I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4308 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish an emergency 

grant aid program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 

Mr. MORELLE (for himself, Ms. HILL of California, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Mr. KING

of New York, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. BRINDISI, 

and Mr. NADLER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish 

an emergency grant aid 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 ‘‘Cost Assistance Made 

5 Possible for Undergraduate Students Act’’ or the ‘‘CAM6 PUS Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT PROGRAM. 

2 Part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 

3 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070b et seq.) is amended by adding at 

4 the end the following: 

5 ‘‘Subpart 11—Emergency Financial Aid Grants 

6 ‘‘SEC. 440D. EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT PROGRAM. 

7 ‘‘(a) EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT PROGRAMS

8 AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary shall carry out a grant pro9 gram to make grants, in accordance with subsection (c), 

10 to eligible entities to provide emergency financial aid 

11 grants to students in accordance with subsection (e). 

12 ‘‘(b) MATCHING FUNDS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF FEDERAL

14 SHARE.—Except as provided in paragraph (3), the 

15 Federal share of the cost of any emergency grant 

16 aid program carried out under this section may not 

17 exceed 50 percent. 

18 ‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—Matching funds provided by 

19 an eligible entity under this subsection may not in20 clude in-kind contributions. 

21 ‘‘(3) EXCEPTIONS.—The Federal share of the 

22 cost of an emergency grant aid program carried out 

23 under this section shall equal 100 percent if the in24 stitution carrying out the emergency grant aid is an 

25 institution of higher education described in section 

26 371(a). 


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1 ‘‘(c) APPLICATION.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible entity desir3 ing to carry out an emergency grant aid program 

4 under this section shall submit an application to the 

5 Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and con6 taining such information as the Secretary may re7 quire. 

8 ‘‘(2) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall, at least 

9 30 days before each deadline to submit applications 

10 under paragraph (1), conduct outreach to eligible in11 stitutions (as defined in section 371(a)) to provide 

12 such institutions with information on the oppor13 tunity to apply under paragraph (1) to carry out an 

14 emergency grant aid program under this section. 

15 ‘‘(3) CONTENTS.—Each application under para16 graph (1) shall include a description of the emer17 gency grant aid program to be carried out by the eli18 gible entity, including— 

19 ‘‘(A) an estimate of the number of emer20 gency financial aid grants that such entity will 

21 make in an award year and how such eligible 

22 entity assessed such estimate; 

23 ‘‘(B) the criteria the eligible entity will use 

24 to determine an emergency for which an eligible 


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1 student will be eligible to receive an emergency 

2 financial aid grant; 

3 ‘‘(C) an assurance that an emergency for 

4 which an eligible student will be eligible to re5 ceive an emergency financial aid grant will in6 clude financial challenges that would directly 

7 impact the ability of an eligible student to con8 tinue the course of study of such student, in9 cluding— 

10 ‘‘(i) a loss of employment, transpor11 tation, child care, or housing of the stu12 dent; 

13 ‘‘(ii) a medical condition of the stu14 dent, or a dependent of the student; 

15 ‘‘(iii) with respect to the eligible stu16 dent, food insecurity; and 

17 ‘‘(iv) in the case of an eligible student 

18 who is a dependent student— 

19 ‘‘(I) the death of a parent or 

20 guardian of such eligible student; or 

21 ‘‘(II) a medical condition of the 

22 parent or guardian of such eligible 

23 student which results in the loss of 

24 employment of such parent or guard25 ian; 


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1 ‘‘(D) a description of the process by which 

2 an eligible student may apply and receive an 

3 emergency financial aid grant; 

4 ‘‘(E) an assurance that the eligible entity, 

5 when applicable, will make information available 

6 to eligible students about the eligibility of such 

7 students and their dependents for assistance 

8 under the supplemental nutrition assistance 

9 program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 

10 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the special sup11 plemental nutrition program for women, in12 fants, and children under the Child Nutrition 

13 Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and the pro14 gram of block grants for States for temporary 

15 assistance for needy families established under 

16 part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 

17 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); 

18 ‘‘(F) an assurance that the eligible entity 

19 will, to the extent practicable, assist eligible stu20 dents in obtaining information about and ac21 cessing means-tested Federal benefit programs 

22 (as defined in section 479(d)) for which such 

23 students may be eligible; 

24 ‘‘(G) how the eligible entity will administer 

25 the emergency grant aid program, including— 


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1 ‘‘(i) which employees and departments 

2 of the eligible entity will administer the 

3 emergency grant aid program; 

4 ‘‘(ii) the role of the student financial 

5 aid administrator of the eligible entity with 

6 respect to the emergency grant aid pro7 gram; 

