I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5816 
To prohibit penalties, interest accrual, negative credit implications, or other 
adverse actions for qualified student loans for Federal employees during 
a lapse in Federal funding. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 24, 2025 
Ms. CROCKETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To prohibit penalties, interest accrual, negative credit impli-
cations, or other adverse actions for qualified student 
loans for Federal employees during a lapse in Federal 
funding. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Halting Education 
Loan Payments during Federal Employment Disruptions 
Act’’ or the ‘‘HELP FEDs Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:03 Oct 24, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5816.IH
H5816
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) FEDERAL EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘‘Federal 
employee’’ means— 
(A) an employee as defined in section 2105 
of title 5, United States Code; 
(B) an employee as defined in section 2107 
of title 5, United States Code; and 
(C) a judicial employee as defined in sec-
tion 13101(9) of title 5, United States Code. 
(2) QUALIFIED EDUCATION LOAN.—The term 
‘‘qualified education loan’’ means any loan made, in-
sured, or guaranteed under the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071–1087ii), including 
loans held by the Department of Education or con-
tracted loan servicers. 
(3) INVOLUNTARY DISRUPTION OF PAY.—The 
term ‘‘involuntary disruption of pay’’ means a situa-
tion where a Federal employee does not receive their 
scheduled wages due to a lapse in funding resulting 
in the Federal Government to cease operations as 
identified under section 1341 of title 31, United 
States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:03 Oct 24, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5816.IH
H5816
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 3. PROTECTION FROM PENALTIES AND ADVERSE 
CREDIT ACTIONS DURING INVOLUNTARY DIS-
RUPTION OF PAY. 
(a) WAIVER OF PENALTIES AND LATE FEES.—No 
Federal employee shall be assessed any late fee, penalty, 
or other adverse action on any qualified education loan 
for any payment missed due during a period of involuntary 
disruption of pay. 
(b) WAIVER ON INTEREST ACCRUAL.—No Federal 
employee shall incur additional interest on any qualified 
education loan during a period of involuntary disruption 
of pay. 
(c) NO ADVERSE CREDIT REPORTING.—The Sec-
retary of Education shall coordinate with credit reporting 
agencies and loan servicers to ensure that no adverse in-
formation related to delayed or missed payments of a Fed-
eral employee described in subsection (a) is furnished to 
any consumer reporting agency, as defined in section 603 
of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a). 
(d) RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.—This section shall 
apply retroactively to any instance of involuntary disrup-
tion of pay occurring on or after October 1, 2025. The 
Secretary shall coordinate with credit reporting agencies 
and loan servicers to remove any adverse credit informa-
tion that was inappropriately reported. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:03 Oct 24, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5816.IH
H5816
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education, in 
coordination with the Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management, the Administrative Office of the United 
States Courts, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, 
and Secretary of the Senate, shall issue regulations and 
guidance for the Department, borrowers, loan servicers, 
and credit agencies necessary to implement this Act within 
30 days of the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) 
COMPLIANCE
AND
ENFORCEMENT.—Loan 
servicers and credit reporting agencies shall cooperate 
fully with the Secretary of Education in implementing this 
Act. 
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to excuse the 
full repayment of qualified education loans or to eliminate 
any otherwise existing repayment obligation. 
SEC. 6. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act, or the application of such 
provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be in-
valid, the remainder of this Act shall not be affected. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:03 Oct 24, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5816.IH
H5816
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB