S. 1414 – Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:53 AM UTC

The Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019 would let people who owe student loans have those loans discharged in bankruptcy. It does this by deleting the special rule that currently blocks student loans from being wiped out. The change would apply to anyone filing a bankruptcy case after the law takes effect.

Key Provisions

Deletes the student‑loan exception from Section 523(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, allowing student loans to be discharged like other debts.
Amends Section 1328(a)(2) to match the removal of the student‑loan exception.
The amendments become effective on enactment and apply only to bankruptcy cases filed on or after that date.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

May 9, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 9, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

May 9, 2019

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 1414 on the floor

2 Democrats

Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · May 9, 2019

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · May 9, 2019

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · May 9, 2019

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 9, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1414

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 9, 2019

Mr. Durbin (for himself, Ms. Warren, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Brown, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Reed, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Whitehouse, and Ms. Hassan) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide bankruptcy relief for student borrowers.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019.

2.

Amendments

(a)

Exception to discharge

Section 523 of title 11, United States Code, is amended in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (8).

(b)

Conforming amendment

Section 1328(a)(2) of title 11, United States Code, is amended by striking (8),.

3.

Effective date; application of amendments

(a)

Effective date

Except as provided in subsection (b), this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act.

(b)

Application of amendments

The amendments made by this Act shall apply only with respect to cases commenced under title 11, United States Code, on or after the date of enactment of this Act.