[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4373 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4373
To improve the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2014
Mr. Hinojosa (for himself, Mr. Vargas, Mrs. Negrete McLeod, Ms. Hahn,
Mr. Sires, Mr. Castro of Texas, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Gene Green of
Texas, Ms. Chu, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Fudge, Mr.
Richmond, Mr. Payne, Mr. Bishop of New York, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of
California, Mr. Vela, Mr. O'Rourke, Mr. Cuellar, and Mr. Moran)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pell Grant Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to restore the role of Federal Pell
Grants as the foundational Federal investment in higher education, in
order to strengthen the economy of the United States by improving
opportunities for low-income students to complete higher education and
join the middle class.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Federal Pell Grants provided under section 401 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) (referred to in
this Act as ``Federal Pell Grants'') have historically been the
fundamental Federal investment in helping low-income students
pay for college and enter the middle class. In the 1979-1980
academic year, the maximum Federal Pell Grant paid for 77
percent of the average cost of attendance at an in-State, 4-
year institution of higher education. However, in the 2012-2013
academic year, the maximum Federal Pell Grant covered only
about 30 percent of that average cost of attendance.
(2) The program providing Federal Pell Grants already acts
as a quasi-entitlement, in which both mandatory funding and
discretionary funding combine to maintain a maximum Federal
Pell Grant amount.
(3) The Congressional Budget Office reports on any overall
financial surplus or shortfall in the funding provided for the
Federal Pell Grant program. However, in recent years, in order
to meet the maximum Federal Pell Grant level with the provided
level of funding, Congress has made cuts to the program through
imposing additional eligibility requirements for Federal Pell
Grants and limiting the availability of year-round Federal Pell
Grants, causing significant uncertainty and reducing access to
higher education for millions of hardworking college students.
(4) Removing the Federal Pell Grant program from the
uncertainty of the congressional discretionary appropriations
process will improve student access to, and the affordability
of, higher education.
(5) The ``traditional student'' who attends college for 4
years immediately after high school is now a minority of
college students today. Ambitious students now need more
flexibility to attend school year-round while juggling work
schedules.
(6) Section 1860 of the Department of Defense and Full-Year
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (Public Law 112-10, 125
Stat. 169) eliminated the provision of the Federal Pell Grant
program of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et
seq.) that allowed 2 Federal Pell Grant awards per year,
creating significant hardship for many students trying to take
courses over the summer or outside the traditional school
calendar. Allowing students to continue to receive Federal Pell
Grants in successive semesters, without a gap, would reduce the
time needed to complete their degrees.
SEC. 4. CONVERTING THE TRADITIONAL FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM TO A
MANDATORY SPENDING PROGRAM.
(a) Legislative Provisions.--Section 401(b) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by striking clauses (i) and (ii) and
inserting the following:
``(i)(I) for award year 2014-2015, $5,730;
or
``(II) for award year 2015-2016 and each
subsequent award year, the amount of the
maximum Federal Pell Grant determined under
this clause for the immediately preceding award
year, increased by a percentage equal to the
estimated percentage increase, if any, in the
Consumer Price Index (as determined by the
Secretary, using the definition in section
478(f)) for the most recent calendar year
ending prior to the beginning of that award
year; plus
``(ii) any additional amount specified for
the maximum Federal Pell Grant in the last
enacted appropriation Act applicable to that
award year, less''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(C)(i) For fiscal year 2015 and each succeeding fiscal year,
there are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to provide, in combination
with any amounts separately appropriated under subparagraph (A)(ii),
Federal Pell Grants under this section in the amount specified in
subparagraph (A) to all eligible students.
``(ii) The amounts made available by clause (i) for any fiscal year
shall be available beginning on October 1 of that fiscal year, and
shall remain available through September 30 of the succeeding fiscal
year.''; and
(2) by striking paragraph (7).
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
apply with respect to Federal Pell Grants awarded under section 401 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) for award year 2015-
2016 and each succeeding award year.
SEC. 5. YEAR-ROUND FEDERAL PELL GRANT STUDENTS.
(a) In General.--Section 401(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)), as amended by section 4, is further amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(7) Year-Round Federal Pell Grant Students.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
this subsection, the Secretary shall award, to an eligible
student who has received a Federal Pell Grant for an award year
and is enrolled in a program of study for 1 or more additional
payment periods during the same award year that are not
otherwise covered by the student's Federal Pell Grant, an
additional Federal Pell Grant for the additional payment
periods.
``(B) Amounts.--In the case of a student receiving more
than one Federal Pell Grant in a single award year under
subparagraph (A), the total amount of the Federal Pell Grants
awarded to such student for the award year may exceed the total
maximum Federal Pell Grant for such award year, as calculated
under clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (2)(A).
``(C) Inclusion in duration limit.--Any period of study
covered by a Federal Pell Grant awarded under subparagraph (A)
shall be included in determining a student's duration limit
under subsection (c)(5).
``(8) Crossover Period.--In any case where an eligible student is
receiving a Federal Pell Grant for a payment period that spans 2 award
years, the Secretary shall allow the eligible institution in which the
student is enrolled to determine the award year to which the additional
period shall be assigned.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on July 1, 2014.
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