[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6689 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6689

  To direct the Secretary of Education to forgive the Federal student 
loans of borrowers who are enrolled for benefits under part A of title 
       XVIII of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 7, 2023

 Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. 
Gomez, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Tokuda) introduced the following bill; which 
 was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Education to forgive the Federal student 
loans of borrowers who are enrolled for benefits under part A of title 
       XVIII of the Social Security Act, 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 ``Student Loan Relief for Medicare and 
Social Security Recipients Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR BORROWERS ENROLLED IN 
              MEDICARE.

    (a) Forgiveness Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the Secretary of Education shall forgive the outstanding balance 
of principal, interest, and fees due on the eligible Federal student 
loans of borrowers who meet the requirements of subsection (b).
    (b) Eligibility.--A borrower is eligible to receive forgiveness 
under this section if, at the time of application for forgiveness, such 
borrower is--
            (1) enrolled for benefits under part A of title XVIII of 
        the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c et seq.); or
            (2) in the 24-month waiting period for such benefits as 
        described under section 226(b) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 426(b)).
    (c) Application.--A borrower seeking forgiveness under this section 
shall submit to the Secretary of Education an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (d) Method of Loan Forgiveness.--As soon as practicable after the 
Secretary of Education confirms that an applicant meets the 
requirements of subsection (b), the Secretary of Education shall--
            (1) for each eligible Federal student loan of the borrower 
        that is held by the Department of Education, cancel the 
        outstanding balance of principal, interest, and fees due on the 
        loan; and
            (2) for each eligible Federal student loan of the borrower 
        that is not held by the Department of Education--
                    (A) through the holder of a loan, assume the 
                obligation to repay the outstanding balance of 
                principal, interest, and fees due on the loan; and
                    (B) upon assuming such obligation, cancel the 
                outstanding balance of such principal, interest, and 
                fees.
    (e) Repayment Refunds Prohibited.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to authorize the refund of any payments made by a borrower on 
an eligible Federal student before the date on which the borrower's 
loans are forgiven in accordance with this section.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible federal student loan.--The term ``eligible 
        Federal student loan'' means a loan--
                    (A) received by a borrower at least 10 years before 
                the date on which such borrower applies for forgiveness 
                under subsection (c);
                    (B) used to pay for--
                            (i) the undergraduate or graduate education 
                        of the borrower; or
                            (ii) in the case of a loan made to a parent 
                        on behalf of a dependent student, the 
                        undergraduate or graduate education of such 
                        dependent student; and
                    (C) made, insured, or guaranteed under--
                            (i) part B, part D, or part E of title IV 
                        of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                        1070 et seq.), including a consolidation loan; 
                        or
                            (ii) part E of title VIII of the Public 
                        Health Service Act.
            (2) Fees.--The term ``fees'' means any amounts owed by a 
        borrower, other than principal and interest, on an eligible 
        Federal student loan, including the amounts of any outstanding 
        administrative fees, late charges, and collection costs.
            (3) Graduate education.--The term ``graduate education'' 
        means a postbaccalaureate program of study that leads to a 
        graduate degree, including a master's or doctoral degree.
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1002).
            (5) Undergraduate education.--The term ``undergraduate 
        education'' means a postsecondary program of study at an 
        institution of higher education that leads to a certificate, 
        associate degree, or baccalaureate degree.
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