§10671 Grant Authorization

Summary

Creates a Justice Department program to pay part of certain federal student loans for people who work as full-time prosecutors or public defenders and who are not in default. To get the payments, a borrower must sign a written agreement to work as a prosecutor or public defender for at least three years. If the borrower quits or is fired for misconduct before the time is up, they must repay the money the government paid. The Attorney General can forgive repayment for fairness or public interest. Payments stop if no money is appropriated, and the program will not repay loans paid off by the borrower before they signed an agreement. Payments are limited to $10,000 per year and $60,000 total. After the first term, the borrower and the Attorney General may make another agreement, which could require less than three years. The Attorney General must give priority to those least able to repay, balance help between prosecutors and defenders and their employers, and give priority to people who already received benefits and have not finished their first three-year term. The Attorney General can make rules to run the program. Definitions in one line each: Prosecutor — a full-time, licensed government lawyer who prosecutes criminal or juvenile cases or trains/supervises those who do. Public defender — a full-time, licensed lawyer who represents indigent people in criminal or juvenile cases for a government office, certain nonprofit contractors, or as a Federal defender. Student loan — certain federal loans under title IV of the Higher Education Act, but not parent PLUS loans. The Justice Department Inspector General must report to Congress on the program’s cost and hiring effects not later than three years after August 14, 2008. The Comptroller General must report on law school costs and access not later than one year after August 14, 2008. Congress authorized $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and whatever sums are needed for the next five fiscal years.