# 114-hr-6239: HIGHER ED Act

114-hr-6239, HIGHER ED Act, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (D-OR); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6239
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-6239
- Congress: 114
- Title: HIGHER ED Act
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
- Introduced: 2016-09-28
- Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Helping Improve Grants for Higher Education & Repayment of Expensive Debt Act or the HIGHER ED Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to: modify the Federal Pell Grant program to increase the maximum award and restore year-round grants, make graduate and professional students eligible to receive subsidized Stafford Loans under the Federal Direct Loan program, direct the Department of Education to refinance outstanding federal student loans for Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan program borrowers, include a part-time job as a faculty member within the definition of "public service job" for purposes of the public service loan forgiveness program, and establish additional terms and conditions applicable to the income-based and income-contingent repayment plans. Additionally, the bill amends the federal bankruptcy code to permit a borrower to discharge in bankruptcy a nonprofit, government, or private student loan, or an obligation to repay an educational benefit, scholarship, or stipend.

## Related bills

- 114-hr-6498: Presidential Tax Disclosure Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6476: DRAIN the SWAMP Act
- 114-hr-6466: APP Act
- 114-hr-6431: Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6428: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit Medicare part B premium increases for 2017.
- 114-hr-6382: No Religious Registry Act

## Sources
- [114-hr-6239 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/6239)

## Related
- [114-hr-6498: Presidential Tax Disclosure Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6498)
- [114-hr-6476: DRAIN the SWAMP Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6476)
- [114-hr-6466: APP Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6466)
- [114-hr-6431: Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6431)
- [114-hr-6428: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit Medicare part B premiu…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6428)
- [114-hr-6382: No Religious Registry Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6382)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6239 (as of 2025-11-18).