117 S4253 IS: Student Loan Accountability Act U.S. Senate 2022-05-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 4253IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMay 18 (legislative day, May 17), 2022Mr. Romney (for himself, Mr. Burr, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Cassidy, and Mr. Tillis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsA BILLTo prohibit the mass cancellation of student loans.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Student Loan Accountability Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following:(1)Congress does not hide elephants in mouseholes; statutory authority has not been provided to the executive branch of the Federal Government to cancel student loans on a mass scale.(2)Through strained readings of statute, liberal interest groups assert that a mass cancellation event would be legal.(3)It is unfair for taxpayers who paid student loans or did not attend college to pay for those who chose to take student loans.

3.

Prohibition on mass cancellation of student loans

(a)

Prohibition

(1)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Attorney General shall not take any action to cancel or forgive the outstanding balances, or portion of balances, of covered loans, except as provided in paragraph (2).(2)

Exemption

The prohibition described in paragraph (1) shall not apply to targeted Federal student loan forgiveness, cancellation, or repayment programs carried out under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), under final regulations as in effect on May 11, 2022. (b)

Definitions

In this section, the term covered loan means—(1)a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part B, D, or E of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.; 1087a et seq.; 1087aa et seq.) before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act; or (2)a loan under the Health Education Assistance Loan Program under title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.) made before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act. (c)

Limitation

The Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Attorney General may not implement, or publish in any form, any regulation, or take any action, that modifies, alters, amends, cancels, discharges, forgives, or defers the repayment of any student debt not expressly permitted within statute or regulation as in effect on March 12, 2020, regarding covered loans, except to the extent that such regulation or action reflects the clear and unequivocal intent of Congress in legislation.