S. 72: Debt Cancellation Accountability Act of 2023

Debt Cancellation Accountability Act of 2023

This bill prohibits the Department of Education from providing class-based loan forgiveness unless funds have been specifically requested and appropriated for this purpose. Class-based loan forgiveness refers to the cancellation, waiver, assumption, discharge, reduction, or other forgiveness of any obligation due on Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Direct Loans, or Federal Perkins Loans (1) on a class-wide basis and for a class of two or more loan borrowers, and (2) that totals more than $1 million.

The prohibition does not apply to targeted loan forgiveness programs explicitly established under the Higher Education Act of 1965 and in effect before January 1, 2022, if the loan forgiveness is granted for a single borrower on a case-by-case basis.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.