A Democratic bill with 6 Democratic cosponsors · See all 6 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 "SERVICE Act," aims to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. It seeks to refine how qualifying monthly payments are calculated and credited toward loan cancellation. The legislation introduces a "buyback" process so borrowers can purchase missing qualifying months of service. It also establishes an online portal and a public database of public service jobs to assist borrowers. Furthermore, it expands the definition of employment to include independent contractors and clarifies full-time work requirements.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +8
Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay?
It significantly improves Public Service Loan Forgiveness by allowing buybacks and expanding qualifying periods.
- Scored +7
Would students be better off under this?
It significantly assists current and former students through better loan forgiveness mechanics.
- Scored +7
Does this make college cost less?
The bill enhances loan forgiveness through the buyback process and broader employment definitions.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Payment Credits: The bill allows certain periods of deferment or forbearance—such as those for cancer treatment, military service, unemployment, or economic hardship—to count as qualifying monthly payments toward forgiveness (Section 2(c)(2)(A)(ii)).
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Buyback Option: Borrowers who worked in public service but did not make enough qualifying monthly payments can make a lump sum "buyback" payment to count those months toward their forgiveness goal (Section 2(c)(2)(C)).
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Recognition of Independent Contractors: The bill expands the definition of employment to include work performed as an independent contractor in a public service job (Section 3(a)).
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Improved Information Access: A new online portal will provide borrowers with specific details regarding their loan eligibility, the number of payments made, and estimated remaining payments needed (Section 4(A)(i)).
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Job Discovery Tools: The Secretary will establish a database of public service jobs to help people determine if their work qualifies (Section 4(A)(B)).
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Protection Against Interest Capitalization: For loans in a period of forbearance, interest may not be capitalized after the period ends (Section 5(a)).
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Streamlined Forgiveness for Teachers: The bill amends existing sections to impact how loan forgiveness is handled for teachers (Section 7).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict Full-Time Definitions: To qualify as "full-time," a person must work a minimum average of 30 hours per week for at least 8 months in a 12-month period (Section 3(b)(D)).
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Finality of Decisions: Once the Secretary makes a decision on a borrower's request for reconsideration, that decision is considered final, and no additional reconsideration will be provided (Section 2(e)(5)(C)(i)(II)).
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Buyback Limitations: The buyback process cannot be used for consolidation loans to buy back months that occurred before the date of the loan's consolidation (Section 2(c)(2)(C)(iii)(III)).
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — It significantly assists current and former students through better loan forgiveness mechanics. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — It specifically includes military service deferments and explores data matching for veterans. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — It benefits many early-career public service workers through easier loan forgiveness paths. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill helps those facing economic hardship by counting such periods toward loan forgiveness. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — It provides relief for professionals in public service roles who may be paying significant loan balances.
- Education And Technology
- Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — It significantly improves Public Service Loan Forgiveness by allowing buybacks and expanding qualifying periods. Does this make college cost less? — The bill enhances loan forgiveness through the buyback process and broader employment definitions.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates an online portal and a public database for job searches and loan tracking. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — It introduces a formal reconsideration process for denied loan cancellation requests.
- 5/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/12/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/16/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/5/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/10/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jasmine CrockettDemocrat · Texas
Mark DeSaulnierDemocrat · California
Sara JacobsDemocrat · California
John LarsonDemocrat · Connecticut
Andrea SalinasDemocrat · Oregon
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan