Bill Foster (D-IL)
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Inclusion Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 10 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Public Service Loan Forgiveness Inclusion Act of 2026," seeks to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. The primary goal is to allow certain payments made by public service employees to qualify for public service repayment. It expands the types of monthly payments that can count toward forgiveness, including those under the standard repayment plan. Additionally, it addresses payments made during periods when repayment is suspended due to administrative forbearance. The Act also requires the Secretary of Education to notify eligible borrowers about these changes.
Yes
- Scored +6
Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay?
It specifically expands the criteria for qualifying payments toward loan forgiveness, including during administrative forbearance.
- Scored +5
Does this make college cost less?
The bill makes student loan forgiveness more attainable for public service employees by expanding qualifying payment types.
- Scored +5
Would students be better off under this?
The bill provides significant relief and clearer paths to loan forgiveness for students and public service professionals.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Expanded Payment Options: By amending section 455(m)(1)(A), the bill allows monthly payments under the standard repayment plan under subsection (d)(7)(A)(i) to qualify for forgiveness (Section 2(a)).
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Credit for Suspended Payments: The bill amends section 455(m)(3) to include monthly payments that would have been made during a period where repayment is suspended due to administrative forbearance, provided the borrower is employed in a public service job (Section 2(b)).
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Borrower Notification: The Secretary of Education is required to inform borrowers of these new provisions and provide information on how to change repayment plans (Section 2(c)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly detailed within the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Education And Technology
- Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — It specifically expands the criteria for qualifying payments toward loan forgiveness, including during administrative forbearance. Does this make college cost less? — The bill makes student loan forgiveness more attainable for public service employees by expanding qualifying payment types.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill provides significant relief and clearer paths to loan forgiveness for students and public service professionals.
- 11/11/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/4/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 9 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Alma AdamsDemocrat · North Carolina
Sanford BishopDemocrat · Georgia
Yvette ClarkeDemocrat · New York
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Angie CraigDemocrat · Minnesota
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Shomari FiguresDemocrat · Alabama
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia