{"format":1,"id":"117-s-1098","congress":117,"number":"S. 1098","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act","title_source":"Short Titles as Enacted","official_title":"A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize borrowers to separate joint consolidation loans.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize borrowers to separate joint consolidation loans."},{"type":"Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"},{"type":"Short Titles as Enacted","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed Senate","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"}],"outcome":"became_law","law_number":"Public Law 117-200","introduced":"2021-04-13","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-09-21","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h448","question":"On Passage","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act","result":"Passed","yea":232,"nay":193,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll448.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"voice","date":"2022-06-15","vote":null,"how":"unanimous_consent","words":"Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2961)"}},"president":{"status":"signed","date":"2022-10-11"},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Became Public Law No: 117-200.","date":"2022-10-11"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2022-09-21","question":"On Motion to Commit","title":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act","result":"Failed","yea":202,"nay":228,"present":0,"not_voting":2,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll447.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-10-11","stage":"Public Law","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This act allows two borrowers, who had previously received a joint consolidation loan for their federal student loan debt, to submit a joint application to the Department of Education to sever their consolidated loan into two separate loans."},{"k":"p","t":"One borrower may submit a separate application in the event that the individual has experienced domestic or economic abuse from the other individual borrower or is unable to reasonably reach or access the loan information of the other borrower. In the case of a borrower who receives a separate consolidation loan due to those circumstances, the other individual borrower must become solely liable for the remaining balance of the joint consolidation loan."}],"words":115},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to let married or formerly married couples who hold a joint consolidation loan apply to receive separate Federal Direct Consolidation Loans.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}]},"core_areas":["Separation of joint consolidation loans into separate Federal Direct Consolidation Loans"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Allows a married couple, or two individuals who were previously a married couple, who received a joint consolidation loan under section 428C(a)(3)(C) as in effect on June 30, 2006, to apply to the Secretary of Education for separate Federal Direct Consolidation Loans.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}},{"text":"Provides that couples in default on a joint consolidation loan may be eligible to receive separate Federal Direct Consolidation Loans.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to make each applicant a separate loan with the same interest rate as the joint loan, for the joint loan's unpaid principal, accrued unpaid interest, and outstanding charges and fees multiplied by that borrower's share of the joint loan.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}},{"text":"Sets each borrower's share by their loan obligations when the joint loan was made, or, if both borrowers request, by proportions in a divorce decree, court order, or settlement agreement.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}},{"text":"Requires both borrowers to apply jointly, but lets one borrower apply separately if the borrower certifies experiencing domestic violence or economic abuse from the other borrower, or being unable to reasonably reach or access the other borrower's loan information, or if the Secretary determines separate applications would be in the best fiscal interests of the Federal Government.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}},{"text":"Makes the non-applying borrower solely liable for the remaining balance of the joint consolidation loan when the other borrower receives a separate loan through a separate application.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr#ide56cae3f84744a879a9144076264bf83:~:text=2.%20Separating%20joint%20consolidation%20loans"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Enrolled Bill","date":null,"rule":"enrolled","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text/enr"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1098/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-s-1098.png","v":"a51d259bbe8d","alt":"Votes on Record. S. 1098, 117th Congress: Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act. House: 232 Yea, 193 Nay. Senate: unanimous consent. Outcome: Became law, 11 Oct 2022."}}