[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1203 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1203

   To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to improve the 
    public service loan forgiveness program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 11, 2019

 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Warren, Mr. Blumenthal, 
Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Harris, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Booker, Mrs. 
   Shaheen, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Sanders, Ms. 
Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Casey, and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to improve the 
    public service loan forgiveness program, and for other purposes.

    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 ``What You Can Do For Your Country 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.

    (a) Public Service Loan Forgiveness.--
            (1) In general.--Section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(m) Loan Forgiveness for Federal Student Loan Borrowers Employed 
in Public Service.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Certification of employment.--The term 
                `certification of employment' means a certification of 
                employment under paragraph (4).
                    ``(B) Full-time.--The term `full-time', when used 
                with respect to employment, means employment--
                            ``(i) with a qualifying employer for not 
                        less than 30 hours per week; or
                            ``(ii) with 2 or more qualifying employers 
                        for a total of not less than 30 hours per week.
                    ``(C) Qualifying employer.--The term `qualifying 
                employer' means--
                            ``(i) a Federal, State, local, or Tribal 
                        government organization or instrumentality, 
                        including any organization established in law 
                        as a body politic;
                            ``(ii) an organization that is described in 
                        section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
                        of 1986, and exempt from taxation under section 
                        501(a) of such Code; or
                            ``(iii) an organization--
                                    ``(I) not described in clause (ii) 
                                that is a not-for-profit organization 
                                under other Federal or State law;
                                    ``(II) that is not a labor 
                                organization or partisan political 
                                organization; and
                                    ``(III) whose purpose is to 
                                directly provide any of the following 
                                services, as defined in regulations 
                                promulgated the Secretary:
                                            ``(aa) Emergency management 
                                        and disaster response.
                                            ``(bb) Military service.
                                            ``(cc) Public safety 
                                        services, including fire 
                                        prevention and suppression, 
                                        rescue services, hazardous 
                                        materials response, ambulance 
                                        services, and emergency medical 
                                        services.
                                            ``(dd) Law enforcement.
                                            ``(ee) Public health, 
                                        including service through 
                                        organizations that employ 
                                        nurses, nurse practitioners, 
                                        nurses in a clinical setting, 
                                        or professionals engaged in 
                                        health care practitioner 
                                        occupations and health care 
                                        support occupations, as such 
                                        terms are defined by the Bureau 
                                        of Labor Statistics.
                                            ``(ff) Public education, 
                                        including the provision of 
                                        educational enrichment or 
                                        support directly to students or 
                                        their families, employment with 
                                        a Tribal College or University 
                                        (as defined in section 316(b)), 
                                        and employment as an adjunct 
                                        faculty member or instructor 
                                        for an educational institution.
                                            ``(gg) Public interest law 
                                        services, including prosecution 
                                        or public defense or legal 
                                        advocacy on behalf of low-
                                        income communities at a not-
                                        for-profit organization.
                                            ``(hh) Early childhood 
                                        education, including licensed 
                                        or regulated childcare, Head 
                                        Start programs, and State 
                                        funded prekindergarten.
                                            ``(ii) Public service for 
                                        individuals with disabilities.
                                            ``(jj) Public service for 
                                        the elderly.
                                            ``(kk) Public and school-
                                        based library sciences.
                                            ``(ll) School-based 
                                        services, including the 
                                        provision of noneducational 
                                        enrichment or support directly 
                                        to students or their families.
                                            ``(mm) Social work, 
                                        including child or family 
                                        services.
                    ``(D) Qualifying monthly payment obligation.--The 
                term `qualifying monthly payment obligation' means a 
                monthly payment obligation due on a loan under the 
                repayment plan of the borrower--
                            ``(i) that was satisfied by the borrower 
                        through a payment made after October 1, 2007; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) attributable to a period during 
                        which the borrower was employed full-time by a 
                        qualifying employer.
            ``(2) In general.--Beginning on July 1, 2019, the Secretary 
        shall forgive the applicable percentage described in paragraph 
        (3) of the balance of principal and interest due on a loan made 
        under this part for a borrower who has satisfied 60 or 120 
        qualifying monthly payment obligations on a loan made under 
        this part and submitted any certification of employment 
        required under this subsection.
