119-hr2829

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2829 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2829

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the Public Service 
 Loan Forgiveness program and reduce interest rates.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 10, 2025

Mr. Courtney (for himself and Mr. DeSaulnier) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the Public Service 
 Loan Forgiveness program and reduce interest rates.

 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 ``Strengthening Efforts for Relief and 
Vital Incentives for Community Service and Engagement Act'' or the 
``SERVICE Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN 
 FORGIVENESS.

    (a) Number of Monthly Payments.--Paragraph

    (1) of 

section 455
            (m) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ) is amended--

    (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph
        (A) , by striking 
 ``a borrower who'' and inserting ``a borrower'';

    (2) by amending subparagraph
        (A) to read as follows:
 ``
        (A) who--
 ``
            (i) has made 96 qualifying monthly 
 payments on the eligible Federal Direct Loan 
 after October 1, 2007; and
 ``
            (ii) has been employed in a public 
 service job during the period in which the 
 borrower makes each of the 96 qualifying 
 monthly payments; and''; and

    (3) by amending subparagraph
        (B) to read as follows:
 ``
        (B) without regard to the employment status of 
 the borrower at the time of such cancellation.''.

    (b) Redesignations.--

Section 455
            (m) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ) is further amended by redesignating 
paragraphs

    (2) ,

    (3) , and

    (4) , as paragraphs

    (3) ,

    (6) , and

    (7) , 
respectively;
            (c) Monthly Payments.--

Section 455
            (m) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ) is further amended--

    (1) by inserting after paragraph

    (1) , as so amended, the 
 following:
 ``

    (2) Monthly payments.--
 ``
        (A) Qualifying monthly payments.--For the purpose 
 of determining under paragraph

    (1) the number of 
 qualifying monthly payments made by a borrower on an 
 eligible Federal Direct Loan, the Secretary shall 
 consider the borrower to have made a qualifying monthly 
 payment for each month that--
 ``
            (i) the borrower pays (as a lump sum or 
 in multiple installments) an amount that is not 
 less than the monthly payment amount due on the 
 eligible Federal Direct Loan pursuant to any 
 one or a combination of the following--
 ``
            (I) payments under an income-
 based repayment plan under 

section 493C;
 ``
            (II) payments under a standard 
 repayment plan under subsection
            (d) (1)
        (A) , based on a 10-year repayment 
 period;
 ``
            (III) monthly payments under a 
 repayment plan under subsection
            (d) (1) or

    (g) of not less than the monthly 
 amount calculated under subsection
            (d) (1)
        (A) , based on a 10-year repayment 
 period; or
 ``
            (IV) payments under an income 
 contingent repayment plan under 
 subsection
            (d) (1)
            (D) ; or
 ``
            (ii) in lieu of a payment described in 
 clause
            (i) , the borrower is in one of the 
 following periods of deferment or forbearance--
 ``
            (I) cancer treatment deferment 
 under 

section 427

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) 
            (iv) , 
 428

    (b)

    (1)
            (M) 
            (v) , or 455

    (f)

    (3) ;
 ``
            (II) rehabilitation training 
 program deferment under 

section 427

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) 
            (i) 
            (II) , 
 428

    (b)

    (1)
            (M) 
            (i) 
            (II) , or 
 455

    (f)

    (2)
        (A)
            (ii) ;
 ``
            (III) military service deferment 
 under 

section 428

    (b)

    (1)
            (M) 
            (iii) or 
 455

    (f)

    (2)
            (C) ;
 ``
            (IV) unemployment deferment under 
 

section 427

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) 
            (ii) , 
 428

    (b)

    (1)
            (M) 
            (ii) , 428B
            (d) (1)
        (A)
            (i) , or 
 455

    (f)

    (2)
        (B) ;
 ``
            (V) deferment due to an economic 
 hardship described in 

section 427

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) 
            (iii) , 

section 428

    (b)

    (1)
            (M) 
            (iv) , 

section 428B
            (d) (1)
        (A)
            (i) , 

section 435

    (o) , or 
 

section 455

    (f)

