I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1958 

To improve the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 22, 2015 

Mr. HINOJOSA (for himself, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ

of California, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. 

KIND, and Ms. FUDGE) 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. 

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 ‘‘Year-Round Pell Grant 

5 Restoration Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The Congressional Budget Office reports on 

9 any overall financial surplus or shortfall in the fund10 ing provided for the Federal Pell Grant program. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1958 IH

1 However, in recent years, in order to meet the max2 imum Federal Pell Grant level with the provided 

3 level of funding, Congress has made cuts to the pro4 gram through imposing additional eligibility require5 ments for Federal Pell Grants and limiting the avail6 ability of year-round Federal Pell Grants, causing 

7 significant uncertainty and reducing access to higher 

8 education for millions of hardworking college stu9 dents. 

10 (2) The ‘‘traditional student’’ who attends col11 lege for 4 years immediately after high school is now 

12 a minority of college students today. Ambitious stu13 dents now need more flexibility to attend school 

14 year-round while juggling work schedules. 

15 (3) Section 1860 of the Department of Defense 

16 and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 

17 (Public Law 112–10, 125 Stat. 169) eliminated the 

18 provision of the Federal Pell Grant program of the 

19 Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et 

20 seq.) that allowed more than one Federal Pell Grant 

21 awards per year, creating significant hardship for 

22 many students trying to take courses over the sum23 mer or outside the traditional school calendar. Al24 lowing students to continue to receive Federal Pell 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1958 IH

1 Grants in successive semesters, without a gap, would 

2 reduce the time needed to complete their degrees. 

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

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

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

6 by adding at the end the following: 

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

8 means a student who— 

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

10 award year and is enrolled in an eligible program for 

11 one or more additional payment periods during the 

12 same award year that are not otherwise fully covered 

13 by the student’s Federal Pell Grant; 

14 ‘‘(ii) continues to meets all eligibility require15 ments to receive a Federal Pell Grant under this 

16 section; and 

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

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

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

20 subsection, the Secretary shall award an additional Fed21 eral Pell Grant to an eligible student for the additional 

22 payment periods during an award year that are not other23 wise fully covered by the student’s Federal Pell Grant for 

24 the award year. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1958 IH

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

2 one Federal Pell Grant in a single award year under sub3 paragraph (B), the total amount of the Federal Pell 

4 Grants awarded to such student for the award year shall 

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

6 maximum Federal Pell Grant for such award year cal7 culated in accordance with paragraph (2). 

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

9 Grant awarded under subparagraph (B) shall be included 

10 in determining a student’s duration limit under subsection 

11 (c)(5). 

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

13 a Federal Pell Grant for a payment period that spans two 

14 award years, the Secretary shall allow the eligible institu15 tion in which the student is enrolled to determine the 

16 award year to which the additional period shall be as17 signed.’’. 

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

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

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS