Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3493

 120 STAT. 3462

Regulations.

PUBLIC LAW 109–461—DEC. 22, 2006

‘‘(3) In no case may the total amount of assistance provided for an individual under this section exceed $200,000. ‘‘(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, financial assistance paid an individual under this section shall not be considered as income or resources in determining eligibility for, or the amount of benefits under, any Federal or federally assisted program. ‘‘(d) REPAYMENT FOR PERIOD OF UNSERVED OBLIGATED SERVICE.—(1) An individual who receives financial assistance under this section shall repay to the Secretary an amount equal to the unearned portion of the financial assistance if the individual fails to satisfy the requirements of the service agreement entered into under subsection (b), except in circumstances authorized by the Secretary. ‘‘(2) The Secretary may establish, by regulations, procedures for determining the amount of the repayment required under this subsection and the circumstances under which an exception to the required repayment may be granted. ‘‘(3) An obligation to repay the Secretary under this subsection is, for all purposes, a debt owed the United States. A discharge in bankruptcy under title 11 does not discharge a person from such debt if the discharge order is entered less than five years after the date of the termination of the agreement or contract on which the debt is based. ‘‘(e) WAIVER OR SUSPENSION OF COMPLIANCE.—The Secretary shall prescribe regulations providing for the waiver or suspension of any obligation of an individual for service or payment under this section (or an agreement under this section) whenever noncompliance by the individual is due to circumstances beyond the control of the individual or whenever the Secretary determines that the waiver or suspension of compliance is in the best interest of the United States. ‘‘(f) INTERNSHIPS.—(1) The Secretary may offer a compensated internship to an individual for whom financial assistance is provided under this section during a period between academic semesters or terms leading to the degree for which such assistance is provided. Compensation provided for such an internship shall be in addition to the financial assistance provided under this section. ‘‘(2) An internship under this subsection shall not be counted toward satisfying a period of obligated service under this section. ‘‘(g) INELIGIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING MONTGOMERY GI BILL EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS.—An individual who receives a payment of educational assistance under chapter 30, 31, 32, 34, or 35 of this title or chapter 1606 or 1607 of title 10 for a month in which the individual is enrolled in a course of education leading to a doctoral degree in information security is not eligible to receive financial assistance under this section for that month. ‘‘§ 7903. Education debt reduction program ‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may establish an education debt reduction program under which the Secretary shall make education debt reduction payments under this section to qualified individuals eligible under subsection (b) for the purpose of reimbursing such individuals for payments by such individuals of principal and interest on loans described in paragraph (2) of that subsection.

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