    (2)
            (D) ;
 ``
            (VI) Peace Corps service 
 deferment under 

section 682.210

    (b)

    (2)
            (ii) or 682.210

    (k) of 
 title 34, Code of Federal Regulations 
 (or successor regulations), as made 
 applicable to Direct Loan borrowers 
 under 

section 685.204

    (j) of such title 
 34;
 ``
            (VII) post-active-duty student 
 deferment under 

section 493D;
 ``
            (VIII) AmeriCorps forbearance 
 under 

section 428
            (c) (3)
        (A)
            (i) 
            (III) ;
 ``
            (IX) National Guard Duty 
 forbearance under 

section 682.211

    (h)

    (2)
            (iii) or 685.205

    (a)

    (7) of 
 title 34, Code of Federal Regulations 
 (or successor regulations);
 ``
            (X) Department of Defense student 
 loan repayment program forbearance 
 under 

section 428
            (c) (3)
        (A)
            (i) 
            (IV) ;
 ``
            (XI) administrative forbearance 
 or mandatory administrative forbearance 
 under 

section 428
            (c) (3)
            (D) or 
 428H

    (e)

    (7) ; or
 ``
            (XII) student loan debt burden 
 forbearance under 

section 428
            (c) (3)
        (A)
            (i) 
            (II) .
 ``
        (B) Prepayments.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--Subject to clause
            (ii) , 
 if, for any month, a borrower makes a 
 qualifying monthly payment on an eligible 
 Federal Direct Loan in an amount that exceeds 
 the monthly payment amount due on such loan for 
 such month, the Secretary shall--
 ``
            (I) if the excess amount is less 
 than the monthly payment amount due for 
 the subsequent month on such loan, 
 apply the excess amount toward the 
 monthly payment amount due for such 
 subsequent month;
 ``
            (II) if the excess amount is 
 equal to the monthly payment amount due 
 for the subsequent month on such loan, 
 treat the excess amount as the monthly 
 payment for such subsequent month;
 ``
            (III) if the excess amount is 
 greater than the monthly payment amount 
 due for the subsequent month on such 
 loan, but less than the total monthly 
 payment amounts due for the 2 
 subsequent months on such loan--
 ``

    (aa) treat the portion of 
 the excess amount that covers 
 the monthly payment amount due 
 for the subsequent month as the 
 monthly payment for such 
 subsequent month; and
 ``

    (bb) apply the remainder 
 of the excess amount toward the 
 monthly payment amount due for 
 the second subsequent month;
 ``
            (IV) if the excess amount is 
 equal to or greater than the monthly 
 payment amount due for the 2 subsequent 
 months on such loan, but less than the 
 total monthly payment amounts due for 
 the 3 subsequent months on such loan--
 ``

    (aa) treat the portion of 
 the excess amount that covers 
 the monthly payment amounts due 
 for the subsequent month and 
 the second subsequent month as 
 the monthly payments for such 
 months; and
 ``

    (bb) apply any remainder 
 of such excess amount toward 
 the monthly payment amount due 
 for the third subsequent month;
 ``
            (V) if the excess amount is equal 
 to the monthly payment amounts due for 
 the 3 subsequent months on such loan, 
 treat the excess amount as the monthly 
 payments for such months;
 ``
            (VI) if the excess amount is 
 greater than the monthly payment 
 amounts due for the 3 subsequent months 
 on such loan--
 ``

    (aa) treat the portion of 
 the excess amount that covers 
 the monthly payment amounts due 
 for the 3 subsequent months as 
 the monthly payments for such 
 months; and
 ``

