II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1998 

To improve college affordability. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 5, 2015 

Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Ms. HIRONO) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To improve college affordability. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Creating Higher Edu5 cation Affordability Necessary to Compete Economically 

6 Act’’ or the ‘‘Middle Class CHANCE Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF A FED8 ERAL PELL GRANT. 

9 Section 401(b)(7)(C) of the Higher Education Act of 

10 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)(7)(C)) is amended— 


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1 (1) in clause (i)(I), by striking ‘‘clause (iv)(II)’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘clause (v)(II)’’; 

3 (2) in clause (ii)— 

4 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘THROUGH

5 2017–2018’’ and inserting ‘‘AND 2015–2016’’; 

6 (B) in the matter preceding subclause (I), 

7 by striking ‘‘through 2017–2018’’ and inserting 

8 ‘‘and 2015–2016’’; and 

9 (C) in subclause (I), by striking ‘‘clause 

10 (iv)(II)’’ and inserting ‘‘clause (v)(II)’’; 

11 (3) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as 

12 clauses (iv) and (v), respectively; 

13 (4) by inserting after clause (ii) the following: 

14 ‘‘(iii) AWARD YEAR 2016–2017.—For 

15 award year 2016–2017, the amount deter16 mined under this subparagraph for pur17 poses of subparagraph (B)(iii) shall be 

18 equal to— 

19 ‘‘(I) $9,140, reduced by 

20 ‘‘(II) the maximum Federal Pell 

21 Grant for which a student was eligi22 ble, as specified in the last enacted 

23 appropriation Act applicable to award 

24 year 2016–2017; and 


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1 ‘‘(III) rounded to the nearest 

2 $5.’’; and 

3 (5) by striking clause (iv), as redesignated by 

4 paragraph (3), and inserting the following: 

5 ‘‘(iv) SUBSEQUENT AWARD YEARS.— 

6 For award year 2017–2018 and each sub7 sequent award year, the amount deter8 mined under this subparagraph for pur9 poses of subparagraph (B)(iii) shall be 

10 equal to— 

11 ‘‘(I) the amount determined 

12 under this subparagraph for the pre13 ceding award year; increased by 

14 ‘‘(II) a percentage equal to the 

15 annual adjustment percentage for the 

16 award year for which the amount 

17 under this subparagraph is being de18 termined; and 

19 ‘‘(III) rounded to the nearest 

20 $5.’’. 

21 SEC. 3. YEAR-ROUND FEDERAL PELL GRANT STUDENTS. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 401(b) of the Higher 

23 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)) is amended 

24 by adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(8)(A) In this paragraph, the term ‘eligible student’ 

2 means a student who— 

3 ‘‘(i) has received a Federal Pell Grant for an 

4 award year and is enrolled in an eligible program for 

5 1 or more additional payment periods during the 

6 same award year that are not otherwise fully covered 

7 by the student’s Federal Pell Grant; 

8 ‘‘(ii) continues to meets all eligibility require9 ments to receive a Federal Pell Grant under this 

10 section; and 

11 ‘‘(iii) attends an institution of higher education 

12 on average, not less than a half-time basis. 

13 ‘‘(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

14 subsection, the Secretary shall award an additional Fed15 eral Pell Grant to an eligible student for the additional 

16 payment periods during an award year that are not other17 wise fully covered by the student’s Federal Pell Grant for 

18 the award year. 

19 ‘‘(C) In the case of a student receiving more than 

20 one Federal Pell Grant in a single award year under sub21 paragraph (B), the total amount of the Federal Pell 

22 Grants awarded to such student for the award year shall 

23 not exceed an amount equal to 150 percent of the total 

24 maximum Federal Pell Grant for such award year cal25 culated in accordance with paragraph (7)(C)(v)(II). 


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1 ‘‘(D) Any period of study covered by a Federal Pell 

2 Grant awarded under subparagraph (B) shall be included 

3 in determining a student’s duration limit under subsection 

4 (c)(5). 

5 ‘‘(9) In any case where an eligible student is receiving 

6 a Federal Pell Grant for a payment period that spans 2 

7 award years, the Secretary shall allow the eligible institu8 tion in which the student is enrolled to determine the 

9 award year to which the additional period shall be as10 signed.’’. 

11 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

12 subsection (a) shall take effect on July 1, 2015. 

13 SEC. 4. PELL GRANT DURATION LIMIT. 

14 Section 401(c)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 

15 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(c)(5)) is amended by striking ‘‘12 

16 semesters’’ and inserting ‘‘15 semesters’’ each place the 

17 term appears. 

Æ 


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