On this page, you'll find proposals relating to loan forgiveness programs or the cancellation of federal student loans.

H.R.6711— SPELL Act

Sponsor: Rep. Espaillat [D-NY]
Introduced: 12/15/2025
NASFAA Summary: This bill would expand existing federal teacher loan forgiveness and loan cancellation programs to include teachers who work with English learners, as well as bilingual and dual-language immersion teachers. It adds these educators to the same enhanced benefit category that currently applies to math, science, and special education teachers. To qualify, a borrower must meet all existing program requirements and be employed in a role where their primary responsibility is teaching English learners or bilingual/dual-language students. Certification from the school or educational service agency is required, confirming that their assignment aligns with their training and that they demonstrate content-area competence.

S.3277/H.R.6284 — Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Service Workers Act

Sponsor: Rep. Swalwell [D-CA]
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal [D-CT]
Introduced: 11/21/2025
NASFA Summary: This bill would modify the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and create a new, incremental loan cancellation structure for Federal Direct Loans first disbursed after the bill’s enactment. For existing PSLF provisions, the bill clarifies that the requirement to make 120 qualifying payments applies except for new loans. For new Federal Direct Loans, the Secretary would cancel a percentage of the original loan amount at set milestones for borrowers who make qualifying monthly payments while employed in public service, once employment is certified. After 24, 48, 72, and 96 qualifying payments, the borrower would receive 15 percent cancellation at each milestone, based on the loan amount owed when the borrower entered repayment. After 120 qualifying payments, the remaining balance of principal and interest would be canceled.

H.R.5084 — Teacher Loan Forgiveness Enhancement Act

Sponsor: Rep. Fields [D-LA]
Introduced: 09/02/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would establish federal undergraduate loan forgiveness for public school teachers who complete eight consecutive years of full-time teaching service. Upon meeting this requirement, ED would forgive the remaining principal and interest balance on eligible undergraduate loans, and the forgiven amount would not be treated as taxable income. Borrowers may also receive this benefit in addition to other federal loan forgiveness or service-based programs.

H.R.3739 — No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act of 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Steube [R-FL]
Introduced: 06/04/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would amend the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to exclude employment with organizations that engage in activities with a substantial illegal purpose from qualifying as public service. Specifically, the bill would disqualify borrowers from PSLF eligibility if they work for organizations involved in aiding or abetting violations of federal immigration laws; materially supporting terrorism or designated foreign terrorist organizations; supporting child abuse, including gender-affirming care for minors or transporting minors to other states for such care in violation of laws; aiding or abetting illegal discrimination; or repeatedly violating state tort laws such as trespassing, disorderly conduct, public nuisance, vandalism, or obstruction of highways.

S.1863 — VALOR Act of 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal [D-CT]
Introduced: 05/22/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would expand PSLF eligibility for certain military and uniformed service members. Specifically, the bill ensures that service members in covered active duty service, including those in the National Guard and the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), can count certain periods of deferment and forbearance as qualifying payments toward PSLF. It also waives the requirement to be in a repayment plan during those periods and allows borrowers to qualify regardless of when they enrolled in the PSLF program, provided they complete 10 years of full-time service. The bill defines “covered active duty service” broadly to include active military duty and full-time NOAA service.

S.1845 — No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act of 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Banks [R-IN]
Introduced: 05/21/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would amend the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to exclude employment with organizations that engage in activities with a substantial illegal purpose from qualifying as public service. Specifically, the bill would disqualify borrowers from PSLF eligibility if they work for organizations involved in: aiding or abetting violations of federal immigration laws; materially supporting terrorism or designated foreign terrorist organizations; supporting child abuse, including gender-affirming care for minors or transporting minors to other states for such care in violation of laws; aiding or abetting illegal discrimination; or repeatedly violating state tort laws such as trespassing, disorderly conduct, public nuisance, vandalism, or obstruction of highways.

H.R.3267 — PSLF Payment Completion Fairness Act

Sponsor: Rep. Houlahan [D-PA]
Introduced: 05/08/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would allow borrowers who completed 10 years of public service and met other payment eligibility requirements to be eligible for PSLF forgiveness, even if they are not employed in a public service position at the time of the forgiveness request. 

H.R.3146 — HEROES Act

Sponsor: Rep. Goldman [D-NY]
Introduced: 05/01/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would include service as a volunteer firefighter or emergency medical technician as qualifying employment under the PSLF program. The bill defines "qualified volunteer firefighter" and "qualified volunteer emergency medical technician" as individuals who perform emergency services for a legally recognized fire department, ambulance service, healthcare facility, or public safety organization without being employed full-time by the same entity.

H.R.2829 — SERVICE Act

Sponsor: Rep. Courtney [D-CT]
Introduced: 04/10/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would make changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and lower interest capitalization. It reduces the required number of qualifying payments from 120 to 96 and expands qualifying repayment plans, deferments, and forbearances. The bill permits lump sum payments and introduces a buyback option for missed payments during eligible public service periods. It establishes a formal reconsideration process for denied PSLF applications and clarifies eligibility for independent contractors and adjunct faculty. It prohibits interest capitalization after deferment or forbearance, applies changes retroactively, and ensures partial credit toward PSLF after loan consolidation based on weighted prior payments.

S.937 — No Student Loans for Campus Criminals Act

Sponsor: Sen. Cotton [R-AR]
Introduced: 03/11/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would prohibit individuals convicted of any offense related to their conduct during a protest at an institution of higher education from receiving certain federal student loan benefits. Under the bill, those convicted would be ineligible for federal student loan forgiveness, cancellation, waiver, or modification. Additionally, they would be barred from receiving new federal student loans under the Direct Loan Program. 

H.R.937 — Protecting Taxpayers from Student Loan Bailouts Act

Sponsor: Rep. Grothman [R-WI]
Introduced: 02/04/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would limit ED's authority to propose or issue regulations and executive actions related to federal student aid. It prohibits ED from advancing any regulation or executive action deemed economically significant—defined as having an annual economic impact of $100 million or more—if it would increase subsidy costs. If a proposed regulation is found to raise subsidy costs, ED is barred from taking further action on it.

Legislative Tracker Overview| Archive: Debt Forgiveness Programs & Cancellation