I
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2919
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2017
Mr. Chabot (for himself, Ms. Stefanik, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Takano, and Mr. Swalwell of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that an individual may remain eligible to participate in the teacher loan forgiveness program under title IV of such Act if the individual’s period of consecutive years of employment as a full-time teacher is interrupted because the individual is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who is relocated during the school year pursuant to military orders for a permanent change of duty station, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Preserving Teacher Loan Forgiveness for Military Spouses Act of 2017
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Continuing eligibility to participate in student loan forgiveness or loan cancellation program for teachers whose period of consecutive employment is interrupted because of military orders requiring spouse to relocate to new residence
Continuing Eligibility
Part B Loans
Section 428J(g) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078–10(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
Continuing eligibility for certain military spouses
In general
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subsection (b), an individual who is employed as a full-time teacher for 5 complete years which are not consecutive years may be eligible for loan forgiveness pursuant to such subsection if the individual was a qualified military spouse with respect to any year during which the individual was not employed as a full-time teacher.
Qualified military spouse defined
In this paragraph, the term qualified military spouse means, with respect to a year, an individual who—
during the previous year, served as a teacher in a school or location meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) and met the requirements of subparagraph (B) of subsection (b)(1);
is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who is relocated during the year pursuant to military orders for a permanent change of duty station;
did not serve as a teacher in a school or location meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) during the year or any portion of the year because the individual accompanied the spouse to a new residence as a result of such military orders; and
during the following year, resumed service as a teacher in a school or location meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) and met the requirements of subparagraph (B) of subsection (b)(1).
Reports to Congress
Not later than 90 days after the end of the second academic year during which this paragraph is in effect, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the number of individuals who, as a result of this paragraph, remained eligible for loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection (b) during the 2 most recent academic years.
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Part D Loans
Section 460(g) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
Continuing eligibility for certain military spouses
In general
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subsection (b), an individual who is employed as a full-time teacher for 5 complete years which are not consecutive years may be eligible for loan cancellation pursuant to such subsection if the individual was a qualified military spouse with respect to any year during which the individual was not employed as a full-time teacher.
Qualified military spouse defined
In this paragraph, the term qualified military spouse means, with respect to a year, an individual who—
during the previous year, served as a teacher in a school or location meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) and met the requirements of subparagraph (B) of subsection (b)(1);
is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who is relocated during the year pursuant to military orders for a permanent change of duty station;
did not serve as a teacher in a school or location meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) during the year or any portion of the year because the individual accompanied the spouse to a new residence as a result of such military orders; and
during the following year, resumed service as a teacher in a school or location meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) and met the requirements of subparagraph (B) of subsection (b)(1).
Reports to Congress
Not later than 90 days after the end of the second academic year during which this paragraph is in effect, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the number of individuals who, as a result of this paragraph, remained eligible for loan cancellation pursuant to subsection (b) during the 2 most recent academic years.
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Effective date
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to individuals who first become employed as full-time teachers on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.