2002—Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, §651(a)(2), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2579, added item 2174.
1997—Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VI, §651(b), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1803, added item 2173.
1994—Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §1671(b)(13), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3014, added item 2171 and struck out former items 2171 “General educational loan repayment program” and 2172 “Education loans for certain health professionals who serve in the Selected Reserve”.
(a)(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of Defense may repay—
(A) any loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.);
(B) any loan made under part D of such title (the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, 20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.);
(C) any loan made under part E of such title (20 U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.); or
(D) any loan incurred for educational purposes made by a lender that is—
(i) an agency or instrumentality of a State;
(ii) a financial or credit institution (including an insurance company) that is subject to examination and supervision by an agency of the United States or any State;
(iii) a pension fund approved by the Secretary for purposes of this section; or
(iv) a non-profit private entity designated by a State, regulated by such State, and approved by the Secretary for purposes of this section.
Repayment of any such loan shall be made on the basis of each complete year of service performed by the borrower.
(2) The Secretary may repay loans described in paragraph (1) in the case of any person for service performed on active duty as a member in an officer program or military specialty specified by the Secretary.
(b) The portion or amount of a loan that may be repaid under subsection (a) is 331/3 percent or $1,500, whichever is greater, for each year of service.
(c) If a portion of a loan is repaid under this section for any year, interest on the remainder of such loan shall accrue and be paid in the same manner as is otherwise required.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize refunding any repayment of a loan.
(e) A person who transfers from service making the person eligible for repayment of loans under this section (as described in subsection (a)(2)) to service making the person eligible for repayment of loans under section 16301 of this title (as described in subsection (a)(2) of that section) during a year shall be eligible to have repaid a portion of such loan determined by giving appropriate fractional credit for each portion of the year so served, in accordance with regulations of the Secretary concerned.
(f) The Secretary of Defense shall, by regulation, prescribe a schedule for the allocation of funds made available to carry out the provisions of this section and section 16301 of this title during any year for which funds are not sufficient to pay the sum of the amounts eligible for repayment under subsection (a) and section 16301(a) of this title.
(g) Except a person described in subsection (e) who transfers to service making the person eligible for repayment of loans under section 16301 of this title, a member of the armed forces who fails to complete the period of service required to qualify for loan repayment under this section shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of title 37.
(h) The Secretary of Defense may prescribe, by regulations, procedures for implementing this section, including standards for qualified loans and authorized payees and other terms and conditions for making loan repayments. Such regulations may include exceptions that would allow for the payment as a lump sum of any loan repayment due to a member under a written agreement that existed at the time of a member's death or disability.
(Added Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, §671(a)(1), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 661; amended Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, §1663(e), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3009; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, §1079(a), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 451; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §537, Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3249; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, §552(a), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4220.)
The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is Pub. L. 89–329, Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1219, as amended. Parts B, D, and E of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 are classified to parts B (§1071 et seq.), C (§1087a et seq.), and D (§1087aa et seq.) of subchapter IV of chapter 28 of Title 20, Education, respectively. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of Title 20 and Tables.
2011—Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 111–383 added subsecs. (g) and (h).
2006—Subsec. (a)(1)(D). Pub. L. 109–163, §537(a), added subpar. (D).
Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 109–163, §537(b), substituted “a member in an officer program or military specialty” for “an enlisted member in a military specialty”.
1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–106 struck out “or” at end of subpar. (A), added subpar. (B), and redesignated former subpar. (B) as (C).
1994—Pub. L. 103–337, §1663(e)(6), substituted “Education loan repayment program: enlisted members on active duty in specified military specialties” for “General educational loan repayment program” as section catchline.
Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 103–337, §1663(e)(1), struck out “or” after “(B)”.
Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 103–337, §1663(e)(2), substituted “case of any person for—
“(A) service performed—
“(i) as an enlisted member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of an armed force; and
“(ii) in a reserve component and military specialty specified by the Secretary of Defense; or
“(B) service performed”
and struck out at end “In the case of service described in clause (A) of the first sentence of this paragraph, the Secretary may repay a loan described in paragraph (1) only if the person to whom the loan was made performed such service after the loan was made.”
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–337, §1663(e)(3), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “The portion or amount of a loan that may be repaid under subsection (a) is—
“(1) 15 percent or $500, whichever is greater, for each year of service, in the case of service described in subsection (a)(2)(A); or
“(2) 331/3 percent or $1,500, whichever is greater, for each year of service, in the case of service described in subsection (a)(2)(B).”
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–337, §1663(e)(4), substituted “A person who transfers from service making the person eligible for repayment of loans under this section (as described in subsection (a)(2)) to service making the person eligible for repayment of loans under section 16301 of this title (as described in subsection (a)(2) of that section)” for “Any individual who transfers from service described in clause (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(2) to service described in the other clause of such subsection”.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 103–337, §1663(e)(5), inserted “and section 16301 of this title” after “this section” and “and section 16301(a) of this title” after “subsection (a)”.