            ``(3) Loan forgiveness after 60 payment obligations and 120 
        payment obligations.--The applicable percentages under this 
        paragraph shall be--
                    ``(A) in the case of a borrower who satisfies 60 
                qualifying monthly payment obligations on a loan made 
                under this part that is not in default (as defined in 
                section 435), 50 percent of the total amount of the 
                balance of principal and interest due on such loan as 
                of the date of the loan forgiveness; and
                    ``(B) in the case of a borrower who satisfies 120 
                qualifying monthly payment obligations on a loan made 
                under this part that is not in default, 100 percent of 
                the balance of principal and interest due on such loan 
                as of the date of the loan forgiveness.
            ``(4) Certification of employment requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In order to receive loan 
                forgiveness under this subsection, a borrower of a loan 
                made under this part shall submit to the Secretary a 
                certification of employment.
                    ``(B) Content of certification.--The Secretary 
                shall--
                            ``(i) develop, and make easily accessible, 
                        the certification of employment; and
                            ``(ii) ensure that the method of 
                        certification--
                                    ``(I) allows for the employer to 
                                indicate and certify the dates of the 
                                borrower's employment; and
                                    ``(II) provides electronic 
                                signature options for the employer and 
                                for the borrower.
                    ``(C) Borrower access.--The Secretary shall ensure 
                that a borrower may submit a certification of 
                employment to the Secretary electronically through any 
                information system through which the Secretary permits 
                borrowers to take self-service actions with respect to 
                their loans.
                    ``(D) Exception for self-certification.--The 
                Secretary shall provide a self-certification option for 
                the certification of employment for borrowers who have 
                extenuating circumstances preventing the borrowers from 
                obtaining the qualifying employer signature and 
                certification required under subparagraph (B)(ii), as 
                determined by the Secretary pursuant to rulemaking and 
                including situations where an employer is no longer in 
                existence or refuses to cooperate.
                    ``(E) Periodic review of certification of 
                employment.--For each borrower of a loan made under 
                this part who has submitted a certification of 
                employment, the Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) by not later than 30 days after 
                        receipt of the certification of employment--
                                    ``(I) review the certification of 
                                employment and determine the number of 
                                qualifying monthly payment obligations 
                                satisfied on the loan during the period 
                                of employment covered by the 
                                certification of employment;
                                    ``(II) inform the borrower of the 
                                number of qualifying monthly payment 
                                obligations satisfied; and
                                    ``(III) inform the borrower of the 
                                number of remaining qualifying monthly 
                                payment obligations to be satisfied in 
                                order for the borrower to receive 
                                partial loan forgiveness under 
                                paragraph (3)(A), and such number 
                                needed to receive full loan forgiveness 
                                under paragraph (3)(B); and
                            ``(ii) periodically, but not less than 
                        twice annually, notify the borrower, using the 
                        most recent calculation of qualifying monthly 
                        payment obligations, of--
                                    ``(I) the number of qualifying 
                                monthly payment obligations satisfied, 
                                as of the date of the notice;
                                    ``(II) the number of remaining 
                                qualifying monthly payment obligations 
                                to be satisfied in order for the 
                                borrower to receive partial loan 
                                forgiveness under paragraph (3)(A), and 
                                such number needed to receive full loan 
                                forgiveness under paragraph (3)(B);
                                    ``(III) any steps the borrower can 
                                take to convert non-qualifying monthly 
                                payment obligations into qualifying 
                                monthly payment obligations, including 
                                the options to provide payments to 
                                satisfy monthly payment obligations for 
                                past public service under paragraph 
                                (5)(C); and
                                    ``(IV) the dispute resolution 
                                process for the Secretary's 
                                determination of qualifying monthly 
                                payment obligations, as described in 
                                paragraph (7).
            ``(5) Qualifying monthly payment obligations.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, 
                the number of qualifying monthly payment obligations 
                satisfied on a loan is the number of monthly payments, 
                during the period of employment and based on the 
                repayment plan selected by the borrower for such 
                period, that would be satisfied based on applying the 
                total amount of payments made by the borrower on the 
                loan at any time during such period.
