Shelly Repp, President, NCHER Vince Sampson, President, EFC Washington Update NCHER/EFC Student Loan Legal Meeting August 5, 2013
Agenda Fiscal Cliffs HEA Reauthorization Regulations Tax Reform CFPB Oversight Dodd Frank Update Pending Legislation
Fiscal Cliffs FY 2014 Budget Resolution unlikely Appropriations House and Senate using different top lines $967 billion vs. $1.058 trillion Effects of sequester Difference on defense/non-defense split Senate Appropriations Committee has approved Labor-HHS- Education bill; House Committee has not Continuing Resolution likely; issues will be funding levels and length
Fiscal Cliffs (cont.) Debt Ceiling Emergency measures likely to run out in October/November Will there be Grand Bargain Short-term Bargain Default
Higher Education Act Reauthorization HEA expires at end of year – but HEA has automatic one-year extension Last reauthorization in 2008 followed multiple extensions
Higher Education Act Reauthorization (cont) House Education and the Workforce Committee has sought recommendations; Senate process has not started Both committees likely to hold multiple hearings Interest rates will be on the table (again) Other issues/themes One loan program/one grant program Increased Pell funding/making it an entitlement Funding tied to cost reduction/success Eliminate loan subsidy Automatic IBR Loan limits Simplify tax credit Streamline FASFAA/apply through tax return Better consumer information
Regulations ED’s 2012 Negotiated Rulemaking Final rule for PAYE, ICR and IBR and disability discharges published 11/1/12 NPRM with bulk of negotiated rules published 7/29/13. Changes include: Deferment & forbearance provisions Loan rehabilitation and AWG FDLP and FFELP consistency ED’s 2013 Negotiated Rulemaking Revisiting gainful employment CFPB has announced it will issue Fair Debt Collection Protection Act regulations near year end
Tax Reform Signature issue for both tax committee chairman Similar approaches to start discussions Baucus: “clean slate” Camp: “blank sheet of paper” Key issue for NFP student loan issuers: tax treatment for municipal bonds Current state of play: student loan bonds can range from taxable to fully tax exempt Proposals under consideration: Eliminate tax exempt bonds in favor of tax credit bonds Impose a 28% cap on individual deductions
CFPB Oversight Director Cordray now confirmed. What's the impact? CFBP structure unlikely to change Appropriations unlikely to change Increase in enforcement and supervision Oversight shifting to “big data” and agency management Pinkski v. CFPB CFBP acquisition and use of credit reports Staff salaries and building renovations
Dodd Frank Update Regulations still behind schedule Risk retention MMMF Investment advisor Volker Rule Securities and Exchange Commission Shifting focus to enforcement Key offices, including Office of Municipal Securities remain unstaffed Congressional efforts to unwind Fannie and Freddie House – PATH Act; Senate – Corker (R-TN)/Warner (D-VA) proposal Secondary market “utility” PATH act seeks to block Dodd Frank mandates such as risk retention
Selected Pending Legislation Private Education Loan bankruptcy bills Fairness for Struggling Students Act of 2013 (S 114), Senator Durbin (D-IL) Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2013 (HR 532), Rep. Cohen (D-TN) Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2013 (HR 1872), Rep. Garrett (R-NJ) Earning Contingent Education Loans Act of 2013 (HR 1716), Rep. Petri (R-WI) Supporting Academic Freedom Through Regulatory Relief Act (HR 2637), Rep Foxx (R-NC) Know Before You Owe Private Student Loan Act of 2013 (S 113), Sen. Durbin (D-IL) Refinancing Education Funding to Invest (REFI) for the Future Act of 2013 (S 1266), Sen. Brown (D-OH) FAIR Student Credit Act of 2013 (HR 2561), Rep. Peters (D-MI)