49–006 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 109–553 

TO AMEND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE ACCESS ACT OF 1999 

TO REAUTHORIZE FOR 5 ADDITIONAL YEARS THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 

SCHOOL TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE 

ACT 

JULY 11, 2006.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, from the Committee on Government 

Reform, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 4855] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Government Reform, to whom was referred 

the bill (H.R. 4855) to amend the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 to reauthorize for 5 additional years the public and 

private school tuition assistance programs established under the 

Act, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without 

amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Committee Statement and Views ........................................................................... 2 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 2 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Section-by-Section .................................................................................................... 3 

Explanation of Amendments ................................................................................... 3 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Rollcall Votes ............................................................................................................ 3 

Application of Law to the Legislative Branch ....................................................... 3 

Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee ...... 4 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 4 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 4 

Federal Advisory Committee Act ............................................................................ 4 

Unfunded Mandate Statement ............................................................................... 4 

Committee Estimate ................................................................................................ 4 

Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .................... 5 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 5 


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COMMITTEE STATEMENT AND VIEWS

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 4855 amends the District of Columbia College Access Act of 

1999 to reauthorize the District of Columbia Tuition Assistance 

Grant Program (TAG) for five additional years. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

In 1999, Congress passed P.L. 106–98, the District of Columbia 

College Access Act, authorizing the establishment of a Tuition Assistance Grant Program in the Nation’s Capital. The Program provides limited financial assistance to D.C. high school graduates 

pursuing higher education opportunities in other states. The original legislation authorized funding for the Program for five years 

(FY00–FY05). In 2004, Congress reauthorized the College Access 

Act for an additional two years, through fiscal year 2007 (see P.L. 

108–457). 

The original purpose of the District of Columbia College Access 

Act was twofold. First, the legislation was intended to address the 

District of Columbia’s lack of a state university system by providing D.C. high school graduates with access to higher education 

opportunities available to residents of other States. The District of 

Columbia is not a state and does not have a state education system 

to provide affordable higher education opportunities for its high 

school graduates. As bill sponsor Chairman Tom Davis said when 

the legislation passed the House in November 1999: ‘‘College bound 

seniors in each of the 50 states have a vast network of state-supported institutions to attend. This bill seeks to level the playing 

field for D.C. residents.’’ The second purpose of the legislation was 

to deter tax-paying families in the District from moving to surrounding states in order to take advantage of in-state higher education options available to residents in other states, thus depriving 

the District of much needed tax revenue. TAG has been a key component of the District’s revitalization efforts, and it is critical that 

this support is continued. 

TAG covers the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition rates, up to $10,000 per year, for District of Columbia high 

school graduates that attend public colleges and universities in 

other states. Additionally, the TAG provides $2,500 annually in tuition assistance to D.C. high school graduates who attend private 

colleges and universities in the counties surrounding the District. 

Finally, an amendment to the legislation in 2001 authorized TAP 

to provide $2,500 annually to D.C. high school graduates who attend private Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the country. 

In conjunction with TAG, the private sector established a similar 

program, the District of Columbia College Access Program, by providing additional financial assistance to D.C. high school graduates 

pursuing college degrees. Additionally, the private sector program 

has placed college counselors in public high schools in the District 

to educate and counsel high school students on the options available to them after graduation. A consortium of 17 private sector 

companies and foundations fund the non-profit DCCAP organization and provide the money for the scholarships for the D.C. high 

school graduates. 


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As evidenced by the 4,700 students currently enrolled in the program to attend colleges and universities across the country, as well 

as the proposed increase to $35 million for the program in the 

President’s fiscal year 2007 budget, the District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program is undeniably a successful federal 

program. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On March 2, 2006, Chairman Tom Davis and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced H.R. 4855, to amend the District 

of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 to reauthorize the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program for five additional years. The bill 

was referred to the House Committee on Government Reform. On 

March 9, 2006, the Committee met in open session and ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 4855, by voice vote, a quorum being 

present. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION

Section 1. 5-year reauthorization of tuition assistance programs. 

This section would reauthorize the Tuition Assistance Grant Program for an additional five years, through fiscal year 2012. This 

section would amend sections 3(i) and 5(f) of the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 by striking ‘‘each of the 7 succeeding 

fiscal years’’ and inserting ‘‘each of the 12 succeeding fiscal years’’. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

No amendments were adopted in committee. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On March 9, 2006, the Committee met in open session and ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 4855, by voice vote, a 

quorum being present. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

No rollcall votes were held. 

APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104–1 requires a description of 

the application of this bill to the legislative branch where the bill 

relates to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services and accommodations. This bill provides limited financial assistance to D.C. high school graduates pursuing higher education opportunities in colleges and universities in other States. 

Legislative branch employees and their families, to the extent that 

they are otherwise eligible for the benefits provided by this legislation, have equal access to its benefits. 

STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF

THE COMMITTEE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee reports that the findings 

and recommendations of the Committee, based on oversight activiVerDate Aug 31 2005 07:00 Jul 12, 2006 Jkt 049006 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR553.XXX HR553

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ties under 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goals and 

objectives are reflected in the descriptive portions of this report. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Under clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 

Representatives, the Committee must include a statement citing 

the specific powers granted to Congress to enact the law proposed 

by H.R. 4855. Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the Constitution of 

the United States provides Congress the power to enact this law. 

FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT

The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish or 

authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within the 

definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b). 

