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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) reintroduced the Terrorism Survivors Student Loan Deferment Act, legislation that would allow survivors of terrorist attacks to receive automatic deferments of their federal student loan payments. Although in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, such as the 2016 tragedy at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, survivors can be eligible for some relief, the extreme nature of their circumstance is not automatically recognized. Rubio’s bill would grant the U.S. Department of Education the authority to provide automatic federal student loan deferments to any survivor of a terrorist attack. Rubio first introduced this legislation in September 2016. 
 
“We should do everything in our power to help those who survive a terrorist attack to get their life back on track,” Rubio said. “While in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, survivors like those of the horrific Pulse nightclub shooting, can be eligible for some relief, existing law does not automatically recognize these types of extraordinary circumstances. Giving survivors some time to regroup by delaying their student loan payments is just commonsense.” 
 
Rubio’s Terrorism Survivors Student Loan Deferment Act would: 
 

• Not count against the typical three-year maximum deferment allowance, but would provide a one-year pause for victims so they can either get back on their feet or pursue further deferment or forbearance. 
• Direct the U.S. Secretary of Education to establish anti-fraud protections. 
• Apply to borrowers of Federal Direct Loans under part D, older part B loans and Perkins Loans.  
• Designate the federal agency in charge of investigating the terrorist attack as responsible for identifying those affected as victims.