United States 114th Congress Status: Died 1 R cosponsors

HR 3179 — Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act

Last action — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. Died in session

This bill died with 114th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act (Sec. 2) This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify loan counseling requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs. Currently, an IHE must provide entrance counseling to a student who is a first-time federal student loan borrower. This bill replaces required entrance counseling with required annual counseling. Also, it expands the required recipients of such annual counseling to include, in addition to student borrowers, Federal Pell Grant recipients and parent PLUS Loan borrowers. Each annual counseling recipient must receive comprehensive information on the terms, conditions, and responsibilities with respect to a grant or loan and general information on a typical student budget, the right to request an annual credit report, average income and employment data, and financial management resources. Additionally, the bill revises, expands, or establishes specific annual counseling information requirements for student borrowers, Pell Grant recipients, or parent PLUS Loan borrowers. (Sec. 3) The legislation revises and expands exit counseling information requirements to include an outstanding loan balance summary, the anticipated monthly payments under standard and income-based repayment plans, an explanation of the grace period preceding repayment, the option to pay accrued interest before it capitalizes, the right to request an annual credit report, and loan servicer contact information. (Sec. 4) It directs ED to maintain a consumer-tested online counseling tool that provides annual and exit counseling. (Sec. 5) The Institute of Education Sciences must study the impact and effectiveness of exit counseling, annual counseling, and the online counseling tool. (Sec. 6) No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this bill.

Bill Text

We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.

Read HR 3179 on the official United States source →

Action History

  1. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

  2. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  3. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4607-4609)

  4. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3179.

  5. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4607-4611)

  6. Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  7. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 523.

  8. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 114-675.

  9. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

  10. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  11. Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.

  12. Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

  13. Introduced in House

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

finance education
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Frequently asked questions

What does HR 3179 do?
Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act (Sec. 2) This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify loan counseling requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs. Currently, an IHE must provide entrance counseling to a student who is a first-time federal student loan borrower. This bill replaces required entrance counseling with required annual counseling. Also, it expands the required recipients of such annual counseling to include, in addition to student borrowers, Federal Pell Grant recipients and parent PLUS Loan borrowers. Each annual counseling recipient must receive comprehensive information on the terms, conditions, and responsibilities with respect to a grant or loan and general information on a typical student budget, the right to request an annual credit report, average income and employment data, and financial management resources. Additionally, the bill revises, expands, or establishes specific annual counseling information requirements for student borrowers, Pell Grant recipients, or parent PLUS Loan borrowers. (Sec. 3) The legislation revises and expands exit counseling information requirements to include an outstanding loan balance summary, the anticipated monthly payments under standard and income-based repayment plans, an explanation of the grace period preceding repayment, the option to pay accrued interest before it capitalizes, the right to request an annual credit report, and loan servicer contact information. (Sec. 4) It directs ED to maintain a consumer-tested online counseling tool that provides annual and exit counseling. (Sec. 5) The Institute of Education Sciences must study the impact and effectiveness of exit counseling, annual counseling, and the online counseling tool. (Sec. 6) No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this bill.
Who sponsors HR 3179?
HR 3179 is sponsored by Brett Guthrie (R).
What is the current status of HR 3179?
This bill died with 114th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 3179?
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