[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2872 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2872
To defer student loan payments for survivors of sex-based harassment.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 20, 2023
Mr. Fetterman (for himself, Mr. Booker, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Hirono, and
Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To defer student loan payments for survivors of sex-based harassment.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEFERMENT FOR VICTIMS OF SEX-BASED HARASSMENT.
Section 455(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1087e(f)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph
(C);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (D) and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) not in excess of 3 years (for 1 or more
periods of not less than 3 months and not more than 12
months), beginning on the date on which the borrower--
``(i) ceases to carry at least one-half the
normal full-time work load for the course of
study that the borrower is pursuing, as
determined by the eligible institution (as such
term is defined in section 435(a)) the borrower
is attending; and
``(ii) submits documentation to the
Secretary showing that the borrower reported to
a covered individual that the borrower was a
victim of sex-based harassment (regardless of
whether institutional findings were made
regarding that harassment).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Definitions regarding sex-based harassment.--For
purposes of paragraph (2)(E)--
``(A) the term `covered individual' means--
``(i) the title IX coordinator at the
institution (within the meaning of section
106.8 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations,
or successor regulations);
``(ii) another title IX official or
administrator at the institution; or
``(iii) a health care provider; and
``(B) the term `sex-based harassment' means--
``(i) sexual harassment, as defined in
paragraph (1) or (2) of section 106.30(a) of
title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (as in
effect on September 30, 2023);
``(ii) dating violence, domestic violence,
or stalking, as those terms are defined in
section 485(f)(6)(A)(i); or
``(iii) sexual assault, as that term is
defined in section 485(f)(6)(A)(v).''.
SEC. 2. RETURN OF FUNDS WAIVER.
Section 484B(b)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1091b(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(F) Waivers of grant assistance and loan
repayment by students who are victims of sex-based
harassment.--In addition to the waivers authorized by
subparagraphs (D) and (E), the Secretary may waive the
amounts that students are required to return under this
section with respect to any grant assistance (including
Federal Pell Grants) or loans made under this title if
the withdrawals on which the returns are based are
withdrawals by students--
``(i) whose attendance was interrupted due
to being a victim of sex-based harassment (as
such term is defined in section 455(f)(6)); and
``(ii) in the case of students who, in the
absence of this subparagraph, would have been
required to return loans made under this title,
who are receiving a deferment under section
455(f)(2)(E) on such loans.''.
SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Education shall prepare and submit to Congress a report
that includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the activities
established under this Act, and the amendments made by this Act,
including opportunities for increased program integrity.
<all>