Bill Details
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This bill would require certain high-level federal employees in the executive branch to report how much they owe on federal student loans. It applies to Senior Executive Service officials and political/confidential "Schedule C" appointees. Those employees would have to give a full statement of the outstanding principal and interest for each federal student loan they hold. The aim is to create a record the Office of Government Ethics can add up and send to Congress each year, including naming anyone who did not file the required report.
- Who must report: senior career executives (Senior Executive Service) and confidential or policy-making political appointees (Schedule C) in the executive branch.
- What to report: the current outstanding balance (principal and interest) for each federal student loan made, insured, or guaranteed under the Higher Education Act (i.e., most federal student loans).
- When to report: every covered employee must file within 60 days of the law taking effect and then each year by February 28; new covered employees must file within 60 days after they start the position.
- What the Ethics office does: the Director of the Office of Government Ethics must send Congress, by May 1 each year, the total amount owed by all covered employees and the names of any covered employees who failed to file the required report.
Official Summaries
Federal Employee Student Debt Transparency Act
This bill requires certain executive branch employees to disclose their federal student loan debt in an annual report.
The bill's requirement applies to an employee serving in a Senior Executive Service position or a position of a confidential or policy-determining nature (i.e., a Schedule C position). Covered employees must file a report detailing the principal and interest owed on loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and the Federal Perkins Loan Program.
The bill also requires the Office of Government Ethics to submit an annual report to Congress that contains (1) the total amount owed by all covered employees, and (2) the name of any covered employee who failed to report the required information.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 66 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 66
To amend chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, to require Senior
Executive Service and schedule C employees to disclose Federal student
loan debt, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Biggs of Arizona (for himself and Mr. Brecheen) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, to require Senior
Executive Service and schedule C employees to disclose Federal student
loan debt, and for other purposes.
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 ``Federal Employee Student Debt
Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN DEBT BY SES AND SCHEDULE C
EMPLOYEES.
Section 13104 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(j) Disclosure of Federal Student Loan Debt by SES and Schedule C
Employees.--
``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `covered
employee' means an employee of the executive branch who
occupies--
``(A) a Senior Executive Service position (as
defined in section 3132(a)); or
``(B) a position of a confidential or policy-
determining nature under schedule C of subpart C of
part 213 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or
any successor regulation.
``(2) Reports by covered employees.--Not later than 60 days
after the date of enactment of the Federal Employee Student
Debt Transparency Act, and not later than February 28 of each
year thereafter, each covered employee shall file a report
containing a full and complete statement of the outstanding
balance of principal and interest owed by the covered employee
on--
``(A) each loan made under part D of title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et
seq.); and
``(B) any loan made, insured, or guaranteed under
part B or E of such title (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.,
1087aa et seq.).
``(3) New covered employees.--Not later than 60 days after
the date on which an individual assumes the position of a
covered employee, the individual shall file a report containing
the information required under paragraph (2).
``(4) Reports to congress.--Not later than May 1 of each
year, the Director of the Office of Government Ethics shall
transmit to Congress a report containing--
``(A) the total amount owed by all covered
employees as reported pursuant to paragraphs (2) and
(3); and
``(B) the name of any covered employee who failed
to file or report any information required to be
reported pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3).''.
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