Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced legislation that would provide full-time fire fighters student loan forgiveness of their federal Perkins Loans. Brown’s bill, would help communities recruit fire fighters who are proficient in the latest fire protection technologies.

Brown’s legislation, the Fire Fighter Higher Education Incentive Act of 2007 would help federal, state, city, and county fire districts recruit highly educated fire fighters by forgiving their federal Perkins Student Loans. The legislation provides all employees in fire protection to be eligible for the benefit, including fire fighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMT), rescue workers, ambulance personnel, and hazardous materials workers.

Senator Brown stated, “Loan forgiveness is both well deserved and an effective recruitment tool. America’s fire fighters literally put their lives on the line for us. The least we can do is give them access to the same benefits as their public safety counterparts.”

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