H.R. 1635 - 115th Congress (2017-2018) - Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify loan counseling requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs.

Currently, an IHE must provide entrance counseling to a student who is a first-time federal student loan borrower. This bill replaces required entrance counseling with required annual counseling. Also, it expands the required recipients of such annual counseling to include, in addition to student borrowers, Federal Pell Grant recipients and parent PLUS Loan borrowers.

Each annual counseling recipient must receive comprehensive information on the terms, conditions, and responsibilities with respect to a grant or loan and general information on a typical student budget, the right to request an annual credit report, average income and employment data, and financial management resources. Additionally, the bill revises, expands, or establishes specific annual counseling information requirements for student borrowers, Pell Grant recipients, or parent PLUS Loan borrowers.

The bill revises and expands exit counseling information requirements to include an outstanding loan balance summary, the anticipated monthly payments under standard and income-based repayment plans, an explanation of the grace period preceding repayment, the option to pay accrued interest before it capitalizes, the right to request an annual credit report, and loan servicer contact information.

It directs the Department of Education to maintain a consumer-tested online counseling tool that provides annual and exit counseling.

The Institute of Education Sciences must study the impact and effectiveness of exit counseling, annual counseling, and the online counseling tool.

Text (3)

Referred in Senate

September 6, 2018

Engrossed in House

September 5, 2018

Introduced in House

March 20, 2017

Amendments (7)

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 961

An amendment numbered 7 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to add requirement that student loan exit counseling includes a warning about illegitimate third-party debt relief companies, which offer services for a fee already provided to borrowers free of charge through loan servicers.

Agreed To

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 960

An amendment numbered 6 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to encourage institutions of higher education to have students att end in-person loan counseling sessions.

Agreed To

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 959

An amendment numbered 5 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to provide that nothing prohibits institutions from providing additional financial counseling.

Agreed To

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 958

An amendment numbered 4 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to clarify all payment options for Parent PLUS loans and notify Parent PLUS borrowers that their dependent may qualify for and should consider scholarships, grants, and federal work-study jobs prior to borrowing.

Agreed To

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 957

An amendment numbered 3 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to require counseling to disclose the anticipated monthly payment to borrowers for any income-driven repayment plan for which they are eligible, improving borrowers' awareness of income-driven repayment plan options.

Agreed To

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 956

An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to require institutions of higher education, as part of the annual counseling process mandated by the bill, to inform a student borrower that the loan amounts the student uses during an academic term will count towards the student's aggregate loan amounts, regardless of whether the credits transfer.

Agreed To

Sep 05, 2018

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 955

An amendment numbered 1 printed in Part A of House Report 115-919 to provide all students with an explanation of how to seek additional assistance from the financial aid office should they experience a change of financial circumstance. Additionally, the amendment would specify that a borrower receives the loan amount they requested.

Agreed To

Actions (28)

Show Only Major Actions

09/06/2018

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

09/05/2018

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

09/05/2018

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 406 - 4 (Roll no. 385).

09/05/2018

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 406 - 4 (Roll no. 385).

09/05/2018

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7863-7864)

09/05/2018

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 187 - 224 (Roll no. 384).

09/05/2018

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7862)

09/05/2018

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Lamb motion to recommit, the Chair put the question on adoption of the motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Lamb demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings under later in the legislative day.

09/05/2018

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lamb motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment adding the status as a recipient of assistance under the tuition assistance program conducted by DOD or other authorities available to the DOD or veterans' education benefits.

09/05/2018

Mr. Lamb moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. (text: CR H7861)

09/05/2018

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

09/05/2018

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1635.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jayapal amendment No. 7.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Hartzler amendment No. 6.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Allen amendment No. 5.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lewis (MN) amendment No. 4.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the O'Halleran amendment No. 3.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Murphy (FL) amendment No. 2.

09/05/2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1049, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Stefanik amendment No. 1.

09/05/2018

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1635.

09/05/2018

The Speaker designated the Honorable Harold Rogers to act as Chairman of the Committee.

09/05/2018

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 1049 and Rule XVIII.

09/05/2018

The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on both H.R. 1635 and H.R. 4606. Also, the resolution provides for a motion to recommit with or without instructions for both bills.

09/05/2018

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1049. (consideration: CR H7850-7861; text of measure as reported: CR H7853-7855)

09/04/2018

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1049 Reported to House. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on both H.R. 1635 and H.R. 4606. Also, the resolution provides for a motion to recommit with or without instructions for both bills.

03/20/2017

Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

03/20/2017

Introduced in House

Public Record

Record Updated

Jan 11, 2023 1:35:34 PM