WASHINGTON, D.C. - An amendment offered by Third District Congressman Jon Porter that will provide loan forgiveness for nurses and early childhood educators has been included in H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act, following a Subcommittee markup of the bill.  Porter’s amendment was approved by a vote of the Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, where Porter serves as Vice Chairman.  H.R. 609 will now move to the full Committee, where it will be voted on next week.

“The purpose of my amendment is to update the function of an existing program to meet changing national needs,” said Porter.  “Simply put, many of our communities are desperate for qualified individuals in the areas of nursing and early childhood education.  By expanding the higher education loan forgiveness program to cover these areas, we’ll encourage more individuals to enter these professions by easing potential financial burdens they may face.”

“I’d like to thank Mr. Porter for his leadership in addressing the shortage of nurses and Head Start teachers around the country, a critical problem where there is a significant national need.  Mr. Porter’s plan will help reduce the burden of student debt for Americans who become nurses or Head Start teachers, and it will encourage more qualified individuals to dedicate themselves to these professions,” said Congressman John Boehner (R-OH), Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman.

Specifically, Porter’s amendment reauthorizes and expands section 428K of the Higher Education Act to provide up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness for individuals that have completed a baccalaureate or advanced degree and serve for five consecutive years in an area of national need, as designated by the Secretary of Education.  Individuals who will become eligible for the loan forgiveness under Porter’s amendment include:

• Early childhood educators in low-income, licensed preschool programs or child care facilities
• Nurses that serve in clinical settings
• Nursing faculty at accredited schools of nursing

To determine other positions that could be eligible for loan forgiveness under Porter’s amendment, the Secretary of Education will consult with appropriate federal, state, and community-based agencies and organizations to designate areas of national need.  In designating these areas, the Secretary will also take into account the extent to which interest in the area is compelling, whether or not the area suffers from a critical lack of qualified personnel, and whether or not other federal programs support the area concerned.

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