STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT FOR DISLOCATED MILITARY SPOUSES.

SEC. 1054. STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT FOR DISLOCATED MILITARY SPOUSES. (a) In General.—Section 455(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(f)) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: “(4) Deferment for dislocated military spouses.— “(A) Duration and effect on principal and interest.—A borrower of a loan made under this part who meets the requirements of subparagraph (B) shall be eligible for a deferment for an aggregate period of 180 days, during which periodic installments of principal need not be paid, and interest— “(i) shall not accrue, in the case of a— “(I) Federal Direct Stafford Loan; or “(II) a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan that consolidated only Federal Direct Stafford Loans, or a combination of such loans and Federal Stafford Loans for which the student borrower received an interest subsidy under section 428; or “(ii) shall accrue and be capitalized or paid by the borrower, in the case of a Federal Direct PLUS Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan not described in clause (i)(II). “(B) Eligibility.—A borrower of a loan made under this part shall be eligible for a deferment under subparagraph (A) if the borrower— “(i) is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty; and “(ii) has experienced a loss of employment as a result of relocation to accommodate a permanent change in duty station of such member. “(C) Documentation and approval.— “(i) In general.—A borrower may establish eligibility for a deferment under subparagraph (A) by providing to the Secretary— “(I) the documentation described in clause (ii); or “(II) such other documentation as the Secretary determines appropriate. “(ii) Documentation.—The documentation described in this clause is— “(I) evidence that the borrower is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty; “(II) evidence that a military permanent change of station order was issued to such member; and “(III)(aa) evidence that the borrower is eligible for unemployment benefits due to a loss of employment resulting from relocation to accommodate such permanent change in duty station; or “(bb) a written certification, or an equivalent as approved by the Secretary, that the borrower is registered with a public or private employment agency due to a loss of employment resulting from relocation to accommodate such permanent change in duty station.” . (b) [20 U.S.C. 1087e note] Effective Date.—The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.