{"bill":{"id":"119-hr-2829","congress":119,"type":"HR","number":2829,"title":"SERVICE Act","originChamber":"House","introducedDate":"2025-04-10","sponsors":[{"bioguideId":"C001069","fullName":"Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]","party":"D","state":"CT","district":2}],"cosponsorsCount":5,"latestAction":{"actionDate":"2025-04-10","text":"Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce."},"policyArea":"Education","subjects":[],"actions":[{"date":"2025-04-10","text":"Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-04-10","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-04-10","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false}],"summary":"<p><strong>Strengthening Efforts for Relief and Vital Incentives for Community Service and Engagement Act or the SERVICE Act</strong></p><p>This bill&nbsp;makes changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.</p><p>Under the current PSLF program, the Department of Education (ED) must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower's Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job and, at the time of loan forgiveness, the borrower is employed in a public service job.</p><p>Among other changes to the PSLF program, this bill&nbsp;</p><ul><li>reduces from 120 to 96 the number of monthly payments required for loan forgiveness;</li><li>expands qualifying monthly payments, deferments, and forbearances allowed under the PSLF program;</li><li>removes the requirement that a borrower must be employed in a public service job at the time of loan forgiveness;</li><li>establishes a reconsideration process&nbsp;for&nbsp;borrowers who have their initial PSLF application denied; and</li><li>prohibits interest capitalization on loans after deferment or forbearance.</li></ul><p>The bill directs ED to (1) establish an online portal that provides borrowers with information on loans and the&nbsp;PSLF program, and (2) establish and regularly update a database listing public service jobs.</p><p>The bill allows an eligible teacher to use the same teaching service to qualify for both the Teacher Loan Forgiveness program and the PSLF program.</p><p>The Government Accountability Office must study and report on the feasibility of establishing data matching agreements for PSLF that&nbsp;allows borrowers to forgo requesting employment certification from their employer.</p>","updateDate":"2026-03-26T18:51:18Z"},"markets":[],"stateBills":[],"meta":{"sources":["congress.gov"],"latencyMs":293,"ts":"2026-04-19T09:54:52.941Z"},"nextActions":{"inspect":[],"related":[{"description":"Search related legislation","method":"GET","url":"/api/public/query-gov?q=SERVICE%20Act"}]}}