[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2655 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2655
To provide for a loan forgiveness program for certain individuals who
serve as early childhood educators.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2007
Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a loan forgiveness program for certain individuals who
serve as early childhood educators.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Early Educator Loan Forgiveness Act
of 2007''.
SEC. 2. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR SERVICE AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR.
Section 428K (20 U.S.C. 1078-11) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 428K. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR SERVICE AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATOR.
``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
``(1) to encourage highly trained individuals to enter and
continue in service as early childhood educators; and
``(2) to reduce the burden of student debt for Americans
who dedicate their careers to service as early childhood
educators.
``(b) Program Authorized.--
``(1) Loan forgiveness authorized.--The Secretary is
authorized to forgive, in accordance with this section, the
student loan obligation of a borrower in the amount specified
in subsection (c), for any new borrower after the date of
enactment of the Early Educator Loan Forgiveness Act of 2007,
who--
``(A) has been employed full-time for at least 5
consecutive complete school years as an early childhood
educator in an eligible preschool program or eligible
early childhood education program in a low-income
community, and who is involved directly in the care,
development, and education of infants, toddlers, or
young children through age 5; and
``(B) is not in default on a loan for which the
borrower seeks forgiveness.
``(2) Method of loan forgiveness.--To provide loan
forgiveness under paragraph (1), the Secretary is authorized to
carry out a program--
``(A) through the holder of the loan, to assume the
obligation to repay a qualified loan amount for a loan
made, insured, or guaranteed under this part; and
``(B) to cancel a qualified loan amount for a loan
made under part D of this title.
``(3) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to issue
such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the
provisions of this section.
``(c) Qualified Loan Amount.--The Secretary shall forgive not more
than $5,000 in the aggregate of the student loan obligation of a
borrower that is outstanding after the completion of the fifth
consecutive school year of employment described in subsection (b)(1).
``(d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize the refunding of any repayment of a loan.
``(e) Award Basis.--Loan forgiveness under this section shall be on
a first-come, first-served basis and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
``(f) Ineligibility for Double Benefits.--No borrower may receive a
reduction of loan obligations under both this section and section 428J
or 460.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Early childhood educator.--The term `early childhood
educator' means an early childhood educator who works directly
with children in an eligible preschool program or eligible
early childhood education program who has completed a
baccalaureate or advanced degree in early childhood
development, early childhood education, or in a field related
to early childhood education.
``(2) Eligible preschool program.--The term `eligible
preschool program' means a program that provides for the care,
development, and education of infants, toddlers, or young
children through age 5, meets any applicable State or local
government licensing, certification, approval, and registration
requirements, and is operated by--
``(A) a public or private school that may be
supported, sponsored, supervised, or administered by a
local educational agency;
``(B) a Head Start agency serving as a grantee
designated under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et
seq.);
``(C) a nonprofit or community based organization;
or
``(D) a child care program, including a home.
``(3) Eligible early childhood education program.--The term
`eligible early childhood education program' means--
``(A) a family child care program, center-based
child care program, State prekindergarten program,
school program, or other out-of-home early childhood
development care program, that--
``(i) is licensed or regulated by the
State; and
``(ii) serves 2 or more unrelated children
who are not old enough to attend kindergarten;
``(B) a Head Start Program carried out under the
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); or
``(C) an Early Head Start Program carried out under
section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a).
``(4) Low-income community.--In this subsection, the term
`low-income community' means a community in which 70 percent of
households earn less than 85 percent of the State median
household income.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary
for fiscal year 2008 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.''.
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