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S. 457: REST Act

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S. 457: REST Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-27 · Education · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-27 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 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

REST Act

Plain summary

Rural Educator Support and Training Act or the REST Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to: (1) establish several new grant programs for students training to become educators in rural schools, and (2) enhance federal student loan forgiveness for rural educators. The Department of Education (ED) shall award undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships to students who are studying to become educators in rural schools. To be eligible, a recipient must maintain acceptable academic standing and shall agree to fulfill a service obligation of three or more years, depending on the number of years for which funding is provided. ED may also award grants to eligible educational agencies for the purpose of: (1) reimbursing eligible rural educators for out-of-pocket costs associated with obtaining national board certification, and (2) increasing annual compensation for eligible rural educators who have become certified. Rural educators shall also be eligible for additional student loan forgiveness. Specifically, a teacher who is employed for five consecutive years in a rural school shall be eligible for up to $17,500 in federal student loan forgiveness. Under current law, a highly qualified teacher who is employed for five consecutive years in a high-poverty school is eligible for up to $5,000 in federal student loan forgiveness; such a teacher who teaches mathematics, science, or special education is eligible for up to $17,500.

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

REST Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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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: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Tim Kaine (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.

Words on this page, explained (2)
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).
Obligation
A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-s457 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115