I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 242 

To restore access to year-round Federal Pell Grants. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 9, 2015 

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California (for herself, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. 

CUMMINGS, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. VARGAS, 

Ms. NORTON, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. BROWN

of Florida, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Ms. MOORE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 

RANGEL, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. DELANEY, Mr. VELA, Mr. 

SMITH of Washington, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. HONDA, Mr. 

SIRES, Ms. LEE, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. NADLER, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of 

Illinois, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. NOLAN, 

Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. FARR, Mr. RUSH, 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. JACKSON LEE, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To restore access to year-round Federal Pell Grants. 

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 ‘‘Affordability for Con5 stant and Continual Education to Enhance Student Suc6 cess Act’’ or the ‘‘All-Year ACCESS Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. YEAR-ROUND FEDERAL PELL GRANT STUDENTS. 

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

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

4 by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(8) YEAR-ROUND FEDERAL PELL GRANT STU6 DENTS.— 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 

8 other provision of this subsection, the Secretary 

9 shall award, to an eligible student who meets 

10 the requirements in subparagraph (B) who has 

11 received a Federal Pell Grant for an award year 

12 and is enrolled in a program of study for one 

13 or more additional payment periods during the 

14 same award year that are not otherwise covered 

15 by the student’s Federal Pell Grant, an addi16 tional Federal Pell Grant for the additional 

17 payment periods. 

18 ‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible 

19 to receive the additional Federal Pell Grant for 

20 an award year that is described in subpara21 graph (A), a student shall, in addition to meet22 ing all eligibility requirements for the receipt of 

23 a Federal Pell Grant— 

24 ‘‘(i) be enrolled on at least a half-time 

25 basis for a period of more than one aca26 demic year, or more than 2 semesters or 


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1 the equivalent of 2 semesters, during a sin2 gle award year; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) be enrolled in a program of in4 struction at an institution of higher edu5 cation for which the institution awards an 

6 associate or baccalaureate degree or a cer7 tificate. 

8 ‘‘(C) AMOUNTS.—In the case of a student 

9 receiving more than one Federal Pell Grant in 

10 a single award year under subparagraph (A), 

11 the total amount of the Federal Pell Grants 

12 awarded to such student for the award year 

13 shall not exceed an amount equal to 150 per14 cent of the total maximum Federal Pell Grant 

15 for such award year calculated in accordance 

16 with paragraph (7)(C)(iv)(II). 

17 ‘‘(D) INCLUSION IN DURATION LIMIT.— 

18 Any period of study covered by a Federal Pell 

19 Grant awarded under subparagraph (A) shall 

20 be included in determining a student’s duration 

21 limit under subsection (c)(5). 

22 ‘‘(9) CROSSOVER PERIOD.—In any case where 

23 an eligible student is receiving a Federal Pell Grant 

24 for a payment period that spans 2 award years, the 

25 Secretary shall allow the eligible institution in which 


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1 the student is enrolled to determine the award year 

2 to which the additional period shall be assigned.’’. 

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

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

Æ 


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