{"bill":{"id":"119-hr-5816","congress":119,"type":"HR","number":5816,"title":"HELP FEDs Act","originChamber":"House","introducedDate":"2025-10-24","sponsors":[{"bioguideId":"C001130","fullName":"Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]","party":"D","state":"TX","district":30}],"cosponsorsCount":15,"latestAction":{"actionDate":"2025-10-24","text":"Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce."},"policyArea":"Education","subjects":[],"actions":[{"date":"2025-10-24","text":"Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-10-24","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-10-24","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false}],"summary":"<p><strong>Halting Education Loan Payments during Federal Employment Disruptions Act or the HELP FEDs Act</strong></p><p>This bill waives late fees, penalties, and other adverse actions for federal employees who miss student loan payments during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown). &nbsp;</p><p>The bill applies to education loans made, insured, or guaranteed under the Higher Education Act of 1965, including loans held by the Department of Education (ED) or contracted loan servicers.</p><p>Under the bill, a federal employee who misses a student loan payment that is due during a period of involuntary disruption of pay (i.e., the employee did not receive scheduled wages due to a lapse in appropriations) may not be assessed a late fee or penalty or be subject to other adverse actions. The bill also prohibits federal employees from incurring additional interest on such loans during an involuntary disruption of pay.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition, the bill requires ED to coordinate with credit reporting agencies and loan&nbsp;servicers to ensure that no adverse information related to delayed or missed student loan payments of a federal employee during an involuntary disruption of pay is furnished to any consumer reporting agency.&nbsp;</p><p>The bill applies retroactively to any involuntary disruption of pay occurring on or after October 1, 2025.&nbsp;</p>","updateDate":"2025-11-18T09:05:17Z"},"markets":[],"stateBills":[],"meta":{"sources":["congress.gov"],"latencyMs":474,"ts":"2026-04-15T05:38:39.210Z"},"nextActions":{"inspect":[],"related":[{"description":"Search related legislation","method":"GET","url":"/api/public/query-gov?q=HELP%20FEDs%20Act"}]}}