PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Student Loan Affordability Act

Cloture on the motion to proceed to measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 46. Record Vote Number: 143. (consideration: CR S3977-3978)

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 14, 2013

Student Loan Affordability Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend until June 30, 2015, existing interest rates for loans made to undergraduate students under the Federal Direct Stafford Loan program.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify rules for required distributions from tax-exempt pension plans to an employee who dies before such employee's entire interest is distributed to require such interest to be distributed within five years after the death of such employee, subject to exceptions for an eligible designated beneficiary and surviving spouse of such employee. Defines "eligible designated beneficiary" to include a disabled or chronically-ill individual. Exempts from such modification a binding annuity contract in effect on the enactment date of this Act.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) limit the deductibility of interest payments made by a corporation which is an expatriated entity to a related person; (2) expand the definition of "crude oil" for purposes of the excise tax on petroleum to include crude oil condensates, natural gasoline, any bitumen or bituminous mixture, and any oil derived from a bitumen or bituminous mixture; (3) eliminate the requirement that such crude oil be produced in a well located in the United States; and (4) make permanent the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Exempts the budgetary effects of this Act from the requirements of specified PAYGO scorecards.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · D–RI

Committees

    28 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

    Actions

    A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

    1. Cloture on the motion to proceed to measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 46. Record Vote Number: 143. (consideration: CR S3977-3978)

      Senate roll call 143 · Individual votes
    2. Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to measure presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S3949; text: CR S3949)

    3. Motion to proceed to consideration of measure, by unanimous consent, made in Senate. (consideration: CR S3949)

    4. Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 74.

    5. Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

    6. Introduced in Senate

    Bill text & related measures

    Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

    Related bills identified by Congress.gov

    No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

    Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

    Explore the bill from different angles

    Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

    Neutral evidence review

    Objective

    Analyze S.953 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

    View full prompt & sources
    Fairness and public impact

    Progressive lens

    Examine S.953 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

    View full prompt & sources
    Institutions and government scope

    Conservative lens

    Examine S.953 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

    View full prompt & sources
    Individual rights and government power

    Liberty lens

    Examine S.953 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

    View full prompt & sources