SHRM Backs Bill Enhancing Military Members’ Access to Student Loan Forgiveness Program

SHRM has issued a letter of support for H.R. 7477, the Ensuring Military Access to Higher Education Benefits Act, which was introduced earlier this year.

The bipartisan legislation would require the secretary of defense to complete a data-matching agreement with the secretary of education to ensure that individuals who are current or former active-duty military service members or civilian employees—and who are otherwise eligible for assistance under the public service loan forgiveness program (PSLF)—have their periods of employment automatically certified and counted toward the PSLF program.

In a May 14 letter to Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., who introduced the bill in February, and Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., one of the original co-sponsors, SHRM noted that the legislation “is a pragmatic approach to enhance access to the PSLF for military personnel.”

“It ensures that service members receive due recognition for their military service and aids them in acquiring skills crucial for advancing their military careers or smoothly transitioning to civilian employment,” wrote Emily M. Dickens, SHRM chief of staff, head of government affairs, and corporate secretary.

The Department of Education (DOE) announced in 2021 that it would automatically count military members’ service toward the program instead of requiring them to go through a lengthy and complicated certification process.

“However, the change was never implemented because the [DOE] and the Department of Defense failed to finalize a critical data-sharing agreement,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., in a press release. She and Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., are the bill’s other original co-sponsors.

Making the business case for attracting, hiring, and retaining veterans, the SHRM Foundation found that 80 percent of HR representatives reported that veterans have the educational backgrounds they need and 78 percent of HR professionals said that veterans have the necessary technical expertise. Further insight can be found in the Foundation’s report titled Unlocking the Potential of the Veteran Workforce.

“Military members have earned these benefits through blood, sweat, and service for their country, but far too many never receive the student loan forgiveness owed to them because of bureaucratic hurdles,” Peters said. “The federal government knows exactly who these benefits apply to—it just needs to share that data across agencies.”

Dickens noted in SHRM’s letter that 77 percent of organizations reported having difficulty recruiting for full-time regular positions and nearly half reported difficulty retaining full-time regular employees in the last 12 months.

“This legislation will help employers fill these gaps with qualified service members transitioning to the civilian workforce,” she wrote.

Van Orden, Davis, and Stefanik sit on the House Armed Services Committee. Van Orden is a retired Navy SEAL. Davis was a commissioned officer in the Air Force, where he actively served for eight years and coordinated Air Force One and CODEL operations at Andrews Air Force Base. Stefanik serves on the Intelligence Special Operations, Strategic Forces, and Military Personnel subcommittees and also serves as the House Republican Conference Chair. Peters co-chairs the House Special Operations Forces Caucus.

SHRM Online collected the following news articles and resources on this topic.

How Military Student Loan Forgiveness Works in 2024

Those serving in the military may be eligible for military student loan forgiveness. Military forgiveness programs come with conditions and aren’t available to everyone, but they can be quite generous for those who qualify. And for military members who aren’t eligible, there are still a variety of benefits that may be available, such as interest waivers and repayment postponement.

(The Motley Fool)

Public Service Loan Forgiveness: What It Is, How It Works

PSLF discharges your remaining federal student loan balance after you make 10 years’ worth of payments while working for the government or a nonprofit.

(NerdWallet) 

Student Veterans: A Valuable Asset to Higher Education

Since August 2009, colleges and universities have seen over 2 million veterans return to school to obtain associate, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees across the U.S. With the implementation of the GI Bill along with a global workforce that requires, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree for marketplace entry, more and more veterans are aspiring for higher degrees to launch the next chapter of their lives.

(Syracuse University)