HR 5043 Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2010

Thanks to David Goch who posted this on the Bankruptcy Roundtable Listserve:


Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 5043, "The Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2010".

H.R. 5043, according to Rep. Cohen (D-TN), the bills sponsor along with Rep. Davis (D-Ill.), "is very narrowly tailored to make debt resulting from student loans issued by private, for-profit institutions dischargeable in bankruptcy."

H.R. 5043 amends Bankruptcy Code Section 523(a)(8), eliminating Section 523(a)(8)(B), which currently makes debt from private loans issued by for-profit lenders nondischargeable in bankruptcy absent undue debtor or debtor's dependents hardship. The bill also amends Section 523(a)(8)(A)(i) to clarify that only loans for which substantially all of the funds were provided by a nonprofit institution remain nondischargeble in bankruptcy.

Deanne Loonin, a staff attorney for the National Consumer Law Center, pointed out that student loan borrowers are a very diverse group of people but they chare one common trait: "they're all trying to better themselves through education" and are all struggling with student loan debt. However, Loonin stated "[B]ankruptcy is not and should not be the entire safety net" for borrowers who cannot repay their student loans."

Loonin said she supports H.R. 5043, not because bankruptcy is the best option, but because it is the only option some have to be able to move on with their lives.

According to John Hupalo, managing director at Ramirez Capital Advisors, a group specializing in student loan finance, whether or not to permit bankruptcy discharge of private student loan debt is a complex issue. Huppalo indicated he understood the intended benefit of repealing non-dischargeability of private student loans, but went on to state he is concerned the bill would be "counter-productive to the country's shared goal of making a college education more accessible to the greatest number of students possible."

Adrian Lapas, a solo practitioner testifying on behalf of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, voiced support of H.R. 5403, noting that the legislation will "restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans in bankruptcy the same as other types of private debt."

Meanwhile, in an April 21 letter to Cohen, more than two dozen organizations representing students, consumers, institutions of higher education and civil rights and public policy organizations expressed their support for the bill. Among the groups signing the letter: The American Council on Education, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Demos: A Network for Ideas & Action, Rock the Vote, U.S. Public Information Research Group, UNCF, and the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education.