WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, both D-N.H., joined 13 colleagues in introducing legislation to overhaul the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

The What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019 would ensure that millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, emergency responders, nurses, public defenders, and other public service professionals will qualify for the loan forgiveness they have earned.

“Hard-working Granite Staters and Americans who dedicate their careers to serving their country deserve the student loan forgiveness they are promised under the law and that they have earned,” Hassan said. “This legislation would overhaul the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and increase eligibility for the program in order to ease the burden of student debt that is holding far too many of these public servants back.”

“The tradition of public service is ingrained in New Hampshire, but too many Granite Staters struggle with the burden of student loan debt that prevents them from serving their communities,” Shaheen said. “We should be rewarding and assisting people who want to give back.

This legislation would incentivize public service and rewards public servants for their hard work to strengthen our communities.”

The act of 2019 would allow all types of federal loans to qualify; allow all federal repayment plans to qualify; ensure that the Department of Education provides public servants with clearer information and guidance; allow borrowers to receive a partial forgiveness benefit after five years of public service; and simplify the application and certification process.

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