S. 729: Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-03-12 · Finance and Financial Sector · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1497)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-03-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1497) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2015

Plain summary

Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2015 This bill amends federal bankruptcy law to make privately issued student loans dischargeable in bankruptcy. Under current law, student loans (whether issued privately or by a governmental unit) are dischargeable only if excepting the loans from dischargeability would impose undue hardship on the debtor and the debtor's dependents.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · 15 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] reported raising $84,084 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s729.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s729 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114