Currently, members of the 119th Congress are considering reforms to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that could pose harm to their communities and constituents back home. These potential reforms fail to evaluate impacts on members’ communities. By proposing changes that create uncertainty for borrowers, and therefore employers, Congress will reduce the availability of necessary services to the public, most notably in times of crisis. People interested in the PSLF program need to let their Members of Congress know why the program exists and what it makes possible back home.
Members of the ABA have worked to create and defend the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program since its inception in 2007. The program was enacted by Congress in response to a critical deficit in highly skilled jobs such as prosecutors, public defenders, legal aid lawyers, teachers, nurses, and doctors providing public services to communities across the country. The barrier of the student loan debt often incurred to get a professional license prevented talented young professionals from pursuing modest-paying careers in public service. By providing a solution to that deterrent, PSLF helped close the gap between vacant positions and graduates willing and able to fill them.
This past year has been marred by severe natural disasters across the nation. Relief responses in North Carolina and California were and continue to be made possible by public service professionals in government and nonprofit jobs who are relying on PSLF to help pay for the advanced education their jobs require. The program works by offering forgiveness in exchange for at least ten years of service in a qualifying job while making timely payments on eligible loans, but the program’s success is measured by whether communities are receiving the services they need.
What Can You Do to Protect PSLF?
Modest changes to the PSLF statute and regulations may be helpful to improve the program. In considering changes though, the ABA urges Congress to ensure that they are well researched, backed by data, and focused on preserving the program’s integrity rather than compromising its purpose. In light of recent attempts to do otherwise, we urge legal and other professionals to join our ABA Online campaign and share your experience with PSLF. Hearing your successes with the program will help educate members of Congress on its importance and ongoing accomplishments. Click here to learn more about registering for ABA Day 2025 and submit your PSLF story.