Dear Representatives Houlahan and Fitzpatrick,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 3267, the “Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Payment Completion Fairness Act.”
An officer’s route for advancement is highly dependent on education, which can be a large hurdle for entry level officers who may not be able to afford higher education. In fact, a 2017 survey of 958 police agencies found that only 51.8% of officers had two-year degrees, 30.2% had four-year college degrees, and 5.4% had graduate degrees.
Under the current PSLF program, the Department of Education must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower’s Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job. The PSLF Payment Completion Fairness Act would eliminate a technicality in the law that requires an applicant to be employed in a public service job at the time of forgiveness. Correcting the statute in this way would enable our nation’s public servants, who serve and protect their communities, to receive a better education and, in turn, will help them to be better law enforcement officers, first responders, and teachers.
On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, thank you both for your leadership on this issue. If I can provide any additional information or support for this effort, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President