I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1615 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 19, 2009 Mr. Ehlers (for himself, Mr. McKeon, Ms. Granger, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Honda, Mr. Boustany, Mr. Price of Georgia, and Mr. Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To amend section 435(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 regarding the definition of economic hardship.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Medical Economic Deferment for Students (MEDS) Act.

2.

Definition of economic hardship

Section 435(o) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1085(o)) is amended— (1)in paragraph (1)— (A)in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking or after the semicolon; (B)by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and (C)by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following: (B)such borrower is working full-time and has a Federal educational debt burden that equals or exceeds 20 percent of such borrower’s adjusted gross income, and the difference between such borrower’s adjusted gross income minus such burden is less than 220 percent of the greater of— (i)the annual earnings of an individual earning the minimum wage under section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; or (ii)150 percent of the poverty line, as defined under section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act, applicable to such borrower's family size; or ; and (2)in paragraph (2), by striking (1)(B) and inserting (1)(C).