```

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5091 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5091

 To provide for the basic needs of students at institutions of higher 
                               education.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 18, 2024

 Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
    Hirono, Mr. Markey, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Wyden) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To provide for the basic needs of students at institutions of higher 
                               education.

    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 ``Basic Assistance for Students In 
College Act'' or the ``BASIC Act''.

SEC. 2. DATA SHARING.

    (a) Agreements.--The Secretary of Education, in coordination with 
the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary 
of the Treasury, and the head of any other applicable Federal or State 
agency, shall maintain agreements--
            (1) to securely share data among the respective Federal 
        agencies of such Secretaries in order to identify students who 
        have applied for Federal financial aid and who are enrolled at 
        institutions of higher education (as defined in section 102 of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) who may be 
        eligible for federally funded programs to support basic needs 
        through--
                    (A) the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
                U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), a nutrition assistance program 
                carried out under section 19 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
                2028), or a nutrition assistance program carried out by 
                the Secretary of Agriculture in the Northern Mariana 
                Islands;
                    (B) the supplemental security income program under 
                title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et 
                seq.);
                    (C) the program of block grants to States for 
                temporary assistance for needy families under part A of 
                title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
                seq.);
                    (D) the special supplemental nutrition program for 
                women, infants, and children established by section 17 
                of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);
                    (E) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the 
                Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.);
                    (F) Federal housing assistance programs, including 
                tenant-based assistance under section 8(o) of the 
                United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)), 
                and public housing, as defined in section 3(b)(1) of 
                such Act (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(1));
                    (G) Federal child care assistance programs, 
                including assistance under the Child Care and 
                Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
                seq.) and the Child Care Access Means Parents in School 
                Program under section 419N of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e);
                    (H) the free and reduced price school lunch program 
                established under the Richard B. Russell National 
                School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
                    (I) refundable credit for coverage under a 
                qualified health plan under section 36B of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986;
                    (J) the Earned Income Tax Credit under section 32 
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
                    (K) the Child Tax Credit under section 24 of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
                    (L) any other federally funded program determined 
                by the Secretary to be appropriate; and
            (2) to coordinate efforts to provide assistance to 
        institutions of higher education to facilitate the enrollment 
        of eligible students in the programs described in paragraph 
        (1).
    (b) Information on Federally Funded Programs To Support Basic 
Needs.--
            (1) In general.--Section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
    ``(e) Information on Federally Funded Programs To Support Basic 
Needs.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Benefit program.--The term `benefit program' 
                means a program described in any of subparagraphs (A) 
                through (L) of section 201(a)(1) of the Basic 
                Assistance for Students In College Act.
                    ``(B) Eligible student.--The term `eligible 
                student' means any student who, as a result of 
                information submitted on the application for Federal 
                student financial aid, has been determined by the 
                Secretary (in consultation with the heads of applicable 
                Federal agencies) to be potentially eligible for a 
                benefit program.
            ``(2) Provision of information.--For each year for which an 
        eligible student submits an application for Federal student 
        financial aid, the Secretary shall send, in written and 
        electronic form, to the eligible student information regarding 
        potential eligibility for assistance under, and application 
        process for, benefit programs.
            ``(3) Inclusion.--The information provided under paragraph 
        (2) shall include a description of the appropriate State or 
        Federal resources to which to apply for each benefit 
        program.''.
            (2) Consultation.--The Secretary of Education shall consult 
        with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 
        the Secretary of the Treasury, and the head of any other 
        applicable Federal or State agency, in designing the written 
        and electronic communication regarding potential eligibility 
        for assistance under, and application process for, the benefit 
        programs (as defined in subsection (e)(1) of section 483 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090)).
    (c) Further Information on Federally Funded Programs To Support 
Basic Needs.--Section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1090)) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)(E)--
                    (A) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) an authorization under subparagraph 
                        (D) and disclosing the information as described 
                        in clause (ii), the Secretary shall provide the 
                        applicant with notification of the appropriate 
                        Federal or State resources necessary to apply 
                        for Federal and State programs that support 
                        basic needs.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(3)--
                    (A) by striking ``may enter'' and inserting ``shall 
                enter''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, and shall consult with the 
                heads of applicable Federal agencies in designing the 
                written and electronic communication regarding 
                potential eligibility for assistance under such 
                programs'' after ``may be eligible''.
