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S 2598 117th Congress Senate Finance and Financial Sector

FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act

Introduced: August 4, 2021 Introduced by: Durbin, Richard J. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 4, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Aug 4, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fostering Responsible Education Starts with Helping Students Through Accountability, Relief, and Taxpayer Protection Through Bankruptcy Act of 2021 or the FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act

This bill revises the treatment of student loans in bankruptcy.

The bill makes federal student loan debt dischargeable in a bankruptcy proceeding ten years after the first loan payment is due, in addition to being dischargeable at any time in cases of undue hardship, as under current law.

Further, institutions of higher education that have at least one-third of their students receiving federal student loans must partially repay a student loan to the Department of Education if that loan is later discharged in bankruptcy. The amount the institution must repay is dependent on the institution's average rates of student loan default and repayment.

What's happening now August 4, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2598: FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2598/
MLA
"S. 2598: FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2598/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2598, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2598/.
Markdown link
[S. 2598: FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-2598/)
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