                    ``(B) Adjustment of payment obligation status.--
                            ``(i) Hold harmless against retroactive 
                        determinations.--If the Secretary has 
                        classified a payment obligation satisfied by a 
                        borrower of a loan made under this part as a 
                        qualifying monthly payment obligation and later 
                        determines that the payment obligation does not 
                        qualify, the Secretary shall deem the payment 
                        obligation to be a qualifying monthly payment 
                        obligation to be counted for purposes of 
                        paragraph (2).
                            ``(ii) Explanation of non-qualifying 
                        payment obligation determinations.--If the 
                        Secretary determines that payments made by a 
                        borrower of a loan made under this part for a 
                        period of full-time employment with a 
                        qualifying employer cannot be applied toward 
                        the total number of qualifying monthly payment 
                        obligations for purposes of paragraph (2), the 
                        Secretary shall provide a borrower with an 
                        explanation and allow the borrower to correct 
                        the reason for such determination, to the 
                        extent possible. Such borrower remediation 
                        shall include, at a minimum, providing a 
                        borrower with the opportunity to reimburse the 
                        Secretary for any underpayment.
                    ``(C) Satisfying previously non-qualifying monthly 
                payment obligations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A borrower of a loan 
                        made under this part who has a period during 
                        which the borrower was employed full-time with 
                        a qualifying employer but did not satisfy one 
                        or more qualifying monthly payment obligations 
                        during such period, such as a borrower who was 
                        in deferment or forbearance, may satisfy one or 
                        more monthly payment obligations of that period 
                        at a later date by paying the additional amount 
                        needed to satisfy the qualifying monthly 
                        payment obligation, in accordance with a 
                        process established by the Secretary.
                            ``(ii) Determination process.--The amount 
                        of past monthly payment obligations satisfied 
                        by a payment under this subparagraph for a 
                        period of employment shall be determined using 
                        the amount of the borrower's monthly payment, 
                        based on any repayment plan, as selected by the 
                        borrower, that could have been selected by the 
                        borrower during such period. The Secretary may 
                        require a borrower wishing to satisfy past 
                        monthly payment obligations under this 
                        subparagraph to submit any additional 
                        information necessary to calculate the amount 
                        of the past payments.
                            ``(iii) Limit.--A borrower may not satisfy 
                        more than 36 past monthly payment obligations 
                        under this subparagraph.
            ``(6) Special rules relating to federal direct 
        consolidation loans.--
                    ``(A) Review of any new consolidation loan 
                application.--
                            ``(i) Public service loan forgiveness 
                        option on consolidation application.--Beginning 
                        on July 1, 2019, the Secretary shall include, 
                        in any application for a Federal Direct 
                        Consolidation Loan, the option for the borrower 
                        to indicate that the borrower is consolidating 
                        for the purpose of using the public service 
                        loan forgiveness program under this subsection.
                            ``(ii) Review.--Beginning on July 1, 2019, 
                        the Secretary shall, after issuing any Federal 
                        Direct Consolidation Loan to a borrower who 
                        indicated an interest in the public service 
                        loan forgiveness program on the loan 
                        application--
                                    ``(I) request that the borrower 
                                submit a certification of employment; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) after receiving a complete 
                                certification of employment, review the 
                                borrower's past payments on all 
                                component loans comprising the Federal 
                                Direct Consolidation Loan and inform 
                                the borrower--
                                            ``(aa) of the number of 
                                        monthly payment obligations 
                                        satisfied by the borrower 
                                        before the date of 
                                        consolidation that are 
                                        qualifying monthly payment 
                                        obligations, in accordance with 
                                        subparagraph (B); or
                                            ``(bb) if no payment 
                                        obligations are satisfied, that 
                                        the borrower will not receive 
                                        any credit towards public 
                                        service loan forgiveness under 
                                        this subsection for the Federal 
                                        Direct Consolidation Loan.
