Legislative Relations Summer and Fall Recap

Here are some highlights of legislative activity during the summer and early fall.

GEN-14-14: Additional Guidance on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act and Its Implications for the Title IV Student Financial Assistance Programs

Summary: This letter provides information on how the Supreme Court’s Windsor decision affects the eligibility of stepparents to receive Direct PLUS Loans. It also provides information on the treatment of same-sex married borrowers under the Title IV income-driven repayment plans.
http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN1414.html

GEN-14-15: Additional Guidance on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act

Summary: This letter provides information on how the Supreme Court’s Windsor decision affects the eligibility of spouses of certain members of the armed forces to receive in-State tuition at public institutions of higher education.
http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN1415.html

 

More FAFSAS Have Been Reprocessed

Subject: Issue Alert - Institutional Responsibility for Reviewing Reprocessed 2014-2015 CPS Transactions; Additional Reprocessing Scheduled for September 2014 http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/090414IIssueAlertInstResponsibility4ReviewingReprocessed1415CPSTransactions.html

 

U.S. Department of Education Strengthens Federal Student Loan Servicing
ED is providing more incentives to loan servicers to help borrowers avoid defaulting on loans. Repayment options will become available to more borrowers. ED is also encouraging greater customer service to borrowers.
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-strengthens-federal-student-loan-servicing

GEN-14-16: Improved Administration of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act for Borrowers Under the William D. Ford Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan Programs
Summary: This letter provides guidance related to the maximum interest rate that may be charged to certain Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan program borrowers who are on active-duty military service under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. This letter also discusses the use by lenders and lender servicers of the Department of Defense’s Defense Manpower Data Center database.
http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN1416.html

 

GEN-14-17: NSLDS Program-Level Enrollment Reporting
Summary: This letter provides important information regarding changes to institutional enrollment reporting requirements to NSLDS.
http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN1417.html