    (bb) apply any remainder 
 of such excess amount to the 
 principal balance of the 
 eligible Federal Direct loan; 
 and
 ``
            (VII) notwithstanding subclauses
            (I) through
            (VI) , if the borrower has a 
 monthly payment amount due on such loan 
 for such month that is equal to $0, 
 apply any excess amount for such month 
 to the principal balance of the 
 eligible Federal Direct loan.
 ``
            (ii) Alternative application.--Prior to 
 or at the time of making a payment that exceeds 
 the monthly payment amount due on an eligible 
 Federal Direct Loan for such month, a borrower 
 may request that any excess amount for such 
 month be applied to the principal balance of an 
 eligible Federal Direct loan in lieu of such 
 excess amount being applied in accordance with 
 clause
            (i) .
 ``
            (C) Buyback payment process.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
 establish a buyback payment process under which 
 a qualified borrower of an eligible Federal 
 Direct Loan may make a buyback payment in order 
 to have eligible months of the borrower's 
 public service employment period during which 
 the borrower did not make a qualifying monthly 
 payment on such loan be treated as if the 
 borrower had made a qualifying monthly payment 
 on such loan.
 ``
            (ii) Qualified borrower.--A borrower is a 
 qualified borrower for the purposes of making a 
 buyback payment in accordance with this 
 subparagraph if the borrower--
 ``
            (I) has an eligible Federal 
 Direct Loan that is not in default;
 ``
            (II) has been employed in a 
 public service job for not less than a 
 96 month employment period, but during 
 such employment period has made fewer 
 than 96 qualifying monthly payments on 
 an eligible Federal Direct Loan; and
 ``
            (III) requests to make a buyback 
 payment in accordance with this 
 subparagraph.
 ``
            (iii) Eligible month.--For the purposes 
 of this subparagraph, an eligible month means a 
 month during which a qualified borrower was 
 employed in a public service job, was not in an 
 in-school deferment or grace period, and did 
 not make a qualifying monthly payment on an 
 eligible Federal Direct Loan for such month--
 ``
            (I) because the borrower made a 
 monthly payment on such eligible 
 Federal Direct Loan pursuant to a 
 repayment plan that is not a qualifying 
 repayment plan;
 ``
            (II) because the borrower was in 
 a period of deferment or forbearance 
 other than a period described in clause
            (ii) of subparagraph
        (A) ; or
 ``
            (III) for another reason 
 determined appropriate by the 
 Secretary.
 ``
            (iv) Buyback payment requirements.--A 
 buyback payment made in accordance with this 
 subparagraph--
 ``
            (I) shall be made by a qualified 
 borrower as a lump sum payment amount, 
 and in an amount that equals the total 
 amount the borrower would have paid in 
 qualifying monthly payments on the 
 eligible Federal Direct Loan for all 
 eligible months the borrower is 
 requesting to buyback, pursuant to a 
 qualifying repayment plan applicable to 
 the borrower, in accordance with 
 

section 685.219

    (g)

    (6) of title 34, Code 
 of Federal Regulations (as such section 
 is in effect on the date of enactment 
 of this paragraph) or any other 
 relevant regulations in effect on such 
 date;
 ``
            (II) may not be made with respect 
 to an eligible Federal Direct Loan that 
 has been paid off, discharged, or 
 cancelled; and
 ``
            (III) with respect to an eligible 
 Federal Direct Loan that is a 
 consolidation loan, may not be used to 
 buyback eligible months that occurred 
 before the date of the consolidation of 
 such loan.
 ``
            (D) Hold harmless against retroactive 
 determinations.--For purposes of determining under 
 paragraph

    (1) the number of qualifying monthly payments 
 made by a borrower, any payment or period of deferment 
 or forbearance that is determined to be a qualifying 
 monthly payment may not, at a later time, be determined 
 not to be a qualifying monthly payment.''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (6) , as redesignated by 

section 2

    (b) , by 
 adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (C) Qualifying repayment plan.--The term 
 `qualifying repayment plan' means any of the repayment 
 plans listed in clause
            (i) of paragraph

    (2)
        (A) .''.
            (d) Loan Cancellation.--Paragraph

    (3) of 

section 455
            (m) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ), as redesignated by 
subsection

    (b) , is amended to read as follows:
 ``

    (3) Loan cancellation amount.--Upon certification by a 
 borrower of completion of 96 qualifying monthly payments by the 
 borrower, the Secretary shall determine whether the borrower 
 meets each of the requirements of paragraph

    (1) , and--
 ``
        (A) if the Secretary determines that the borrower 
 does meet such requirements, 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, 
 without further action by the borrower; or
 ``
        (B) if the Secretary determines that the borrower 
 does not meet such requirements, notify the borrower of 
 such determination in accordance with paragraph

    (4) .''.