                    ``(B) Qualifying payment obligations on all 
                component loans and loan types through consolidation.--
                In the case of a borrower of one or more loans eligible 
                for consolidation, including loans made under part B, 
                who applies for, and receives, a Federal Direct 
                Consolidation Loan, the Secretary shall request the 
                borrower submit a certification of employment for any 
                qualifying employment and, after receiving the 
                certification of employment, shall--
                            ``(i) review the borrower's payment history 
                        on each of the component loans comprising the 
                        Federal Direct Consolidation Loan, including 
                        each loan made under part B; and
                            ``(ii) for each component loan--
                                    ``(I) calculate the weighted factor 
                                of the component loan, which shall be 
                                the factor that represents the ratio 
                                between the amount of the component 
                                loan and the amount of the Federal 
                                Direct Consolidation Loan, as 
                                determined by the Secretary;
                                    ``(II) determine the number of 
                                equivalent monthly payment obligations 
                                toward the Federal Direct Consolidation 
                                Loan satisfied on the component loan by 
                                multiplying the weighted factor for the 
                                component loan by the number of 
                                qualifying monthly payment obligations 
                                that the borrower satisfied on the 
                                component loan; and
                                    ``(III) after rounding the number 
                                determined under subclause (II) to the 
                                nearest whole number, deem that number 
                                of equivalent monthly payment 
                                obligations to be qualifying monthly 
                                payment obligations on the Federal 
                                Direct Consolidation Loan.
                    ``(C) Applicability of borrower protections and 
                rights.--A borrower of one or more loans eligible for 
                consolidation, including loans made under part B, who 
                applies for and receives a Federal Direct Consolidation 
                Loan shall receive all the protections and rights 
                provided under subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph 
                (5) for the loan, and for any component loan, in the 
                same manner as provided to any other borrower of a loan 
                made under this part.
            ``(7) Notice of qualifying payment obligations.--
                    ``(A) Initial notice.--Upon receiving any verbal or 
                written contact by a borrower on or after July 1, 2019, 
                expressing interest in the public service loan 
                forgiveness program under this subsection, the 
                Secretary, or an eligible lender or guaranty agency 
                under part B, shall provide the borrower, by not later 
                than 30 days after the contract, with a notice that--
                            ``(i) explains the requirements of the 
                        program, including whether the borrower needs 
                        to consolidate some or all of the borrower's 
                        loans to receive forgiveness under this 
                        subsection;
                            ``(ii) includes a copy of, or a link to, 
                        information about the certification of 
                        employment process described in paragraph (4);
                            ``(iii) includes an estimate of the 
                        qualifying monthly payment obligations that 
                        would be satisfied by the borrower based on the 
                        borrower's payment history, as of the date of 
                        notice, if the borrower was a full-time 
                        employee of a qualifying employer and met the 
                        requirements of paragraph (2); and
                            ``(iv) includes an estimate of the number 
                        of remaining qualifying monthly payment 
                        obligations to be satisfied in order for the 
                        borrower to receive partial loan forgiveness 
                        under paragraph (3)(A), and such number needed 
                        to receive full loan forgiveness under 
                        paragraph (3)(B).
                    ``(B) Subsequent notices.--After providing an 
                initial notice under subparagraph (A), the Secretary, 
                or an eligible lender or guaranty agency under part B, 
                shall annually provide the borrower with a notice 
                containing the information described in such 
                subparagraph for each subsequent year that the borrower 
                has an outstanding loan, unless the borrower receives 
                notices under paragraph (4)(E)(ii) or requests that the 
                notices be discontinued.
            ``(8) Dispute resolution process.--By not later than July 
        1, 2019, the Secretary shall establish a process for borrowers 
        to dispute the calculation of qualifying monthly payment 
        obligations, or the determination of full or partial loan 
        forgiveness under paragraph (2), following the submission of a 
        certification of employment or application for forgiveness or 
        any successor certification or application.
            ``(9) Database of qualifying employers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than July 1, 2019, the 
                Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) establish a database that will 
                        include all employers from which the Secretary 
                        has received a certification of employment; and
                            ``(ii) use such database to aid the 
                        Secretary in processing a certification of 
                        employment and in providing the notices 
                        required under subsection (r)(3).
