,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cgfj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ai1 #bjbj,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 and ,mr4 ,leahy7 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 a percentage of student loan forgiveness for public service employment1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strengthening ,loan ,forgiveness for ,public ,servants ,during the ,,covid-#ai ,crisis ,act4 #b4 ,sense of the ,senate ,it is the sense of the ,senate that-- 7#a7 the novel coronavirus of #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 is imposing a burden on many individuals1 including doctors1 nurses1 and teachers1 who are participating in the public service loan forgiveness program under section #dee7m7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7m772 and 7#b7 restructuring the loan forgiveness provided through such program and accommodating disruptions that might occur due to the impact of the novel coronavirus of #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 are necessary4 #c4 ,public service loan forgiveness program 7a7 ,in general ,section #dee7m7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7m77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting 1 except as provided in paragraph 7#e71 after on any eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan not in default2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,loan cancellation for new loans 7,a7 ,in general ,beginning after the date of enactment of the ,strengthening ,loan ,forgiveness for ,public ,servants ,during the ,,covid-#ai ,crisis ,act1 after the conclusion of each employment period in a public service job1 as described in subparagraph 7,b71 the ,secretary shall cancel the percent specified in such subparagraph of the total amount due on any eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan made after the date of enactment of the ,strengthening ,loan ,forgiveness for ,public ,servants ,during the ,,covid-#ai ,crisis ,act for a borrower who is employed in such public service job and submits an employment certification form described in subparagraph 7,c74 7,b7 ,percent amount ,the percent of a loan that shall be canceled under subparagraph 7,a7 is as follows3 7i7 ,in the case of a borrower who completes #b years of employment in a public service job1 #ae percent of the total amount due on the eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job4 7ii7 ,in the case of a borrower who completes #d years of employment in a public service job1 #ae percent of the total amount due on the eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job4 7iii7 ,in the case of a borrower who completes #f years of employment in a public service job1 #bj percent of the total amount due on the eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job4 7iv7 ,in the case of a borrower who completes #h years of employment in a public service job1 #bj percent of the total amount due on the eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job4 7v7 ,in the case of a borrower who completes #aj years of employment in a public service job1 #cj percent of the total amount due on the eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan on the date the borrower commenced employment in such public service job4 7,c7 ,employment certification form 7i7 ,in general ,in order to receive loan cancellation under this paragraph1 a borrower shall submit to the ,secretary an employment certification form that is developed by the ,secretary and includes self-certification of employment and a separate part for employer certification that indicates the dates of employment4 7ii7 ,deferment ,if a borrower submits to the ,secretary the employment certification form described in clause 7i71 during the period in which the borrower is employed in a public service job for which loan cancellation is eligible under this paragraph1 the borrower's eligible ,federal ,direct ,loan shall be placed in deferment4 7,d7 ,interest canceled ,if a portion of a loan is canceled under this paragraph for any year1 the entire amount of interest on such loan that accrues for such year shall be canceled4 4 7b7 ,special rule for ,,covid-#ai employment disruptions 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,employment disruption ,the term employment disruption means a lapse in an individual's employment that is related to the novel coronavirus disease of #bjai 7,,covid-#ai71 such as a furlough or reduction in force by the employer or the individual's resignation due to illness or family caregiving responsibilities4 7,b7 ,public service job ,the term public service job has the meaning given the term in section #dee7m77#c7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7m77#c774 7,c7 ,qualifying emergency ,the term qualifying emergency has the meaning given the term in section #cejb of division ,a of the ,coronavirus ,aid1 ,relief1 and ,economic ,security ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf74 7,d7 ,qualifying individual ,the term qualifying individual means an individual who-- 7i7 has a loan that qualifies for public service loan forgiveness under section #dee7m7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7m772 and 7ii7 during the qualifying emergency period-- 7,i7 was employed in a public service job2 and 7,,ii7 experiences an employment disruption with respect to the public service job and no longer is employed in a public service job4 7#b7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#c71 in administering the public service loan forgiveness program under section #dee7m7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7m77 with respect to periods of employment and payments due during the qualifying emergency-- 7,a7 each qualifying individual shall be deemed an individual employed in a public service job during the period of the qualifying emergency for purposes of such program2 and 7,b7 any monthly payment made by a qualifying individual during the qualifying emergency 7including a payment deemed made under section #ceac7;c7 of the ,coronavirus ,aid1 ,relief1 and ,economic ,security ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf77 shall be deemed to be a monthly payment made by an individual employed in a public service job for purposes of such program4 7#c7 ,special rule ,paragraph 7#b7 shall only apply to a qualifying individual who resumes employment in any public service job by the date that is #f months after the last day of the qualifying emergency1 except that any qualifying individual who1 as a result of the application of paragraph 7#b71 would have completed the requirements for full or partial loan cancellation under paragraph 7#b7 or 7#e7 of section #dee7m7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7as amended by this ,act7 during the qualifying emergency1 shall receive such loan cancellation without any required resumption of public service job employment4 7#d7 ,guidance ,not later than #cj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,education shall develop and make available guidance for qualifying individuals regarding the assistance available under this subsection4