119th Congress · introduced in the House · Feb 27, 2025
Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Feb 27, 2025): Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Education
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Feb 27, 2025)
Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act
This bill revises requirements governing student loans and the accreditation of institutions of higher education (IHEs).
Specifically, the bill consolidates federal student loans into one student loan program and phases out loan forgiveness for borrowers.
Additionally, the bill makes postsecondary education courses and programs (e.g., apprenticeship programs) that provide credits toward a postsecondary certification, credential, or degree eligible for federal student aid funding if the courses and programs are accredited by a state that has an alternative accreditation agreement with the Department of Education (ED).
The bill requires IHEs to publish certain enrollment and financial aid information, including (1) the percentage of former financial aid recipients who are employed at various intervals following graduation, and (2) the average amount of total federal student loan debt accrued upon graduation. The Government Accountability Office must compile, study, and report on all such information published by IHEs. Further, the bill prohibits the disclosure of personally identifiable information and directs ED to establish penalties for violations.
Lastly, the bill requires an IHE to pay a default rate fine for a fiscal year in an amount that is equal to the applicable percentage of outstanding federal student loans (i.e., the total amount of loans issued to students for attendance at the IHE for which regular on-time payments are not being made). An IHE shall receive a $400 credit for each graduate of the IHE who received a Federal Pell Grant while enrolled at the IHE during the fiscal year.
No cosponsors.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
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Congressional oversight · Education programs funding · Employment and training programs · Government information and archives · Government lending and loan guarantees · Government studies and investigations · Higher education · Interest, dividends, interest rates · Licensing and registrations · Right of privacy · State and local government operations · Student aid and college costs · Student records · Unemployment · User charges and fees · Vocational and technical education · Wages and earnings
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 24, 2026.
8 citations.
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Education
$220,000
Spent on own lobbying
Issues pertaining to federal student loan programs; Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans); H.R. 6498, "The Student Financial Clarity Act" (all provision…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2026 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026) · posted Jul 20, 2026 · issue area: Education
$220,000
Spent on own lobbying
Issues pertaining to federal student loan programs; Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans); H.R. 6498, "The Student Financial Clarity Act" (all provision…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · amended · posted Jul 20, 2026 · issue area: Education
$410,000
Spent on own lobbying
Issues pertaining to federal student loan programs; S. 308: Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans); H.R. 6498, The Student Financial Clarity Act (all provisions)…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 20, 2026 · issue area: Education
$190,000
Spent on own lobbying
Issues pertaining to federal student loan programs; S. 308: Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans); H.R. 6498, The Student Financial Clarity Act (all provisions)…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 20, 2025 · issue area: Education
$260,000
Spent on own lobbying
…udent loan programs; S. 308: Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.Con.Res.14 (issues pertaining to federal student loan programs); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans); H.R. 1, an Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titl…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2025 Q2 report (Apr 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2025) · posted Jul 21, 2025 · issue area: Education
$320,000
Spent on own lobbying
…udent loan programs; S. 308: Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.Con.Res.14 (issues pertaining to federal student loan programs); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans); H.R. 1, an Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titl…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SLM CORPORATION · lobbying firm or registrant: SLM CORPORATION
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · posted Apr 21, 2025 · issue area: Education
$1,060,000
Spent on own lobbying
…udent loan programs; S. 308: Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act (all provisions); H.Con.Res.14 (issues pertaining to federal student loan programs); H.R. 1739/S. 801: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act (issues pertaining to federal student loans).
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
ACCESSLEX INSTITUTE (FKA ACCESS GROUP, INC.) · lobbying firm or registrant: ACCESSLEX INSTITUTE (FKA ACCESS GROUP, INC.)
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · posted Apr 10, 2025 · issue area: Education
Amount not reported
- Budget reconciliation (Grad PLUS, PSLF, IDR plans) - Oppose S. 308, the Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans (GOAL) Act - Oppose H.R.1739, the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO) Act - Oppose S. 801, the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO) Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. View filing