HR3146-119

What This Bill Does

The HEROES Act amends the Public Service Loan Forgiveness rules in Higher Education Act section 455(m). Volunteer work as a qualified volunteer firefighter or qualified volunteer emergency medical technician can count as public service if the volunteer provides firefighting, fire prevention, emergency medical, pre-hospital, ambulance, or related emergency response services for a legally recognized fire department, ambulance service, health care facility, or public safety organization and is not already a full-time employee of the same organization for that work. The Education Secretary must determine the minimum volunteer time needed to be treated as a full-time job for PSLF and must ensure the threshold is at least the active-member time required by the relevant local organization. Education must consult firefighter and emergency responder organizations and issue regulations on minimum volunteer time and tracking and verifying that volunteer time.

Who Benefits and How

Volunteer firefighters benefit because qualifying service can count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Volunteer emergency medical technicians benefit because ambulance and pre-hospital care volunteer work can qualify. Rural fire departments benefit if PSLF eligibility helps recruit and retain volunteers. Public safety nonprofits benefit because volunteer service for qualifying public safety organizations can be recognized. Communities relying on volunteer responders benefit from stronger incentives to maintain emergency response capacity.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Department of Education PSLF staff must define minimum volunteer time, write regulations, and administer verification. Fire departments and ambulance services must track volunteer time and active-member status for PSLF documentation. Student loan servicers must process new categories of qualifying public service. Federal student loan accounts bear forgiveness costs for additional qualifying borrowers.

Key Provisions

• Adds volunteer work as a qualified volunteer firefighter or emergency medical technician to PSLF qualifying service.
• Defines qualified volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians by services performed and non-full-time status with the same organization.
• Requires Education to set a minimum volunteer time threshold tied to active-member standards.
• Requires regulations on tracking and verifying volunteer time after consultation with responder organizations.