                    ``(B) Data matching agreements.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        enter into data matching agreements with 
                        relevant Federal agencies who possess records 
                        about the status of employers or the status of 
                        borrowers as employees of qualifying employers 
                        for the purpose of eliminating, to the extent 
                        practicable, the need for a borrower or 
                        employer to submit a certification of 
                        employment to the Secretary.
                            ``(ii) Specific federal agencies.--
                        Notwithstanding any Federal law, the Secretary 
                        of Labor, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 
                        and the Commissioner of Social Security shall 
                        disclose any relevant records to the Secretary 
                        for the purposes of meeting the Secretary's 
                        obligations to reduce barriers to certification 
                        of employment as described in clause (i).
                            ``(iii) Notice to borrowers.--If the 
                        Secretary receives employer or employment 
                        information regarding a borrower from a Federal 
                        agency pursuant to this subparagraph, the 
                        Secretary shall timely notify the borrower 
                        that--
                                    ``(I) the Secretary received the 
                                information; and
                                    ``(II) the borrower, for the 
                                duration of the borrower's employment 
                                by the employer--
                                            ``(aa) is not required to 
                                        submit a certification of 
                                        employment for the employer 
                                        under paragraph (4); or
                                            ``(bb) if the information 
                                        is not complete, only needs to 
                                        submit a reduced set of 
                                        information to the Secretary 
                                        for the certification of 
                                        employment.
            ``(10) Ineligibility.--
                    ``(A) No double benefits.--No borrower may, for the 
                same service, receive a reduction of loan obligations 
                under both this subsection and section 428J, 428K, 
                428L, or 460.
                    ``(B) Federal elected service excluded.--No 
                borrower may receive loan forgiveness under this 
                subsection for service as a Member of Congress or 
                President or Vice President of the United States.''.
            (2) FFEL program amendments.--Part B of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in section 428 (20 U.S.C. 1078), by adding at 
                the end the following:
    ``(p) Repayment History Information and Public Service Loan 
Forgiveness Information.--A guaranty agency shall--
            ``(1) provide, in a timely manner, any necessary borrower 
        repayment history information that the Secretary requests in 
        order to determine the borrower's eligibility for the public 
        service loan forgiveness program under section 455(m), or the 
        number of qualifying monthly payment obligations satisfied for 
        purposes of the program, including such information from all 
        servicers involved in servicing the borrower's loan; and
            ``(2) carry out the requirements of section 455(m)(7) upon 
        receiving any verbal or written contact by a borrower on or 
        after July 1, 2019, expressing interest in the public service 
        loan forgiveness program under section 455(m).''; and
                    (B) in section 433 (20 U.S.C. 1083)--
                            (i) by redesignating subsection (f) as 
                        subsection (g); and
                            (ii) by inserting after subsection (e) the 
                        following:
    ``(f) Repayment History Information.--An eligible lender shall--
            ``(1) provide, in a timely manner, any necessary borrower 
        repayment history information that the Secretary requests in 
        order to determine the borrower's eligibility for the public 
        service loan forgiveness program under section 455(m), or the 
        number of qualifying monthly payment obligations satisfied for 
        purposes of the public service loan forgiveness program under 
        section 455(m), including such information from all servicers 
        involved in servicing the borrower's loan; and
            ``(2) carry out the requirements of section 455(m)(7) upon 
        receiving any verbal or written contact by a borrower on or 
        after July 1, 2019, expressing interest in the public service 
        loan forgiveness program under section 455(m).''.
