117 S5296 IS: Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act U.S. Senate 2022-12-19 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. 5296IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESDecember 19, 2022Mr. Murphy (for himself, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Baldwin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsA BILLTo establish a student loan forgiveness plan for certain borrowers who are employed at a qualified farm or ranch.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act.

2.

Loan forgiveness for farmers and ranchers

(a)

Amendment to the HEA

Part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

460A.

Loan forgiveness for farmers and ranchers

(a)

Qualified farm or ranch

In this section, the term qualified farm or ranch means a farm or ranch with a farm number (within the meaning given the term in section 718.2 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of the Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act). (b)

In general

The Secretary shall cancel the balance of interest and principal due, in accordance with subsection (c), on any eligible Federal Direct Loan not in default for a borrower who—(1)at the time of initial entrance into the agricultural student loan forgiveness program— (A)is—(i)employed full-time or part-time as farmer or rancher with an AD–20347 form on file with the Department of Agriculture that is current on the date of the initial entrance; or (ii)employed full-time or part-time as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch; and(B)is—(i)a beginning farmer or rancher (as defined under section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)));(ii)an individual from a population that is underrepresented in the agricultural profession (as determined by the Secretary), such as minorities or women;(iii)a socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher (as defined in section 355(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2003(e))); or(iv)a veteran farmer or rancher (as defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a))); (2)makes 120 monthly payments on the eligible Federal Direct Loan after the date of enactment of the Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act, pursuant to any one or a combination of—(A)payments under an income-based repayment plan under section 493C;(B)payments under a standard repayment plan under section 455(d)(1)(A), based on a 10-year repayment period;(C)monthly payments under a repayment plan under subsection (d)(1) or (g) of section 455 of not less than the monthly amount calculated under section 455(d)(1)(A), based on a 10-year repayment period; or(D)payments under an income contingent repayment plan under section 455(d)(1)(D);(3)is employed full-time as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch at the time of such forgiveness; and(4)has been employed full-time as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch during the period in which the borrower makes each of the qualifying payments described in paragraph (2).(c)

Loan cancellation amount

After the conclusion of the employment period described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall cancel the obligation to repay the balance of principal and interest due as of the time of such cancellation, on the eligible Federal Direct Loans made to the borrower under this part.(d)

Removal from the program

(1)

In general

Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall remove a borrower from the agricultural student loan forgiveness program if the borrower—(A)was less than 40 years old when the borrower entered the agricultural student loan forgiveness program, and that borrower fails to be employed full-time as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch for a cumulative period of more than 7 years after entering the program; or(B)was 40 years old or older when the borrower entered the agricultural student loan forgiveness program, and that borrower fails to be employed full-time as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch for a cumulative period of more than 3 years after entering the program.(2)

Exception for military service

The Secretary shall not consider any of the following as a period of time counting toward removal from the agricultural student loan forgiveness program for purposes of paragraph (1):(A)Time serving on active duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency.(B)Time performing qualifying National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency.(C)The 180-day period following the demobilization date for the service described in subparagraph (A) or (B).(3)

Readmission prohibited

The Secretary shall not allow a borrower who has been removed from the agricultural student loan forgiveness program under this section to be readmitted to the program, unless the Secretary finds that the borrower has experienced exceptional circumstances.(e)

Eligible Federal Direct Loan

The term eligible Federal Direct Loan means a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, or Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan.

.(b)

Regulations

Not more than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall promulgate final regulations to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a), including regulations relating to the process of tracking and verifying work as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch for purposes of section 460A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as added by this Act).