HEROES Act

Bill Number

H.R. 3146

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Education

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-05-01: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2026-04-21T08:05:55Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Student Debt Act (HEROES Act), H.R. 3146, aims to expand access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program by including volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMTs) as qualifying public service jobs. The PSLF Program forgives federal student loans for borrowers who make 120 qualifying payments while working full-time in eligible public service roles.

Key Provisions

• Eligibility Expansion: Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add volunteer service as a qualified volunteer firefighter or EMT to the list of eligible employment under PSLF.
• Definitions:
• Qualified volunteer firefighter: An individual who provides firefighting, fire prevention, emergency medical, or related services for a legally recognized fire department or public safety organization, but is not full-time paid by that entity.
• Qualified volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT): An individual certified under state or local laws to provide emergency medical, pre-hospital, or ambulance services for an ambulance service, fire department, healthcare facility, or public safety organization, but not full-time paid by that entity.
• Public safety organization: Any state, local, or tribal government agency or nonprofit focused on protecting life, health, or property.
• Minimum Volunteer Time: The Secretary of Education must set a minimum volunteer hours requirement to count as "full-time" employment for PSLF, which cannot be less than the hours needed to be an active member of the organization.
• Regulations: The Secretary must issue rules, after consulting firefighter and emergency responder groups, covering the minimum volunteer time and processes for tracking and verifying service hours.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Previously, PSLF eligibility under Section 455(m)(3) of the Higher Education Act covered full-time government or nonprofit jobs but did not explicitly include volunteer roles in firefighting or emergency medical services.
• This bill adds these volunteer positions as a new category (clause iii) and requires the Department of Education to define and verify volunteer hours, shifting from paid employment criteria to include unpaid service with minimum hour thresholds.

Potential Impacts

• On Citizens: Volunteer firefighters and EMTs with student debt could qualify for loan forgiveness after 10 years of service, reducing financial barriers and encouraging more people to volunteer in these roles, especially in underserved rural or small communities where paid positions are limited.
• On Government Agencies: The Department of Education will face administrative burdens to develop verification systems and process more forgiveness claims, potentially increasing federal spending on loan forgiveness (estimated costs not specified in the bill).
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic education and public safety policy.
• Broader Effects: Could help address shortages in volunteer emergency responders, improving community safety, but may strain the federal student loan budget.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs: Primary beneficiaries, gaining access to debt relief for their service.
• Public Safety Organizations: Fire departments, ambulance services, and nonprofits that rely on volunteers; they may see increased recruitment but need to assist with hour verification.
• Student Loan Borrowers: Those in or considering these volunteer roles, particularly in public service fields.
• Department of Education: Responsible for implementation, regulations, and oversight of PSLF expansions.
• Taxpayers: Indirectly affected through higher federal expenditures on loan forgiveness.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Introduces clear definitions and verification requirements to prevent abuse, but relies on the Secretary's rulemaking authority, which could face challenges if regulations are seen as overly restrictive. Aligns with existing PSLF framework without altering core loan forgiveness mechanics.
• Constitutional: No apparent issues; the bill supports equal protection by extending benefits to vital unpaid public servants, consistent with Congress's spending power under Article I.
• Political: Highlights bipartisan support for first responders (introduced by Reps. Goldman and Fields), potentially appealing to rural and suburban voters. Could spark debates on federal loan program costs amid broader student debt reform discussions, but avoids controversial elements like income-based repayment changes.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

Recent Actions

• 2025-05-01: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-05-01: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-01: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Student Debt Act — issued 2025-05-01 — PDF (5 pages)