Sudanese Diaspora Loan Forgiveness Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish education loan forgiveness programs for Sudanese citizens who have become naturalized U.S. citizens or who are lawfully residing in the United States if they commit to returning to Southern Sudan for five or more years to help repair damage to infrastructure caused by the Sudanese civil war.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2023 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2023
To establish a student loan forgiveness program for members of the
Sudanese Diaspora to enable them to return to southern Sudan and
contribute to the reconstruction effort of southern Sudan.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 24, 2007
Mr. Tancredo (for himself, Mr. Holt, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, and Mr.
Wolf) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a student loan forgiveness program for members of the
Sudanese Diaspora to enable them to return to southern Sudan and
contribute to the reconstruction effort of southern Sudan.
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 ``Sudanese Diaspora Loan Forgiveness
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The 21-year civil war between the North and the South
in Sudan caused many Sudanese people to flee their homeland and
seek refuge in other countries, including the United States.
(2) The United States has assisted many Sudanese citizens
fleeing the violence in their homeland, including the Lost Boys
in 2001, a group of approximately 3,800 children that were
separated from their parents during the civil war and who fled
on foot to Ethiopia, walking more than 1,000 kilometers on the
four-month journey, and who then fled again to Kenya to avoid
forcible repatriation to Sudan.
(3) Approximately 5,640 Sudanese citizens have been granted
refugee status in the United States in Fiscal Years 2003 and
2004 alone.
(4) The National Congress Party Government and the Sudanese
People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 9, 2005, formally
ending the conflict between the North and the South and
creating a new Government of Sudan that consists of a coalition
of opposition groups and the former regime.
(5) With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 9, 2005, the Government of
Southern Sudan's plans for reconstruction in Southern Sudan are
moving forward.
(6) Sudanese refugees in the United States have acquired a
reputation for being an extremely resilient group, and a number
of them have, after adjusting to a new life in the United
States, chosen to pursue a higher education, and now have
professional skills to contribute to the rebuilding of their
homeland.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.
(a) Stafford Loans.--Part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 428K (20 U.S.C. 1078-11)
the following new section:
``SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE SUDANESE DIASPORA.
``(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to
encourage members of the Sudanese Diaspora in the United States to
return to Southern Sudan for purposes of contributing to the
reconstruction efforts there.
``(b) Program Authorized.--From the amount appropriated under
subsection (f) for any fiscal year, the Secretary of Education shall,
in accordance with subsection (c) and in consultation with the
Secretary of State, carry out a program, through the holder of the
loan, of assuming the obligation to repay a qualified loan amount for a
loan made under section 428 or 428H for any borrower who--
``(1) as of the date of the enactment of this section, is a
Sudanese citizen who--
``(A) has been granted refugee or asylum status in
the United States;
``(B) has been granted lawful permanent resident
status in the United States; or
``(C) is a naturalized United States citizen;
``(2) commits to returning to Southern Sudan for a period
of five or more years for purposes of contributing professional
skills to repairing the damage to the infrastructure of
Southern Sudan caused by the Sudanese civil war, as approved by
the Secretary for purposes of this section; and
``(3) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower
seeks forgiveness.
``(c) Qualified Loans Amount.--
``(1) In general.--Of the aggregate of the loan obligation
on a loan made under section 428 or 428H that is outstanding to
an individual who meets the requirements of subsection (b), the
Secretary may, from funds appropriated under subsection (f),
repay not more than--
``(A) $3,000 after the first calendar year of
service described in subsection (b)(2);
``(B) $4,000 after the second such year of service;
``(C) $5,000 after the third such year of service;
``(D) $6,000 after the fourth such year of service;
and
``(E) $7,000 after the fifth such year of service.
``(2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall make payments under
this subsection on a first-come first-served basis, subject to
the availability of appropriations.
``(d) Additional Provisions.--
``(1) Treatment of consolidation loans.--A loan amount for
a loan made under section 428C may be a qualified loan amount
for the purposes of this subsection only to the extent that
such loan amount was used to repay a Federal Direct Stafford
Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or a loan
made under section 428 or 428H for a borrower who meets the
requirements of subsection (b), as determined in accordance
with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
``(2) Double benefits prohibited.--No borrower may receive
a reduction of loan obligations under both this section and
section 460A.
``(e) Regulations.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry
out the provisions of this section.
``(f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--For fiscal year 2008 and
for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to repay loans in the
amounts specified in subsection (c)(1).''.
(b) Direct Loans.--Part D of title IV is amended by inserting after
section 460 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) the following new section:
``SEC. 460A. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE SUDANESE DIASPORA.
``(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to
encourage members of the Sudanese Diaspora in the United States to
return to Southern Sudan for purposes of contributing to the
reconstruction efforts there.
``(b) Program Authorized.--From the amount appropriated under
subsection (f) for any fiscal year, the Secretary of Education shall,
in accordance with subsection (c) and in consultation with the
Secretary of State, carry out a program of canceling the obligation to
repay a qualified loan amount in accordance with subsection (c) for
Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford
Loans made under this part for any borrower who--
``(1) as of the date of the enactment of this section, is a
Sudanese citizen who--
``(A) has been granted refugee or asylum status in
the United States;
``(B) has been granted lawful permanent resident
status in the United States; or
``(C) is a naturalized United States citizen;
``(2) commits to returning to Southern Sudan for a period
of five or more years for purposes of contributing professional
skills to repairing the damage to the infrastructure of
Southern Sudan caused by the Sudanese civil war, as approved by
the Secretary for purposes of this section; and
``(3) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower
seeks forgiveness.
``(c) Qualified Loans Amount.--
``(1) In general.--Of the aggregate of the loan obligation
on a Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that is outstanding to an individual
who meets the requirements of subsection (b), the Secretary
may, from funds appropriated under subsection (f), repay not
more than--
``(A) $3,000 after the first calendar year of
service described in subsection (b)(2);
``(B) $4,000 after the second such year of service;
``(C) $5,000 after the third such year of service;
``(D) $6,000 after the fourth such year of service;
and
``(E) $7,000 after the fifth such year of service.
``(2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall make payments under
this subsection on a first-come first-served basis, subject to
the availability of appropriations.
``(d) Additional Provisions.--
``(1) Treatment of consolidation loans.--A loan amount for
Federal Direct Consolidation Loan may be a qualified loan
amount for the purposes of this subsection only to the extent
that such loan amount was used to repay a Federal Direct
Stafford Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or
a loan made under section 428 or 428H for a borrower who meets
the requirements of subsection (b), as determined in accordance
with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
``(2) Double benefits prohibited.--No borrower may receive
a reduction of loan obligations under both this section and
section 428L.
``(e) Regulations.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry
out the provisions of this section.
``(f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--For fiscal year 2008 and
for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to repay loans in the
amounts specified in subsection (c)(1).''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.
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