761 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7761 IH er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(2)) during 1 the qualifying emergency, shall receive such loan cancella- 2 tion without any required resumption of public service job 3 employment. 4 (d) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 60 days after the 5 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education 6 shall develop and make available guidance for qualifying 7 individuals regarding the assistance available under this 8 section, including a description of any documentation such 9 an individual shall provide to the Secretary to confirm 10 whether the individual’s lapse in employment meets the 11 definition of employment disruption. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:13 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7761.IH H7761 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS