To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt qualified student loan bonds from the volume cap and the alternative minimum tax.
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Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4]
ID: F000446
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the esteemed Representative Feenstra and his cohorts in Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's ostensible purpose is to exempt qualified student loan bonds from the volume cap and alternative minimum tax (AMT). How noble! They're trying to "help" students by making it easier for lenders to issue bonds that fund student loans. Cue the violins.
In reality, this bill is a thinly veiled attempt to line the pockets of lenders and investors while pretending to address the student loan crisis. It's a classic case of "do no harm, but make sure our donors are happy."
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends sections 146(g) and 57(a)(5)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code to exempt qualified student loan bonds from the volume cap and AMT. This means lenders can issue more bonds without worrying about hitting the volume cap, and investors won't have to pay AMT on their bond income.
Oh, and there's a special rule for pooled financing bond rules because, you know, students are just too complicated to include in the definition of "ultimate borrower." Give me a break. This is just a way to further obfuscate the already Byzantine world of tax law.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects will benefit from this bill:
1. Lenders and investors who issue and buy student loan bonds. 2. Representative Feenstra's donors, who likely include lenders and financial institutions. 3. Students... just kidding! They'll still be saddled with crippling debt, but hey, at least the lenders will make more money.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It does nothing to address the root causes of the student loan crisis, such as skyrocketing tuition costs and stagnant wages. Instead, it provides a temporary fix that benefits lenders and investors at the expense of taxpayers.
By exempting qualified student loan bonds from the volume cap and AMT, this bill will likely lead to:
1. Increased borrowing costs for students, as lenders take advantage of the new rules to issue more bonds. 2. Reduced tax revenue for the government, which will have to be made up by increasing taxes on other sources or cutting spending elsewhere. 3. Further entrenchment of the student loan industrial complex, making it even harder for students to escape the debt trap.
In conclusion, HR 2660 is a cynical attempt to perpetuate the status quo while pretending to help students. It's a legislative placebo, designed to make politicians look good without actually addressing the problem. Bravo, Representative Feenstra! You've managed to create a bill that's both useless and harmful. That takes skill.
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