This is a request to for an extension
of the emergency clearance that was granted on this collection on
June 5, 2015 to facilitate the continued collection of information
from borrowers who believe they have cause to invoke the borrower
defenses against repayment of a student loan as noted in
regulation. The regulations for borrower defenses are specified in
34 CFR 685.206(c). The regulation states, in part, "(c)(1) [i]n any
proceeding to collect on a Direct Loan, the borrower may assert as
a defense against repayment, an act or omission of the school
attended by the student that would give rise to a cause of action
against the school under applicable State law." Prior to 2015, the
borrower defense identified above was rarely asserted by any
borrowers and no specific methods of collecting information was
defined or found necessary. These processes are being offered to
aid in preserving borrowers rights and to meet the fiduciary
responsibilities of the federal student loan programs. These
collections will allow the Department of Education to inform
borrowers and loan servicers of the information needed to review
and adjudicate requests for relief under borrower defenses
regulations.
US Code:
20
USC 1087e(h) Name of Law: Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.