Contact Congress about H.R. 1739: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act
Future students would get one main type of federal loan with fixed rules. Many new borrowers would lose loan forgiveness and income-based payment options. States could approve more training programs for federal aid, while schools would face new reporting rules and possible fines.
Modern Action explains legislation in plain English, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act is a House bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Latest action on H.R. 1739: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects students who borrow federal money for college, graduate school, or job training. It also affects colleges, training providers, states, and the U.S. Department of Education. Borrowers would face simpler loan rules but fewer relief options if they struggle to pay. Schools and programs could gain new paths to federal aid, but they would also face more public reporting and possible fines.
Why this matters: This bill matters because it would change both how students pay for education and what help they get if repayment becomes hard. Simpler loan rules could make borrowing easier to understand. But ending many forgiveness and income-based payment options could leave future borrowers with fewer ways to manage debt. The bill could also expand federal aid to more job training programs, while placing more risk on schools when students do not repay.
Key provisions in H.R. 1739
- After September 30, 2030, most new federal Direct Loans would be replaced by one loan called a Federal Direct simplification loan. The new loan would start July 1, 2026, and some current borrowers could keep using today’s loan types until 2030.
- The interest rate for simplification loans would be set each year from the 10-year Treasury note, a common federal borrowing benchmark. The bill would add 2.05 percentage points for undergraduates and 3.6 points for graduate or professional students, with caps of 8.25% and 9.5%.
- The bill would cap how much students can borrow each year and overall. Dependent undergraduates could borrow $7,500 a year and $30,000 total; independent undergraduates could borrow $15,000 a year and $60,000 total; graduate and professional students could borrow $18,500 a year and $74,000 total.
- Borrowers would have 15 years to repay undergraduate simplification loans and 25 years to repay graduate or professional simplification loans. Repayment would start after 125% of the normal program time, or six months after the student withdraws.
- New simplification loans could not be forgiven and could not use income-contingent repayment, which ties payments to income. For most other federal loans made on or after July 1, 2026, the bill would also phase out Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Pay As You Earn-type forgiveness, with limited protection for current students until July 1, 2030.
How Modern Action helps you take action on H.R. 1739
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about H.R. 1739
- What is H.R. 1739?
- Future students would get one main type of federal loan with fixed rules. Many new borrowers would lose loan forgiveness and income-based payment options. States could approve more training programs for federal aid, while schools would face new reporting rules and possible fines.
- How do I support or oppose H.R. 1739?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about H.R. 1739?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain H.R. 1739 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.
