# 114-hr-6521: Students and Families Empowerment Act

114-hr-6521, Students and Families Empowerment Act, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4] (D-NY); status Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6521
- 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-6521
- Congress: 114
- Title: Students and Families Empowerment Act
- Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2016-12-08
- Sponsor: Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Taxation
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Students and Families Empowerment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the deduction for interest on education loans, to replace the dollar limitation and the limitation based on modified adjusted gross income with a $1 million limit ($2 million in the case of a joint return) on the aggregate amount of qualified education loans that may be taken into account for the deduction. The bill excludes from gross income the discharge of any student loan debt pursuant to income contingent and income-based repayment plans under the Higher Education Act of 1965. The bill also amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend from 6 months to 12 months: (1) the grace period before payment must begin on Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans after the student ceases to carry at least one-half of the normal full-time academic workload, and (2) the deferment periods for parent borrowers and graduate or professional student borrowers with Federal Direct PLUS Loans. The bill prohibits interest from accruing on a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan or a Federal Direct PLUS Loan during the 12-month extension or deferral period.

## Related bills

- 114-hr-6520: Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Parity Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6472: Teachers and Parents at the Table Act
- 114-hr-6420: Screening With Dignity Act of 2016
- 114-hr-6282: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2024 Jerome Avenue, in Bronx, New York, as the "Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. Post Office B…
- 114-hr-6149: POWER Act
- 114-hr-6097: Immigration Courts Bail Reform Act

## Sources
- [114-hr-6521 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/6521)

## Related
- [114-hr-6520: Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Parity Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6520)
- [114-hr-6472: Teachers and Parents at the Table Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6472)
- [114-hr-6420: Screening With Dignity Act of 2016](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6420)
- [114-hr-6282: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2024 J…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6282)
- [114-hr-6149: POWER Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6149)
- [114-hr-6097: Immigration Courts Bail Reform Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6097)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6521 (as of 2025-11-18).