    (e) Reconsideration Process.--

Section 455
            (m) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ), as redesignated by 
subsection

    (b) , is further amended by inserting after paragraph

    (3) , as 
so amended, the following:
 ``

    (4) Initial determination of ineligibility for loan 
 cancellation.--In a case in which the Secretary determines that 
 a borrower has not met the requirements of paragraph

    (1) , the 
 Secretary shall--
 ``
        (A) notify the borrower that--
 ``
            (i) the borrower's application has been 
 denied, including the basis for such denial;
 ``
            (ii) the borrower is in a 90-day 
 forbearance period described in subparagraph
        (B) ; and
 ``
            (iii) the Secretary will resume 
 collection of the eligible Federal Direct Loans 
 for which the borrower was seeking loan 
 cancellation under this subsection after such 
 90-day forbearance period, unless the borrower 
 opts to extend such forbearance period under 
 paragraph

    (5)
        (A)
            (ii) ; and
 ``
        (B) grant the borrower a 90-day forbearance 
 period, beginning on the date of the notice described 
 in subparagraph
        (A) provided to the borrower, and 
 during which--
 ``
            (i) payments of principal and interest 
 need not be made on the eligible Federal Direct 
 Loans for which the borrower was seeking loan 
 cancellation under this subsection; and
 ``
            (ii) any interest accrued and not paid 
 may not be capitalized.
 ``

    (5) Reconsideration process.--
 ``
        (A) Request for reconsideration.--Not later than 
 90 days after the date of the notice described in 
 paragraph

    (4)
        (A) provided to the borrower--
 ``
            (i) the borrower may request, on a form 
 approved by the Secretary, that the Secretary 
 reconsider the basis for the Secretary's denial 
 under paragraph

    (4)
        (A)
            (i) ; and
 ``
            (ii) if the Secretary grants the 
 borrower's reconsideration request, offer the 
 borrower an extension of the 90-day forbearance 
 period described in paragraph

    (4)
        (B) , which 
 shall--
 ``
            (I) begin on the date of the 
 borrower's reconsideration request 
 under this subparagraph; and
 ``
            (II) end on the date of the 
 notice provided to the borrower under 
 subparagraph
            (C) 
            (i) 
            (I) of the 
 Secretary's reconsideration decision.
 ``
        (B) Consideration of reconsideration request.--In 
 evaluating a reconsideration request from a borrower, 
 the Secretary shall consider any relevant evidence or 
 supporting documentation that may assist the Secretary 
 in determining whether the borrower meets each of the 
 requirements of paragraph

    (1) to qualify for loan 
 cancellation under this subsection.
 ``
            (C) Decision by the secretary.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--Not later than 6 months 
 after receipt of a borrower's reconsideration 
 request, the Secretary shall--
 ``
            (I) notify the borrower of the 
 reconsideration decision and the reason 
 for the Secretary's determination;
 ``
            (II) in a case in which the 
 reconsideration request is granted, 
 adjust the borrower's number of 
 qualifying monthly payments under 
 paragraph

    (1) or cancel the loan under 
 paragraph

    (3) ; and
 ``
            (III) in a case in which the 
 Secretary denies the reconsideration 
 request, with respect to a borrower who 
 agrees to the forbearance extension 
 described in subparagraph
        (A)
            (ii) , 
 include in the notice provided to the 
 borrower under subclause
            (I) , a 
 reminder that the Secretary will resume 
 collection of the eligible Federal 
 Direct Loans for which the borrower was 
 seeking loan cancellation under this 
 subsection as of the date of such 
 notice.
 ``
            (ii) Final decision.--After the Secretary 
 makes a decision on the borrower's 
 reconsideration request, the Secretary's 
 decision is final, and the borrower will not 
 receive additional reconsideration.''.

