United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee 18 D cosponsors

S 4039 — Professional Degree Access Restoration Act

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 10, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 18 sponsors

    1 primary, 17 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (18 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

5 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill restores eligibility for Federal Direct Stafford loans and Federal Direct PLUS loans for graduate and professional students that were previously eliminated under Public Law 119-21.

  • 20 U.S.C. 1087e(a)(3)

    Termination of authority to make interest subsidized loans and federal direct plus loans to graduate and professional students → In general

    This change removes the termination provision that prevented graduate or professional students from receiving Federal Direct Stafford loans and Federal Direct PLUS loans.

  • 20 U.S.C. 1087e(a)(3)(A)(i)

    for any period of instruction beginning on or after July 1, 2012, → for any period of instruction beginning on or after July 1, 2012

    This change clarifies that the previous restrictions on loan eligibility apply only to instructions beginning after a specific date.

  • 20 U.S.C. 1087e(a)(3)(A)(ii)

    for any period of instruction beginning on July 1, 2012, and ending on June 30, 2026,

    This change removes the expiration date for loan eligibility for graduate and professional students.

  • 20 U.S.C. 1087e(a)(3)(C)

    Termination of authority to make Federal Direct PLUS loans to graduate and professional students

    This change eliminates the prohibition on Federal Direct PLUS loans for graduate and professional students.

  • 20 U.S.C. 1087e(a)(4)

    Graduate and professional annual and aggregate limits for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loans beginning July 1, 2026

    This change removes the specific limits on borrowing for graduate and professional students that were set to begin in 2026.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 17 co-sponsors · 529 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (17)

Not signed on (529)

529 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors S 4039?
S 4039 is sponsored by Van Hollen, Chris (Democratic), Kaine, Tim (Democratic), Duckworth, Tammy (Democratic), Wyden, Ron (Democratic), Kim, Andy (Democratic), Cantwell, Maria (Democratic), Smith, Tina (Democratic), Klobuchar, Amy (Democratic), Blumenthal, Richard (Democratic), Markey, Edward J. (Democratic), Merkley, Jeff (Democratic), Luján, Ben Ray (Democratic), Padilla, Alex (Democratic), Schiff, Adam B. (Democratic), Coons, Christopher A. (Democratic), Booker, Cory A. (Democratic), Shaheen, Jeanne (Democratic), and Alsobrooks, Angela D. (Democratic).
What is the current status of S 4039?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 10, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 4039?
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