UNFUNDED MANDATE STATEMENT

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (as amended by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded Mandate 

Reform Act, P.L. 104–4) requires a statement whether the provisions of the report include unfunded mandates. In compliance with 

this requirement the Committee has received a letter from the Congressional Budget Office included herein. 

COMMITTEE ESTIMATE

Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs that would be incurred in carrying out H.R. 

4855. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its 

report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of 

the Congressional Budget Act. 

BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST

ESTIMATE

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to requirements 

of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for 

H.R. 1317 from the Director of Congressional Budget Office: 


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H.R. 4855—A bill to amend the District of Columbia College Access 

Act of 1999 to reauthorize for 5 additional years the public and 

private school tuition assistance programs established under 

the Act 

Summary: H.R. 4855 would amend the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 and reauthorize the District of Columbia 

tuition assistance grant (DCTAG) program for students who are 

residents of Washington, D.C. Current law authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary through fiscal year 

2007, and H.R. 4855 would extend this authorization through fiscal 

year 2012. CBO estimates that the necessary appropriations would 

total $232 million over the 2008–2012 period. Outlays would match 

this total over the same period. The bill would have no significant 

impact on direct spending or revenues. 

H.R. 4855 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 

and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 4855 is presented in the following table. The 

cost of this legislation falls within budget function 500 (education, 

training, employment, and social services). 

ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF H.R. 4855 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Spending Under Current Law: 

Estimated Authorization Level ......................................................... 34 0 0 0 0 0 

Estimated Outlays ........................................................................... 34 0 0 0 0 0 

Proposed Changes: 

Estimated Authorization Level ......................................................... 0 41 45 48 49 50 

Estimated Outlays ........................................................................... 0 41 45 48 49 50 

Spending Under H.R. 4855: 

Estimated Authorization Level ......................................................... 34 41 45 48 49 50 

Estimated Outlays ........................................................................... 34 41 45 48 49 50 

Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 

4855 will be enacted during 2006 and that the estimated amounts 

will be appropriated for each year. 

Current law 

Under current law, DCTAG provides financial assistance to D.C. 

residents who attend public colleges outside of the District of Columbia, private postsecondary institutions in the District of Columbia or in one of the surrounding jurisdictions in Maryland or Virginia, or any historically black college or university. The privateschool tuition grants are restricted to nonprofit institutions. Students who attend public schools receive assistance equal to the difference between the tuition paid by residents of the state in which 

the institution is located and the tuition charged to nonresident 

students, with an annual limit of $10,000 and a lifetime limit of 

$50,000. Private-school students receive a $2,500 maximum annual 

grant, with a lifetime limit of $12,500. 

According to data from the District of Columbia’s State Education Office (SEO), the cost of DCTAG has grown substantially 


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since the program’s inception (academic year 2000–2001). For the 

2004–2005 academic year, the most recent year for which data are 

available, just over 3,700 students attending public institutions received a total of $26 million. Both the number of participants and 

the size of the average award have increased over time. Growth 

has been particularly high for students attending public schools. 

Current law authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may 

be necessary through fiscal year 2007. The Congress appropriated 

$33 million for this program in fiscal year 2006, although the SEO 

anticipates that costs will exceed this total. Because costs for 

DCTAG were lower than the appropriated sums during the early 

years of the program, however, the SEO has been able to use carryover funds to supplement appropriated funds in recent years to 

make grants. SEO also spends about 3 percent of its funds on operating costs. CBO estimates that with approximately $4 million in 

unspent funds remaining at the end of 2006, total spending for the 

program would be $38 million in 2007, assuming appropriations in 

the vicinity of the requested amount. 

Proposed extension 

H.R. 4855 would authorize the appropriation of such sums as are 

necessary for DCTAG through 2012. CBO estimates that the necessary appropriations and resulting outlays would total $232 million over the 2008–2012 period. Based on population and high 

school graduation projections from the Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics, respectively, CBO estimates 

that the number of participants would continue to grow, but at a 

slower rate than in the early years of the program. In addition, 

some of the early growth was likely attributable to recruitment efforts, which would be expected to have a smaller effect as DCTAG 

matures. CBO estimates that a total of about 5,900 students annually would participate in the program by 2012. Based on data from 

the SEO and the College Board, CBO also estimates that the average cost per grant would continue to rise as the cost of tuition and 

fees at both public and private schools rise, although a growing 

share of the grants would be limited by the annual caps. On that 

basis, CBO estimates that the average cost per grant would reach 

$9,500 for public schools and about $2,350 for private schools by 

2012. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4855 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 

UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Justin Humphrey; Impact 

on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa Ramirez-Branum; 

Impact on the Private Sector: Fatimot Ladipo. 

Estimate approved by: Robert A. Sunshine, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 


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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICIAL CODE 

* * * * * * * 

TITLE 38—EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

* * * * * * * 

Subtitle IX—College Access Assistance 

CHAPTER 27—COLLEGE ACCESS ASSISTANCE 

* * * * * * * 

§ 38–2702. Public school program 

(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the District of Columbia to carry out this section 

$12,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and (subject to § 38–2706) such 

sums as may be necessary for øeach of the 7 succeeding fiscal 

years¿ each of the 12 succeeding fiscal years. Such funds shall remain available until expended. 

* * * * * * * 

§ 38–2704. Private school program 

(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the District of Columbia to carry out this section 

$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and (subject to § 38–2706) such 

sums as may be necessary for øeach of the 7 succeeding fiscal 

years¿ each of the 12 succeeding fiscal years. Such funds shall remain available until expended. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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