SEC. 3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

    (a) Independent Contractors.--

Section 455
            (m) is further amended by 
adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (8) Treatment of independent contractors.--For purposes 
 of this subsection, each reference to `employment' and 
 `employed' shall be treated as including work as an independent 
 contractor.''.

    (b) 

=== Definitions. ===
-Paragraph

    (6) of 

section 455
            (m) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ), as redesignated by 

section 2

    (b) , is further amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (D) Full-time.--The term `full-time' means, with 
 respect to a public service job, working 1 or more such 
 jobs--
 ``
            (i) a minimum average of 30 hours per 
 week during the period being certified;
 ``
            (ii) a minimum of 30 hours per week 
 throughout a contractual or employment period 
 of at least 8 months in a 12-month period; and
 ``
            (iii) with respect to an individual who 
 is in nontenure track employment at an 
 institution of higher education, the equivalent 
 of 30 hours per week as determined by 
 multiplying each credit or contact hour taught 
 by such individual per week by a number to be 
 determined by the Secretary.
 ``
        (E) Independent contractor.--The term 
 `independent contractor' means an individual who is not 
 an employee and who is working in a public service job 
 in a position or providing services which, under 
 applicable State law, cannot be filled or provided by 
 an employee of the public service job.''.

SEC. 4. ONLINE PORTAL AND DATABASE OF PUBLIC SERVICE JOBS.

 

Section 455
            (m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (9) Online portal and database of public service jobs.--
 ``
        (A) Online portal.--
 ``
            (i) Borrowers.--The Secretary shall 
 establish an online portal that provides to 
 borrowers of eligible Federal Direct Loans the 
 following information:
 ``
            (I) Instructions on how to access 
 the database established under 
 subparagraph
        (B) so that the borrower 
 can determine whether the borrower is 
 employed in a public service job.
 ``
            (II) An identification of the 
 loans of the borrower that are eligible 
 Federal Direct Loans, and an 
 identification of the qualifying 
 repayment plans for which such eligible 
 Federal Direct Loans qualify.
 ``
            (III) With respect to each such 
 eligible Federal Direct Loan--
 ``

    (aa) the number of 
 qualifying monthly payments the 
 borrower has made in accordance 
 with paragraph

    (1) ; and
 ``

    (bb) the estimated number 
 of qualifying monthly payments 
 under such paragraph remaining 
 on such loan before the 
 borrower may be eligible for 
 loan cancellation under this 
 subsection.
 ``
            (IV) With respect to each loan of 
 the borrower that is not eligible for 
 loan cancellation under paragraph

    (3) of this subsection, an explanation of 
 why the loan is not so eligible and 
 instructions on how what, if anything, 
 the borrower may do to make the loan so 
 eligible.
 ``
            (V) Instructions for the 
 submission of any forms associated with 
 such loan cancellation, and an ability 
 for the borrower to use the portal to 
 electronically sign and submit such 
 forms.
 ``
            (VI) In a case in which a 
 borrower submits to the Secretary an 
 application for loan cancellation under 
 this subsection that is denied by the 
 Secretary--
 ``

    (aa) a notice of such 
 denial that meets each of the 
 requirements of paragraph

    (4)
        (A) , including an 
 explanation of the 90-day 
 forbearance period;
 ``

    (bb) a form that meets 
 each of the requirements of 
 paragraph

    (5)
        (A) , which the 
 borrower may use to request 
 reconsideration of such denial, 
 including accepting an 
 extension of the 90-day 
 forbearance period; and
 ``
            (cc) a notice of the 
 Secretary's reconsideration 
 decision, which meets each of 
 the requirements of paragraph

    (5)
            (C) .
 ``
            (VII) An explanation of the 
 buyback payment process described in 
 paragraph

    (2)
            (C) , and a form to request 
 such a buyback, including the eligible 
 months for which the borrower may 
 request a buyback, and the amount that 
 the borrower would be required to pay 
 for such buyback.
 ``
            (VIII) An explanation of how 
 consolidating one or more Direct Loans 
 into a Direct Consolidation Loan, 
 including a Direct PLUS Loan made to a 
 parent borrower, will affect the number 
 of qualifying monthly payments 
 attributed to the borrower.
 ``
            (ii) Appropriate contacts.--The Secretary 
 shall ensure that an appropriate contact for a 
 public service job of a borrower has the option 
 to electronically sign and submit any forms 
 associated with loan cancellation under 
 paragraph