    (d) Report.--The Secretary of Education, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary 
of the Treasury, and the head of any other applicable Federal or State 
agency, shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that presents 
summary statistics on students who have applied for Federal financial 
aid and who are enrolled at institutions of higher education (as 
defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1002)) and are experiencing student food insecurity and housing 
insecurity, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, income quintile, 
status as a first generation college student, Federal Pell Grant 
eligibility status, disability status, status as a student parent, sex 
(including sexual orientation and gender identity), and other 
subgroups, as determined by such heads of agencies.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF STUDENTS.

    Title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161a et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

        ``PART BB--GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF STUDENTS

``SEC. 899. GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF STUDENTS.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Basic needs.--The term `basic needs', with respect to 
        a student, means the physiological and safety necessities that 
        are central conditions for the student to learn, including--
                    ``(A) nutritious and sufficient food;
                    ``(B) safe, secure, and adequate housing (including 
                to sleep, to study, to cook, and to shower);
                    ``(C) health care to promote sustained mental and 
                physical well-being;
                    ``(D) high-quality and affordable childcare;
                    ``(E) affordable technology and internet access;
                    ``(F) accessible transportation;
                    ``(G) personal hygiene and clothing; and
                    ``(H) other costs described in paragraphs (2) 
                through (14) of section 472(a).
            ``(2) Community college.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `community college' 
                means--
                            ``(i) a public institution of higher 
                        education at which--
                                    ``(I) the highest degree awarded is 
                                an associate degree; or
                                    ``(II) an associate degree is the 
                                most frequently awarded degree, 
                                including a 2-year Tribal College or 
                                University (as defined in section 316);
                            ``(ii) a public postsecondary vocational 
                        institution (as defined in section 102(c)); or
                            ``(iii) at the designation of the 
                        Secretary, in the case of a State in which 
                        there is no community college operated or 
                        controlled by the State that meets a definition 
                        under clause (i) or (ii), a college or 
                        similarly defined and structured academic 
                        entity--
                                    ``(I) that was in existence on July 
                                1, 2023;
                                    ``(II) within a public 4-year 
                                institution of higher education; and
                                    ``(III) at which--
                                            ``(aa) the highest degree 
                                        awarded is an associate degree; 
                                        or
                                            ``(bb) an associate degree 
                                        is the most frequently awarded 
                                        degree.
            ``(3) Eligible institution.--The term `eligible 
        institution' means an institution of higher education (as 
        defined in section 101 or 102(a)(1)(B)).
    ``(b) Planning Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award planning 
        grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible institutions to 
        enable the eligible institutions to conduct research and 
        planning in accordance with paragraph (2)--
                    ``(A) to reduce incidences of--
                            ``(i) student food insecurity;
                            ``(ii) student housing insecurity; and
                            ``(iii) students experiencing homelessness; 
                        and
                    ``(B) to meet other basic needs of students.
            ``(2) Activities.--An eligible institution receiving a 
        grant under this subsection shall use grant funds to carry out 
        the following activities:
                    ``(A) Establish a basic needs steering committee 
                that will be--
                            ``(i) responsible for developing and 
                        approving the basic needs strategy described in 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                            ``(ii) comprised of relevant campus 
                        stakeholders, such as--
                                    ``(I) students who have experienced 
                                challenges in meeting basic needs;
                                    ``(II) student government 
                                representatives;
                                    ``(III) staff of the eligible 
                                institution representing the areas of 
                                student financial aid, housing, dining, 
                                student affairs, academic advising, 
                                equity support services, accessibility 
                                services, campus security, legal 
                                services, and health and well-being 
                                services (including counseling or 
                                psychological services);
                                    ``(IV) faculty;
                                    ``(V) relevant administrators, 
                                including local human services 
                                administrators;
                                    ``(VI) community-based and other 
                                nonprofit organizations; and
                                    ``(VII) representatives from local 
                                governmental agencies.
