H.R. 1211

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1211 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1211

To prohibit the mass cancellation of student loans.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2023

Mr. DesJarlais introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To prohibit the mass cancellation of student loans.

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 ``Student Loan Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Statutory authority has not been provided to the 
executive branch of the Federal Government to cancel student 
loans on a mass scale.
(2) It is unfair for taxpayers who paid student loans or 
did not attend college to pay for those who chose to take 
student loans.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON MASS CANCELLATION OF STUDENT LOANS.

(a) Prohibition.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, 
or the Attorney General shall not take any action to cancel or 
forgive the outstanding balances, or portion of balances, of 
covered loans, except as provided in paragraph (2).
(2) Exemption.--The prohibition described in paragraph (1) 
shall not apply to targeted Federal student loan forgiveness, 
cancellation, or repayment programs carried out under the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), under 
final regulations as in effect on March 12, 2020.
(b) Definitions.--In this section, the term ``covered loan'' 
means--
(1) a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part B, D, or 
E of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1071 et seq.; 1087a et seq.; 1087aa et seq.) before, on, or 
after the date of enactment of this Act; or
(2) a loan under the Health Education Assistance Loan 
Program under title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 292 et seq.) made before, on, or after the date of 
enactment of this Act.
(c) Limitation.--The Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the 
Treasury, or the Attorney General may not implement, or publish in any 
form, any regulation, or take any action, that modifies, alters, 
amends, cancels, discharges, forgives, or defers the repayment of any 
student debt not expressly permitted within statute or regulation as in 
effect on March 12, 2020, regarding covered loans, except to the extent 
that such regulation or action reflects the clear and unequivocal 
intent of Congress in legislation.
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