S. 1480Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Recognizing Military Service in PSLF Act

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 2:25 AM UTC

The Recognizing Military Service in PSLF Act directs the Secretary of Education to treat each month that a borrower’s federal student loans are in deferment because the borrower is on active duty as a qualifying month toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This change helps service members who pause loan payments while serving, allowing those months to count toward the 120‑month requirement for forgiveness. It applies to borrowers with loans covered by the Higher Education Act who are on active duty as defined in the law.

Key Provisions

Amends the Higher Education Act to add a new provision that active‑duty deferment periods count as qualifying payments for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
Specifies that the Secretary of Education shall treat each month of deferment or forbearance during active duty as if the borrower made a payment toward PSLF.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

April 29, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 29, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

April 29, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 29, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1480

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 29, 2021

Ms. Hassan (for herself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Reed, Ms. Murkowski, and Ms. Duckworth) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Education to deem each month for which certain Federal student loans are in deferment during a period of active duty service as months counted toward public service loan forgiveness.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Recognizing Military Service in PSLF Act.

Active duty deferment periods counted toward public service loan forgiveness

Section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively;

(2)

in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting paragraph (3); and

(3)

by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

(2)

Active duty deferment periods

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, the Secretary shall deem each month for which a loan payment was in deferment under subsection (f)(2) of this section or for which a loan payment was in forbearance under section 685.205(a)(7) of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, (or similar successor regulations), for a borrower described in subsection (f)(2)(C) as if the borrower of the loan had made a payment for the purpose of public service loan forgiveness under this subsection.