,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cabd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #be1 #bjah ,ms4 ,heitkamp 7for herself and ,mr4 ,tester7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife to provide for no accrual of interest on ,federal ,direct ,loans for individuals employed in public service4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,help ,encourage a ,lifetime of ,public ,service ,act4 #b4 ,interest waiver for individuals employed in public service 7a7 ,in general ,section #dee of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7n71 7o71 7p71 and 7q71 as subsections 7o71 7p71 7q71 and 7r71 respectively2 7#b7 in subsection 7m77#c7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7i7 in clause 7i71 by striking or after the semicolon2 7ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 volunteer work as a qualified volunteer first responder 7as defined in subsection 7n77#g772 or 7iv7 a full-time job as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch4 2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,qualified farm or ranch ,the term qualified farm or ranch means1 with respect to a year1 a farm or ranch whose earnings of gross revenue during the year from the sale of agricultural products are equal to or greater than-- 7i7 in the case of #bjai1 #ce1jjj2 or 7ii7 in the case of any succeeding year1 the amount applicable under this subparagraph for the previous year increased by the estimated percentage change in the ,consumer ,price ,index 7as determined by the ,secretary1 using the definition in section #dgh7;f77 for the most recent year preceding such year4 2 and 7#c7 by inserting after subsection 7m7 the following3 7n7 ,interest waiver for individuals employed in public service 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of this part1 interest shall not accrue for an eligible public servant on a loan made under this part for which the first disbursement is made on or after the date of enactment of the ,help ,encourage a ,lifetime of ,public ,service ,act4 7#b7 ,consolidation loans ,in the case of any consolidation loan made under this part that is disbursed on or after the date of enactment of the ,help ,encourage a ,lifetime of ,public ,service ,act1 interest shall not accrue pursuant to this subsection only on such portion of such loan as was used to repay a loan made under this part for which the first disbursement is made on or after the date of enactment of the ,help ,encourage a ,lifetime of ,public ,service ,act4 7#c7 ,annual certification ,not later than #abj days after the date of enactment of the ,help ,encourage a ,lifetime of ,public ,service ,act1 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 prescribe regulations that require an eligible public servant to annually certify through an employment certification form the individual's employment in a public service job in order to receive the interest waiver described in paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 to the maximum extent practicable1 streamline the process described in subparagraph 7,a7 with the process borrowers use to certify employment to qualify for loan cancellation under subsection 7m74 7#d7 ,alignment of deadlines ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,secretary shall1 to the maximum extent practicable1 align the borrower's deadline for annual employment certification under this subsection with the deadline for participation under the income contingent repayment plans or income-based repayment plans to reduce the burden on the borrower4 7#e7 ,regulations ,the ,secretary shall promulgate1 after consultation with public safety organizations1 regulations to carry out this subsection1 including regulations relating to-- 7,a7 the minimum volunteer time required for a qualified volunteer first responder to be treated as an individual employed in a full-time job for purposes of this subsection2 and 7,b7 the process of tracking and verifying that volunteer time4 7#f7 ,engagement of public safety organizations ,the ,secretary shall develop a plan regarding how the ,department will-- 7,a7 disseminate information and raise awareness about eligibility for qualified volunteer first responders for the interest waiver under this subsection2 and 7,b7 engage qualified volunteer first responders and public safety organizations in the process of tracking and verifying volunteer hours for purposes of this subsection4 7#g7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,eligible public servant ,the term eligible public servant means an individual who-- 7i7 is employed in a public service job2 7ii7 is a qualified volunteer first responder2 or 7iii7 has a full-time job as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch 7as defined in subsection 7m77#c77;,c774 7,b7 ,public safety organization ,the term public safety organization means any ,state1 local1 or tribal governmental agency or nonprofit organization that has the principal purpose of protecting the safety of life1 health1 or property4 7,c7 ,public service job ,the term public service job has the meaning given the term in subsection 7m77#c77;,b74 7,d7 ,qualified volunteer first responder 7i7 ,in general ,the term qualified volunteer first responder means an individual who volunteers to perform services on not less than the basis determined by the ,secretary under clause 7ii7 for a public safety organization 7which may include firefighters1 law enforcement officers1 emergency medical personnel1 or other first responders to emergencies7 and is certified as a firefighter1 law enforcement officer1 emergency medical services provider1 or other responder in the ,state1 unit of general local government1 ,indian tribe1 or nonprofit organization in which the individual serves and receives no compensation for such service or is paid expenses1 reasonable benefits1 or a nominal fee to perform the services4 7ii7 ,full-time employment for volunteer first responders ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,i7 determine the minimum volunteer time required for a qualified volunteer first responder to be treated as an individual employed in a full-time job for purposes of this subsection and subsection 7m72 and 7,,ii7 ensure that such minimum volunteer time is not less than the amount of volunteer time that is required for the qualified volunteer first responder to be considered an active member of the relevant public safety organization4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendments ,section #dbh;,c of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgh-c7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#c77;,b77i77,v77cc71 by striking section #dee7o7 and inserting section #dee7p72 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#e71 by striking section #dee7o7 and inserting section #dee7p74