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H.R. 6502: COVID-19 Graduate Relief Act

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H.R. 6502: COVID-19 Graduate Relief Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-04-14 · Education · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-04-14 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-10] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

COVID-19 Graduate Relief Act

Plain summary

COVID-19 Graduate Relief Act This bill allows students who graduate from institutions of higher education in 2020 to defer payments on their federal student loans for up to three years. The Department of Education (ED) may extend deferment eligibility to students who graduate in 2021 and 2022, if ED determines that the anticipated economic impact of the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19 or another coronavirus with pandemic potential) on these graduates necessitates an extension. ED must consider certain factors, such as recent unemployment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, when determining whether to extend deferment eligibility to these graduates.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

COVID-19 Graduate Relief Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-10] · 13 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Mike Levin (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-10] reported raising $4.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr6502 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116