                    ``(B) Conduct research regarding--
                            ``(i) the level of unmet basic needs at the 
                        eligible institution, disaggregated by race and 
                        ethnicity, income quintile, status as a first 
                        generation college student (as defined in 
                        section 402A(h)), Federal Pell Grant 
                        eligibility status, disability status, status 
                        as a student parent, sex (including sexual 
                        orientation and gender identity), or other 
                        subgroup as determined by the eligible 
                        institution;
                            ``(ii) the presence of institutional 
                        barriers (such as award displacement) and 
                        current institutional interventions to address 
                        basic needs insecurity;
                            ``(iii) the presence of administrative 
                        barriers for students in applying, certifying 
                        eligibility, and renewing applications for 
                        means-tested benefits, and interventions to 
                        address such barriers;
                            ``(iv)(I) the resources and activities 
                        available to address basic needs of students, 
                        both on campus and off campus, as of the date 
                        of the research; and
                            ``(II) the impact of such resources and 
                        activities; and
                            ``(v) opportunities for coordination and 
                        collaboration between the eligible institution 
                        and government or community-based 
                        organizations, such as--
                                    ``(I) the local office that 
                                administers benefits under the 
                                supplemental nutrition assistance 
                                program established under the Food and 
                                Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et 
                                seq.) and carries out employment and 
                                training programs under that Act, or 
                                the temporary assistance for needy 
                                families program and subsidized 
                                programs that meet the work 
                                requirements under part A of title IV 
                                of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                601 et seq.);
                                    ``(II) organizations that 
                                participate in the Federal work-study 
                                program under part C of title IV; or
                                    ``(III) low-income housing 
                                assistance organizations, including 
                                such organizations assisting with 
                                tenant-based assistance under section 
                                8(o) of the United States Housing Act 
                                of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)), and 
                                public housing (as defined in section 
                                3(b) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))).
                    ``(C) Develop a basic needs strategy that describes 
                the means by which the eligible institution will--
                            ``(i) seek to address or meet the basic 
                        needs of students through on-campus and off-
                        campus providers; and
                            ``(ii) incorporate the research conducted 
                        under subparagraph (B), including with respect 
                        to the subgroups identified under clause (i) of 
                        that subparagraph, into the basic needs 
                        strategy.
                    ``(D) Implement the strategy described in 
                subparagraph (C), including by--
                            ``(i) conducting outreach to encourage 
                        students to participate in programs that 
                        provide basic needs or reduce basic needs 
                        insecurity;
                            ``(ii) educating students about Federal, 
                        State, local, and Tribal assistance programs, 
                        supporting student applications for those 
                        programs, and providing case management and 
                        training for students to maximize the 
                        assistance that students and their families 
                        receive to reduce basic needs insecurity;
                            ``(iii) coordinating and collaborating with 
                        Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies or 
                        community-based organizations;
                            ``(iv) hiring and training personnel to 
                        build infrastructure and implement programming 
                        to reduce basic needs insecurity at the 
                        eligible institution; and
                            ``(v) carrying out other matters determined 
                        to be appropriate by the Secretary.
            ``(3) Grant amounts; duration.--
                    ``(A) Amount.--The amount of a grant under this 
                subsection shall be not more than $75,000.
                    ``(B) Duration.--A grant under this subsection 
                shall be for a period of not more than 2 years.
            ``(4) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the end of the 
        planning grant period under this subsection, each eligible 
        institution that receives such a grant shall submit to the 
        Secretary a report that describes the outcomes of the planning 
        grant, regardless of whether the eligible institution intends 
        to apply for an implementation grant.
    ``(c) Implementation Grants.--
            ``(1) Award.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall award 
                implementation grants, on a competitive basis, to 
                eligible institutions to enable the eligible 
                institutions to develop infrastructure to meet the 
                basic needs of students by--
                            ``(i) implementing--
                                    ``(I) a basic needs strategy 
                                developed under subsection (b)(2)(C); 
                                or
                                    ``(II) another existing basic needs 
                                plan approved by the Secretary; and
                            ``(ii) carrying out the activities 
                        described in paragraph (2).
                    ``(B) Ongoing external funding.--To be eligible to 
                receive an implementation grant under this paragraph, 
                an eligible institution shall identify, in the 
                application for the grant, an ongoing non-Federal 
                funding mechanism to support the activities carried out 
                using grant funds after the expiration of the grant 
                period.
