Clean Slate through Repayment Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 8351

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Education

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-04-16: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2026-04-24T19:52:27Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose The legislation aims to help borrowers who have repaid defaulted federal student loans by removing the default record from their credit history. It amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require credit reporting agencies to delete this information once the loan is paid in full.

Key Provisions

• The bill adds a new Section 494A to Part G of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
• When a borrower fully repays a defaulted loan made, insured, or guaranteed under Title IV, the Secretary of Education, guaranty agency, or loan holder must request that any consumer reporting agency remove the default and any related negative information from the borrower's credit report.
• The short title of the bill is the "Clean Slate through Repayment Act of 2026."

Significant Changes to Existing Law Current rules under the Higher Education Act allow defaults to remain on credit reports even after repayment. This bill introduces a mandatory removal process upon full repayment, shifting from optional or time-limited reporting to an affirmative requirement to delete the record.

Potential Impacts

• On citizens: Borrowers who repay defaulted loans could see improved credit scores and access to better financial opportunities.
• On government agencies: The Department of Education and guaranty agencies would gain new responsibilities to coordinate with credit bureaus for record removal.
• On consumer reporting agencies: These entities would need to process removal requests for affected loans.
• No notable effects on international relations are addressed in the bill.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Student loan borrowers with defaulted Title IV loans.
• The U.S. Department of Education and guaranty agencies.
• Consumer reporting agencies (credit bureaus).
• Holders of federal student loans.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill directly modifies federal education law to alter credit reporting practices for student loans, potentially raising questions about the interaction between federal student aid rules and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. It does not include enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

Recent Actions

• 2026-04-16: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2026-04-16: Introduced in House
• 2026-04-16: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Clean Slate through Repayment Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-16 — PDF (2 pages)