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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today introduced the Protecting Job Opportunities for Borrowers (Protecting JOBs) Act, legislation that would help ensure borrowers’ are not inhibited from working solely because they fell behind on their federal student loan payments. Specifically, the Protecting JOBs Act would prevent states from suspending, revoking or denying state professional, teaching, or driver’s licenses solely because borrowers are delinquent or go into default on their federal student loan payments. A one pager of the bill is available here.
“Difficulty repaying a student loan debt should not threaten a graduate’s job. It makes no sense to revoke a professional license from someone who is trying to pay their student loans,” said Rubio. “Our bill would fix this ‘catch-22’ and ensure that borrowers are able to continue working to pay off their loans.”
“State governments punishing people struggling with student loans by taking away drivers’ and professional licenses is wrong. These policies don’t make sense, because they make it even harder for people to put food on the table and get out of debt,” said Warren. “I’m glad to work with Senator Rubio to make sure borrowers can work to pay off crushing debt and build a future.”
What the bill does: Beginning two years after enactment, this legislation would prevent states from suspending, revoking or denying state professional licenses solely because borrowers are behind on their federal student loan payments. The bill achieves this goal by using the same statutory structure that requires certain members of the Armed Forces receive in-state tuition as a condition of the states’ colleges and universities receiving certain federal funds under the Higher Education Act.