Public Service Loan Forgiveness Modernization Act

“(3) Program modernization

“(A) Database of public service employers

“(i) Establishment—The Secretary, in consultation with the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, shall establish and regularly update a comprehensive database that identifies—

“(I) each qualified public service employer; and

“(II) each position offered by such employer that is a public service job.

“(ii) Accessibility—The database established under clause (i) shall be made available in an easily searchable format on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Education and via a free and secure mobile software application.

“(B) Employer self-certification

“(i) In general—The Secretary shall establish a process through which an employer may electronically submit to the Secretary a certification that the employer is a qualified public service employer.

“(ii) Secretarial review and verification—The Secretary shall review each self-certification submitted under clause (i) to verify whether the employer concerned is a qualified public service employer.

“(iii) PSLF certification seal—An employer verified by the Secretary under clause (ii) shall receive permission to use, for informational and marketing purposes, a graphic seal-of-approval developed by the Secretary to indicate the employer’s status as a qualified public service employer.

“(C) Certification of employment

“(i) Forms and signatures—The Secretary shall ensure that any forms required to certify a borrower’s employment in a public service job are available to borrowers and employers—

“(I) on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Education;

“(II) via a free and secure mobile software application; and

“(III) in traditional hard copy format.

“(ii) Electronic signature and submission—The Secretary shall establish a process that enables borrowers and employers—

“(I) to electronically sign any forms required to certify a borrower’s employment in a public service job; and

“(II) to submit such forms to the Department of Education through an online portal or via a free and secure mobile software application.

“(iii) Notice of recertification—In the case of a borrower who has previously submitted an annual certification of employment under this section, the Secretary shall provide notice to the borrower of the option to recertify such employment not later than 60 days before the expiration of the one year period following the date of the borrower’s most recently submitted employment certification. The Secretary shall provide such notice to a borrower via email and regular mail.

“(D) Statement of qualifying payments—On an annual basis, the Secretary shall provide to each borrower of an eligible Federal Direct Loan who has submitted an annual certification of employment under this section the following information:

“(i) The number of monthly payments made by the borrower on each eligible Federal Direct Loan of the borrower.

“(ii) The number of such payments that qualify as monthly payments under paragraph (1)(A).

“(iii) The number of monthly payments under paragraph (1)(A) remaining on such loan before the borrower is eligible for loan cancellation under paragraph (2).

“(E) Definitions—In this paragraph:

“(i) The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education acting through the Chief Operating Officer of the Office of Federal Student Aid.

“(ii) The term qualified public service employer means an employer that offers employment in a position that is a public service job.”