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as an Effective Date note under section 10001 of this title.
Section 671(b)(1) of Pub. L. 99–145 provided that: “The authority provided under section 2171 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply only—
“(A) in the case of persons who enlist or reenlist in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of an Armed Force or enlist or reenlist for service on active duty after September 30, 1980;
“(B) with respect to service performed after that date; and
“(C) with respect to loans made after October 1, 1975.”
(a)
(1) was used by the person to finance education regarding a health profession; and
(2) was obtained from a governmental entity, private financial institution, school, or other authorized entity.
(b)
(1) satisfy one of the requirements specified in subsection (c);
(2) be fully qualified for, or hold, an appointment as a commissioned officer in one of the health professions; and
(3) sign a written agreement to serve on active duty, or, if on active duty, to remain on active duty for a period in addition to any other incurred active duty obligation.
(c)
(1) The person is fully qualified in a health care profession that the Secretary of the military department concerned has determined to be necessary to meet identified skill shortages.
(2) The person is enrolled as a full-time student in the final year of a course of study at an accredited educational institution leading to a degree in a health profession other than medicine or osteopathic medicine.
(3) The person is enrolled in the final year of an approved graduate program leading to specialty qualification in medicine, dentistry, osteopathic medicine, or other health profession.
(4) The person is enrolled in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program under subchapter I of chapter 105 of this title for a number of years less than is required to complete the normal length of the course of study required for the health profession concerned.
(d)
(e)
(A) all educational expenses, comparable to all educational expenses recognized under section 2127(a) of this title for participants in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program; and
(B) reasonable living expenses, not to exceed expenses comparable to the stipend paid under section 2121(d) of this title for participants in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program.
(2) For each year of obligated service that a person agrees to serve in an agreement described in subsection (b)(3), the Secretary of the military department concerned may pay not more than $60,000 on behalf of the person. This maximum amount shall be increased annually by the Secretary of Defense effective October 1 of each year by the percentage equal to the percent increase in the average annual cost of educational expenses and stipend costs of a single scholarship under the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program.
(f)
(2) For persons on active duty before entering into the agreement, the active duty service obligation shall be served consecutively to any other obligation incurred under the agreement.
(g)
(2) An officer who does not complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement entered into under subsection (b)(3), or the alternative obligation imposed under paragraph (1), shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of title 37.
(h)
(Added Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VI, §651(a), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1802; amended Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title V, §573, Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2558; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title VI, §687(c)(7), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3334; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, §537(a), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2209; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title V, §553, Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4220.)
2011—Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 111–383 added par. (4).
2006—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “$60,000” for “$22,000”.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–163 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
2002—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–314, §573(a), substituted “Students” for “Participants of the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program under subchapter I of chapter 105 of this title and students”.
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 107–314, §573(b), struck out at end “The total amount that may be repaid on behalf of any person may not exceed an amount determined on the basis of a four-year active duty service obligation.”
Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, §537(b), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2209, provided that:
“(1)
“(2)
For savings provision relating to payment or repayment of any bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar pay obligated to be paid before Apr. 1, 2006, under a provision of this section amended by section 687(c) of Pub. L. 109–163, see section 687(f) of Pub. L. 109–163, set out as a note under section 510 of this title.
(a)
(2) The Secretary of a military department may exercise the authority under paragraph (1) only if approved by the Secretary of Defense and subject to such requirements, conditions, and restrictions as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe.
(b)
(1) is serving on active duty in fulfillment of the member's first enlistment in the armed forces or, in the case of an officer, is serving on active duty and has not completed more than three years of service on active duty;
(2) is the debtor on one or more unpaid loans described in subsection (c); and
(3) is not in default on any such loan.
(c)
(1) A loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.).
(2) A loan made under part D of such title (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.).
(3) A loan made under part E of such title (20 U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.).
(d)
(e)
(f)
(2) The Secretary concerned shall transfer to the Secretary of Education the funds necessary—
(A) to pay interest and special allowances on student loans under this section (in accordance with sections 428(o), 455(l), and 464(j) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078(o), 1087e(l), and 1087dd(j)); and
(B) to reimburse the Secretary of Education for any reasonable administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in coordinating the program under this section with the administration of the student loan programs under parts B, D, and E of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
(g)
(Added Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, §651(a)(1), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2578.)
The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsecs. (c) and (f)(2)(B), is Pub. L. 89–329, Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1219, as amended. Parts B, D, and E of title IV of the Act are classified to parts B (§1071 et seq.), C (§1087a et seq.), and D (§1087aa et seq.), respectively, of subchapter IV of chapter 28 of Title 20, Education. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of Title 20 and Tables.
Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, §651(e), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2581, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and amending sections 1078, 1087e, and 1087dd of Title 20, Education] shall apply with respect to interest, and any special allowance under section 438 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 1087–1], that accrue for months beginning on or after October 1, 2003, on student loans described in subsection (c) of section 2174 of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), that were made before, on, or after such date to members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty (as defined in section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code) on or after that date.”
For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.