    (3) of this subsection.
 ``
            (iii) Information.--The Secretary shall 
 ensure that any information provided through 
 the online portal described in this 
 subparagraph contains up-to-date information.
 ``
        (B) Database of public service jobs.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--The Secretary, in 
 consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall 
 establish and regularly update a database that 
 lists public service jobs.
 ``
            (ii) Public availability.--The database 
 established under clause
            (i) shall be made 
 available on a publicly accessible website of 
 the Department of Education in an easily 
 searchable format.''.

SEC. 5. TREATMENT OF PERIODS OF DEFERMENT AND FORBEARANCE.

    (a) In General.--

Section 455

    (f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1087e

    (f) ) is amended--

    (1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``and 
 Forbearance'' at the end;

    (2) in paragraph

    (1)
        (B) , by striking ``capitalized or''; 
 and

    (3) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (7) Forbearance.--With respect to a loan that is in a 
 period of forbearance, interest on such loan may not be 
 capitalized after the conclusion of such period.''.

    (b) Application of Amendment.--The amendments made by subsection

    (a) shall apply to any period of deferment or forbearance in effect as 
of the date of the enactment of this Act, and any period of deferment 
or forbearance beginning on or after such date of enactment.

SEC. 6. TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATED AND REFINANCED LOANS.

 

Section 455
            (m) (2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087e
            (m) (2) , as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is 
further amended by inserting after subparagraph
            (D) the following:
 ``
        (E) Determination of number of qualifying monthly 
 payments for consolidation loans.--With respect to 
 determining the number of qualifying monthly payments 
 for a borrower seeking loan forgiveness under this 
 subsection who consolidates one or more Direct Loans 
 into a Direct Consolidation Loan, including a Direct 
 PLUS Loan made to a parent borrower, the Secretary 
 shall use the weighted average of the payments the 
 borrower made on the Direct Loans prior to 
 consolidating that met the criteria under this 
 subsection.''.

SEC. 7. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACHERS.

    (a) In General.--The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 
et seq.) is further amended--

    (1) in 

section 428J

    (g)

    (2) (20 U.S.C. 1078-10

    (g)

    (2) )--
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) , by inserting ``or'' after 
 the semicolon at the end;
        (B) by striking subparagraph
        (B) ; and
            (C) by redesignating subparagraph
            (C) as 
 subparagraph
        (B) ; and

    (2) in 

section 460

    (g)

    (2) (20 U.S.C. 1087j

    (g)

    (2) )--
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) , by inserting ``or'' after 
 the semicolon at the end;
        (B) by striking subparagraph
        (B) ; and
            (C) by redesignating subparagraph
            (C) as 
 subparagraph
        (B) .

    (b) Conforming Amendment.--

Section 455
            (m) (7) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as redesignated by 

section 2

    (b) of this Act, is 
amended by striking ``

section 428J, 428K, 428L, or 460'' and inserting 
``

section 428K or 428L''.

SEC. 8. GAO STUDY ON DATA MATCHING AGREEMENTS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN 
 FORGIVENESS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing data matching 
agreements for public service loan forgiveness under 

section 455
            (m) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e
            (m) ) that would allow 
a borrower to forego requesting certification of employment from the 
appropriate contact for the public service job of the borrower. The 
study shall include an examination of the Department of Education and 
the Department of Defense's progress towards automatic data matching 
for military and veteran borrowers.

    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
Senate containing the findings and recommendations resulting from the 
study required under subsection

    (a) .
            (c) Cooperation.--The head of each relevant Federal agency, 
including the Secretary of Education, Secretary of Defense, and 
Commissioner of Internal Revenue, shall cooperate with the Comptroller 
General to facilitate the completion of the study required under 
subsection

    (a) .
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