            ``(2) Activities.--An eligible institution receiving a 
        grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to carry 
        out at least 2 of the following activities:
                    ``(A) Providing to eligible students free or 
                subsidized food, secure sleeping arrangements, 
                temporary housing, priority access to existing on-
                campus child care, and other basic needs.
                    ``(B) Conducting outreach to students to reduce 
                stigma associated with, and educate and encourage 
                students to participate in, programs and services 
                (including programs and services provided through grant 
                funding) to meet basic needs.
                    ``(C) Educating students about public assistance 
                programs (including State and local public assistance 
                programs, the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
                et seq.), Federal housing assistance programs, and 
                other income-based Federal assistance programs), 
                supporting student applications for those programs, and 
                providing case management and training for students to 
                maximize the public assistance that students and their 
                families receive to meet basic needs.
                    ``(D) Coordination and collaboration between the 
                eligible institution and government or community-based 
                organizations, such as the local office that 
                administers benefits through the supplemental nutrition 
                assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 
                2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) or a low-income housing 
                assistance organization.
                    ``(E) Purchasing materials, equipment, 
                transportation, or facilities to reduce incidences of 
                food and housing insecurity and address the basic needs 
                of students at the eligible institution.
                    ``(F) Hiring and training personnel to build and 
                improve basic needs infrastructure and implement 
                programming to provide assistance in applying for, and 
                accessing, direct support services, financial 
                assistance, or means-tested benefits programs to meet 
                the basic needs of students.
                    ``(G) Other activities or services determined to be 
                appropriate by the Secretary.
            ``(3) Grant amounts; duration.--
                    ``(A) Amount.--The amount of a grant under this 
                subsection shall be not more than $1,000,000 for each 
                5-year period.
                    ``(B) Duration.--A grant under this subsection 
                shall be for a period of 5 years.
            ``(4) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
        Congress a report that describes--
                    ``(A) the impact on eligible students of grants 
                provided under this subsection;
                    ``(B) the obstacles faced by recipients of grants 
                under this subsection;
                    ``(C) successful outcomes of grants under this 
                subsection;
                    ``(D) best practices for the provision of basic 
                services to eligible students; and
                    ``(E) Federal and State policy barriers to meeting 
                the basic needs of students at institutions of higher 
                education.
            ``(5) Best practices.--The Secretary shall disseminate to 
        eligible institutions information about best practices, as 
        described in paragraph (4)(D).
            ``(6) Evaluation.--For the purpose of evaluating the 
        effectiveness of funds awarded under this subsection, the 
        Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of each grant under this 
        subsection to determine the impact on students, including 
        improvements in retention, progression, transfer, attainment, 
        and basic needs security, as applicable.
    ``(d) Reservation; Priority; Equitable Distribution.--
            ``(1) Reservation.--In awarding grants under subsections 
        (b) and (c), the Secretary shall reserve--
                    ``(A) an amount equal to not less than 25 percent 
                of the total amount available for grants under those 
                subsections for grant awards to community colleges; and
                    ``(B) an amount equal to not less than 25 percent 
                of the total amount available for grants under those 
                subsections for grant awards to historically Black 
                colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges and 
                Universities, and other minority-serving institutions.
            ``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsections (b) 
        and (c), the Secretary shall give priority to the following:
                    ``(A) Eligible institutions with respect to which 
                not fewer than 25 percent of enrolled students are 
                students that are eligible to receive a Federal Pell 
                Grant under subpart 1 of part A of title IV.
                    ``(B) Eligible institutions described in section 
                371(a).
            ``(3) Equitable distribution.--In awarding grants under 
        subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary shall ensure an 
        equitable distribution of grant awards to eligible institutions 
        in States, based on State population.
    ``(e) Personnel Expenses Limitations.--
            ``(1) Planning grants.--An eligible institution that 
        receives a planning grant under subsection (b) may use not more 
        than 50 percent of grant funds for personnel expenses.
            ``(2) Implementation grants.--An eligible institution that 
        receives an implementation grant under subsection (c) may use 
        not more than 75 percent of grant funds for personnel expenses.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2025 through 2031, of which--
            ``(1) $40,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to 
        provide planning grants under subsection (b); and
            ``(2) $960,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to 
        provide implementation grants under subsection (c).''.
                                 <all>
```