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H.R. 4480: Protecting Educational Loans for Underserved Students Act

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H.R. 4480: Protecting Educational Loans for Underserved Students Act

113th Congress · introduced 2014-04-10 · Education · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2014-04-10 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Richmond, Cedric L. [D-LA-2] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Educational Loans for Underserved Students Act

Plain summary

Protecting Educational Loans for Underserved Students Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish criteria for the Secretary of Education to use in determining whether the credit history of applicants for William D. Ford Federal Direct PLUS loans renders them ineligible for such loans. (Federal Direct PLUS loans are provided to graduate or professional degree students and the parents of dependent undergraduate students.) Directs the Secretary to consider an applicant to have an adverse credit history on the basis of his or her credit report, absent a determination that the applicant has extenuating circumstances, if : (1) the applicant is 90 or more days delinquent on the repayment of a debt exceeding $2,000; or (2) during the three years before the credit report date, the applicant has been subject to a default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a title IV debt. Requires applicants that have been subject to such actions to participate in loan counseling provided by the applicable institution of higher education before becoming eligible for Federal Direct PLUS loans. Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) denying a Federal Direct PLUS loan to an applicant for having debt that is unrelated to title IV loans and is in collection or has been charged off, provided the applicant participates in such loan counseling; or (2) using the applicant's lack of a credit history as a reason to deny a Federal Direct PLUS loan to such applicant. Requires the Secretary to retain a record of the Secretary's basis for determining that an applicant has extenuating circumstances that make the applicant eligible for a Federal Direct PLUS loan despite having an adverse credit history. Makes the Secretary's determination that an applicant does not have an adverse credit history effective for the two years following such determination.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Educational Loans for Underserved Students Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Richmond, Cedric L. [D-LA-2] · 39 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Al Green (D-TX), André Carson (D-IN), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong113-hr4480 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113