Bill · H.R. 3146· House(119-HR-3146)
HEROES Act
- Introduced
- 5/1/2025
- Last activity
- 5/1/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Sponsored by
- Daniel Goldman
- Cosponsors
- - 4 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The HEROES Act aims to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. It seeks to include service as a volunteer firefighter or volunteer emergency medical technician as a public service job. This change would make such individuals eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The bill defines what constitutes a qualified volunteer firefighter and a qualified volunteer emergency medical technician. It also requires the Secretary to determine the minimum volunteer time necessary to count as full-time employment.
Yes· 3 of 5
Would students be better off under this?+5
The bill creates a new pathway for students and graduates serving as volunteer first responders to have their loans forgiven.
Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay?+5
The bill expands eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to include volunteer firefighters and EMTs.
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+4
The bill provides student debt relief benefits which disproportionately benefit younger adults with student loans.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Loan Forgiveness Eligibility: By including volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians as public service workers, these individuals may become eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 2).
-
Support for Volunteer Firefighters: The bill defines a qualified volunteer firefighter as someone providing firefighting, fire prevention, or emergency services for a recognized department or public safety organization, provided they are not full-time employees (Section 2).
-
Support for Volunteer EMTs: The bill defines a qualified volunteer emergency medical technician as a trained and licensed individual providing emergency medical care or ambulance services for a healthcare facility, fire department, or public safety organization, provided they are not full-time employees (Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Uncertainty Regarding Time Requirements: There is currently no specific amount of volunteer time defined, as the Secretary must determine the minimum time required for a volunteer to be treated as a full-time employee (Section 2).
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Need for New Tracking Systems: Because of the change, new regulations and processes will need to be established to track and verify volunteer time (Section 3).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Students+5Good For Young Adults+4Good For Low Income Households+3
- Education And Technology
- Improves Student Loan Relief+5
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+2
- 10/5/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/6/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/1/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Janelle BynumDemocrat · Oregon
Christopher DeluzioDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Cleo FieldsDemocrat · Louisiana
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Josh RileyDemocrat · New York