    (b) Notification To Direct Loan Borrowers Regarding All Options for 
Loan Forgiveness.--Section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1087e) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(r) Annual Notice Regarding Loan Forgiveness Options.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall annually provide a 
        written or electronic disclosure to each borrower of a loan 
        under this part--
                    ``(A) notifying the borrower--
                            ``(i) of any loan forgiveness option 
                        available under this title that might apply to 
                        a loan under this part held by the borrower, 
                        including the public service loan forgiveness 
                        program under subsection (m); and
                            ``(ii) in the case of a borrower who is a 
                        full-time employee of a Federal agency and has 
                        not expressed interest in or submitted a 
                        certification of employment for the public 
                        service loan forgiveness program--
                                    ``(I) that the borrower is employed 
                                by a qualifying employer;
                                    ``(II) the number of payment 
                                obligations satisfied by the borrower 
                                that the Secretary has determined could 
                                be qualifying monthly payment 
                                obligations on eligible Federal Direct 
                                Loan for purposes of the public service 
                                loan forgiveness program; and
                                    ``(III) the steps necessary for the 
                                borrower to submit a certification of 
                                employment and to obtain forgiveness 
                                under subsection (m)(2);
                    ``(B) informing the borrower that the loan 
                forgiveness options described in subparagraph (A) are 
                provided free of charge; and
                    ``(C) including, for each loan forgiveness option, 
                information regarding how the borrower should proceed, 
                including contact information, if the borrower wishes 
                to pursue such loan forgiveness option.
            ``(2) Exclusions.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall not provide a notification under this 
        subsection to a borrower of a loan under this part if--
                    ``(A) the borrower is also receiving a notification 
                under subsection (m)(7); or
                    ``(B) the borrower has requested that the Secretary 
                no longer provide the notifications under this 
                subsection.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on July 1, 2019.

SEC. 3. TRANSITION TO IMPROVED PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.

    (a) Review of Borrowers Currently Participating in Public Service 
Loan Forgiveness.--
            (1) Calculating the number of qualifying payment 
        obligations for current public service loan forgiveness program 
        participants.--By not later than July 1, 2019, the Secretary 
        shall, for each borrower that has submitted a certification of 
        employment under the public service loan forgiveness program 
        under section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1087e) before July 1, 2019--
                    (A) calculate the number of qualifying payment 
                obligations under such section satisfied by the 
                borrower, using the criteria of such section as in 
                effect on July 1, 2019; and
                    (B) inform the borrower of the changes in the 
                public service loan forgiveness program and the number 
                of qualifying payment obligations that the borrower 
                will have satisfied for purposes of the program, 
                beginning on July 1, 2019.
            (2) Retroactive partial loan forgiveness.--By not later 
        than July 1, 2019, the Secretary shall take such steps as are 
        necessary to provide partial loan forgiveness under section 
        455(m)(3)(A)(i) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1087e(m)(3)(A)(i)), as in effect on such date, to borrowers 
        with outstanding balance of principal and interest on a loan 
        made under this part who met the criteria for partial loan 
        forgiveness under such section, as in effect on July 1, 2019, 
        before such date but on or after October 1, 2007.
            (3) Applicability of other provisions.--In carrying out 
        paragraphs (1) and (2), and in any other case where the 
        Secretary is applying the loan forgiveness provisions of 
        section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1087e(m)), as in effect on July 1, 2019, to a borrower for whom 
        one or more payment obligations were satisfied before July 1, 
        2019, the Secretary shall determine the number of payment 
        obligations satisfied by applying all of the provisions of such 
        section as in effect on July 1, 2019, including the calculation 
        of payment obligations under section 455(m)(5) of such Act and 
        the inclusion of payment obligations satisfied through the 
        component loans of a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan under 
        section 455(m)(6), without regard as to the date on which the 
        payment obligation was satisfied.
    (b) Special PSLF Program Funds.--
            (1) Definition of special pslf program funds.--In this 
        section, the term ``special PSLF program funds'' means the 
        amounts appropriated for public service loan forgiveness under 
        section 315 of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations 
        Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141; March 23, 2018) or under section 
        313 of division B of the Department of Defense and Labor, 
        Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 
        2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 115-
        245; September 28, 2018).
            (2) Rescission.--Upon the effective date described in 
        section 2(c), all special PSLF program funds that remain 
        unexpended on such date shall be rescinded.
            (3) Transition.--The Secretary of Education shall establish 
        a process through which the Secretary shall--
                    (A) review the applications of borrowers who 
                applied for the loan forgiveness program carried out 
                with special PSLF program funds but had not received 
                loan forgiveness through such program before July 1, 
                2019; and
                    (B) assist such borrowers in pursuing loan 
                forgiveness under section 455(m) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)), as in 
                effect on July 1, 2019.
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