Warner & Kaine Introduce Legislation to Pause Student Loans for Federal Workers, Contractors, and Military

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, (both D-VA) introducedTheShutdown Student Loans for Feds Act,legislation that would require the Department of Education to pause student loan payments for federal workers – including federal contractors and military personnel – in the event of a federal government shutdown lasting longer than two weeks. If passed, this legislation would take immediate effect for the current Republican shutdown, which has lasted 29 days.
“Virginia’s federal workers – including federal contractors and servicemembers – are the backbone of the services Americans depend on,”said Warner.“They shouldn’t be forced to shoulder financial hardship because of a shutdown they did nothing to cause. This legislation would pause federal student loan payments for our public servants and give them the relief they need while they weather this shutdown.”
“The millions of federal workers, government contractors, and military personnel who are forced to work without pay during a government shutdown shouldn’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay their student loans,”said Kaine.“That’s why I’m joining my colleagues in introducing legislation to pause student loan payments for these dedicated public servants during a shutdown. I will keep working to reopen the government, support federal workers, and protect Americans’ health care.”
In addition to Warner and Kaine, this bill is sponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). Rep. Elfreth introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and the National Education Association (NEA) have endorsedThe Shutdown Student Loans for Feds Act.
Read the full bill texthere.
Warner and Kaine have introduced several bills to support federal workers, servicemembers and contractors for the duration of the GOP shutdown, including theFederal Employee Civil Relief Act, which would protect federal workers, federal contractor employees, and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown, and theTrue Shutdown Fairness Act, which would ensure that all federal employees, as well as servicemembers and federal contractors, receive their pay for the duration of the Republicans' shutdown.
###