September 4, 2026
Mr. Foster (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Adams, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Carson, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Craig, Mr. Figures, Mr. García of Illinois, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow certain payments made by public service employees to qualify for public service repayment, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Inclusion Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Qualifying payments
(a) In general
Section 455(m)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(1)(A)) is amended—
(1)
by amending clause (iii) to read as follows:
(iii)
monthly payments under a repayment plan under subsection (d)(1) or (g)—
(I)
with respect to the first 60 monthly payments, without regard to the amount of such payment; and
(II)
with respect to each subsequent monthly payment, of not less than the monthly amount calculated under subsection (d)(1)(A), based on a 10-year repayment period;;
(2)
in clause (iv), by striking or
at the end;
(3)
in clause (v), by striking and
at the end and inserting or
; and
(4)
by adding at the end the following:
(vi)
monthly payments under the standard repayment plan under subsection (d)(7)(A)(i); and
(b) Suspended payments
Section 455(m)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(C) Monthly payment
The term monthly payment includes a payment described in clauses (i) through (vi) of paragraph (1)(A) that would have been made by a borrower for a month during any period in which—
(i)
repayment is suspended by reason of administrative forbearance; and
(ii)
the borrower is employed in a public service job.
(c) Notification to borrowers; applicability
(1) Notification
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall—
(A)
inform each borrower of a loan made under part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) of—
(i)
subclause (I) of section 455(m)(1)(A)(iii) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(1)(A)(iii)), as added by this Act;
(ii)
subparagraph (C) of section 455(m)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(3)), as added by this Act; and
(iii)
the effect of such subclause and such subparagraph on loan cancellation under section 455(m) (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)); and
(B)
provide information to such borrowers on how to change repayment plans.
(2) Applicability
The amendment made by subsection (a) with respect to payment amounts of the first 60 monthly payments under section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) shall apply to borrowers who, on or after the date of the enactment of this section, have made fewer than 120 monthly payments pursuant to such section.