Federal Student Aid Programs (Student Assistance General Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Federal Direct Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program and the Federal Pell Grant Program)

The Secretary of Education announces waivers and modifications of statutory and regulatory provisions that are appropriate to assist individuals (referred to in this notice as "affected individuals") who are applicants and recipients of student financial assistance under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and who-- [sbull] Are serving on active duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency; [sbull] Are performing qualifying National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency; [sbull] Reside or are employed in an area that is declared a disaster area by any Federal, State, or local official in connection with a national emergency; or [sbull] Suffered direct economic hardship as a direct result of a war or other military operation or national emergency, as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary is issuing these waivers and modifications under the authority of section 2(a) of the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act of 2003, Pub. L. 108-76. Section 2(b) of the HEROES Act requires the Secretary to publish, in a notice in the Federal Register, the waivers or modifications of statutory or regulatory provisions applicable to the student financial assistance programs under title IV of the HEA that the Secretary believes are appropriate to ensure that: [sbull] Individuals who are recipients of student financial assistance under title IV are not placed in a worse position financially in relation to that student financial assistance because they are affected individuals; [sbull] Affected individuals who are recipients of student financial assistance are not unduly subject to administrative burden or inadvertent, technical violations or defaults; [sbull] Affected individuals are not penalized when a determination of need for student financial assistance is calculated; [sbull] Affected individuals are not required to return or repay an overpayment of grant funds based