#aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#ajih  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend the ,higher
 ,education ,act of #aife to authorize  
borrowers to separate joint             
consolidation loans4  #a4 ,short title  
,this ,act may be cited as the ,joint   
,consolidation ,loan ,separation ,act4  
#b4 ,separating joint consolidation     
loans  7a7 ,in general ,section #dee7;g7
 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife
 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7g77 is amended--
 7#a7 by striking ,a borrower and       
inserting the following3  7#a7 ,in      
general ,a borrower  2 and  7#b7 by     
adding at the end the following3  7#b7  
,separating joint consolidation loans   
7,a7 ,in general  7i7 ,authorization ,a 
married couple1 or #b individuals who   
were previously a married couple1 and   
who received a joint consolidation loan 
as such married couple under            
subparagraph 7,c7 of section            
#dbh;,c7a77#c7 7as such subparagraph was
 in effect on ,june #cj1 #bjjf71 may    
apply to the ,secretary1 in accordance  

with subparagraph 7,c7 of this          
paragraph1 for each individual borrower 
in the married couple 7or previously    
married couple7 to receive a separate   
,federal ,direct ,consolidation ,loan   
under this part4  7ii7 ,eligibility for 
borrowers in default ,notwithstanding   
any other provision of this ,act1 a     
married couple1 or #b individuals who   
were previously a married couple1 who   
are in default on a joint consolidation 
loan may be eligible to receive a       
separate ,federal ,direct ,consolidation
 ,loan under this part in accordance    
with this paragraph4  7,b7 ,secretarial 
requirements ,notwithstanding section   
#dbh;,c7a77#c77;,a7 or any other        
provision of law1 for each individual   
borrower who applies under subparagraph 
7,a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 make a 
separate ,federal ,direct ,consolidation
 ,loan under this part that-- 7,i7 shall
 be for an amount equal to the product  
of-- 7aa7 the unpaid principal and      
accrued unpaid interest of the joint    

consolidation loan 7as of the date that 
is the day before such separate         
consolidation loan is made7 and any     
outstanding charges and fees with       
respect to such loan2 and  7bb7 the     
percentage of the joint consolidation   
loan attributable to the loans of the   
individual borrower for whom such       
separate consolidation loan is being    
made1 as determined-- 7,,aa7 on the     
basis of the loan obligations of such   
borrower with respect to such joint     
consolidation loan 7as of the date such 
joint consolidation loan was made72 or  
7,,bb7 in the case in which both        
borrowers request1 on the basis of      
proportions outlined in a divorce       
decree1 court order1 or settlement      
agreement2 and  7,,ii7 has the same rate
 of interest as the joint consolidation 
loan 7as of the date that is the day    
before such separate consolidation loan 
is made72 and  7ii7 in a timely manner1 
notify each individual borrower that the
 joint consolidation loan had been      

repaid and of the terms and conditions  
of their new loans4  7,c7 ,application  
for separate direct consolidation loan  
7i7 ,joint application ,except as       
provided in clause 7ii71 to receive     
separate consolidation loans under this 
part1 both individual borrowers in a    
married couple 7or previously married   
couple7 shall jointly apply under       
subparagraph 7,a74  7ii7 ,separate      
application ,an individual borrower in a
 married couple 7or previously married  
couple7 may apply for a separate        
consolidation loan under subparagraph   
7,a7 separately and without regard to   
whether or when the other individual    
borrower in the married couple 7or      
previously married couple7 applies under
 subparagraph 7,a71 in a case in which--
 7,i7 the individual borrower certifies 
to the ,secretary that such borrower--  
7aa7 has experienced an act of domestic 
violence 7as defined in section #djjjb  
of the ,violence ,against ,women ,act of
 #aiid 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #abbia7 from the  

other individual borrower2  7bb7 has    
experienced economic abuse 7as defined  
in section #djjjb of the ,violence      
,against ,women ,act of #aiid 7#cd      
,u4,s4,c4 #abbia7 from the other        
individual borrower2 or  7cc7 is unable 
to reasonably reach or access the loan  
information of the other individual     
borrower2 or  7,,ii7 the ,secretary     
determines that authorizing each        
individual borrower to apply separately 
under subparagraph 7,a7 would be in the 
best fiscal interests of the ,federal   
,government4  7iii7 ,remaining          
obligation from separate application ,in
 the case of an individual borrower who 
receives a separate consolidation loan  
due to the circumstances described in   
clause 7ii71 the other non-applying     
individual borrower shall become solely 
liable for the remaining balance of the 
joint consolidation loan4  4  7b7       
,conforming amendment ,section          
#dbh;,c7a77#c77;,b77i77,v7 of the       
,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   

,u4,s4,c4 #ajgh-c7c77;,b77i77,v77 is    
amended-- 7#a7 by striking or at the end
 of item 7bb72  7#b7 by striking the    
period at the end of item 7cc7 and      
inserting 2 or2 and  7#c7 by adding at  
the end the following3  7dd7 for the    
purpose of separating a joint           
consolidation loan into #b separate     
,federal ,direct ,consolidation ,loans  
under section #dee7;g77#b74  4  ,passed 
the ,senate ,june #ae1 #bjbb4,secretary