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Proposed student loan repayment program for law grads goes to Bush for signature
August 8, 2008
WASHINGTON — A proposed student loan repayment program for law school graduates who commit to service as state or local prosecutors, or state, local or federal public defenders, now awaits President Bush's signature.
The program is contained in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R. 4137), which updates existing programs and creates new ways to make higher education accessible and affordable.
H.R. 4137 amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to direct the attorney general to assume the obligation to repay student loans for borrowers who agree to remain employed, for at least three years, as state or local criminal prosecutors; or state, local, or federal public defenders in criminal cases. It allows a borrower and the attorney general to enter into an additional loan repayment agreement, after the required three-year period, for a successive period of service that may be less than three years. It limits the amount paid under the program on behalf of any borrower to $10,000 per calendar year and $60,000 total.
Under the program, the attorney general must give priority in granting repayment benefits to borrowers who have the least ability to repay their loans.
The measure requires the inspector general of the Department of Justice to report to Congress on the cost of the loan repayment program and its impact on the hiring and retention of prosecutors and public defenders. The comptroller general is directed to study and report to Congress on the impact of law school accreditation requirements and other factors on law school costs and access, including the impact of such requirements on racial and ethnic minorities.
The measure authorizes appropriations for the program for FY2008-FY2013.
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