8 ‘‘(iii) the online processes the eligible 

9 entity will use to respond to applications, 

10 approve applications, and disburse emer11 gency financial aid grants outside of nor12 mal business hours; 

13 ‘‘(iv) the data management tools the 

14 eligible entity will use— 

15 ‘‘(I) to ensure efficient adminis16 tration of the emergency grant aid 

17 program; and 

18 ‘‘(II) for data collection for pur19 poses of evaluating the emergency 

20 grant aid program; 

21 ‘‘(v) the internal controls the eligible 

22 entity will use to discourage fraud under 

23 the emergency grant aid program; 

24 ‘‘(vi) a description of other student 

25 emergency financial support services ofVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:29 Sep 13, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4308.IH H4308

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1 fered by the eligible entity and the rela2 tionship between the emergency grant aid 

3 program and such support services; and 

4 ‘‘(vii) the process the eligible entity 

5 will use to inform students who apply for 

6 an emergency financial aid grant of the 

7 services described under clause (vi); 

8 ‘‘(H) an assurance that either the financial 

9 aid department or the student services depart10 ment of the eligible entity will serve as the pri11 mary program administrator for the emergency 

12 grant aid program; 

13 ‘‘(I) an assurance that the process by 

14 which an eligible student applies for an emer15 gency financial aid grant includes— 

16 ‘‘(i) to the extent practicable, an 

17 interview; and 

18 ‘‘(ii) at least one opportunity to ap19 peal a denial of such a grant; 

20 ‘‘(J) an assurance that the eligible entity 

21 will— 

22 ‘‘(i) acknowledge a request of a stu23 dent for an emergency financial aid grant 

24 not later than 8 hours after such a request 

25 is submitted to the eligible entity; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) not later than 48 hours after 

2 such a request is submitted to the eligible 

3 entity— 

4 ‘‘(I) decide whether to award an 

5 emergency financial aid grant to such 

6 student; and 

7 ‘‘(II) if applicable, disburse such 

8 emergency financial aid grant to such 

9 eligible student; 

10 ‘‘(K) a description of how the school in11 tends to limit excessive demand, fraud, or abuse 

12 including through program audits and requiring 

13 student documentation of the expenses for 

14 which the emergency financial aid grant was 

15 disbursed; 

16 ‘‘(L) an assurance that the eligible entity 

17 will provide the emergency financial aid grants 

18 to eligible students— 

19 ‘‘(i) subject to the availability of 

20 funds, as requested by such eligible stu21 dents in the order such requests are made; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(ii) without regard to any other cri24 teria; and 


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1 ‘‘(M) any other information the Secretary 

2 may require. 

3 ‘‘(4) PRIORITY.—In selecting eligible entities to 

4 carry out an emergency grant aid program under 

5 this section, the Secretary shall give priority to an 

6 eligible entity in which at least 30 percent of the 

7 students enrolled at such eligible entity are eligible 

8 to receive a Federal Pell Grant. 

9 ‘‘(d) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 9 months after 

10 the date of enactment of this subpart, the Secretary shall 

11 make available to the authorizing committees and the pub12 lic a list of eligible entities selected to carry out an emer13 gency grant aid program under this section. 

14 ‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity may only 

16 use funds provided under this section to make emer17 gency financial aid grants to eligible students. 

18 ‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.— 

19 ‘‘(A) AMOUNT.—An emergency financial 

20 aid grant to an eligible student may not be in 

21 an amount greater than $750. 

22 ‘‘(B) TOTAL AMOUNT.—The total amount 

23 of emergency financial aid grants that an eligi24 ble student may receive from an eligible entity 

25 may not exceed $2,000. 


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1 ‘‘(f) INFORMATION AND EVALUATION.— 

2 ‘‘(1) INFORMATION.— 

3 ‘‘(A) STUDENT-LEVEL DATA.—Each eligi4 ble entity that carries out an emergency grant 

5 aid program under this section shall annually 

6 submit to the Director of the Institute of Edu7 cation Sciences a report that includes, with re8 spect to each eligible student who received an 

9 emergency financial aid grant from such eligible 

10 entity in the preceding year, the following: 

11 ‘‘(i) The number of credit hours such 

12 eligible student earned prior to receiving 

13 an emergency financial aid grant. 

14 ‘‘(ii) The amount of the emergency fi15 nancial aid grant. 

16 ‘‘(iii) The date in the academic year 

17 such eligible student applied for an emer18 gency financial aid grant. 

19 ‘‘(iv) The type of emergency declared 

20 by such eligible student. 

21 ‘‘(v) The period of time between the 

22 request by the eligible student for an emer23 gency financial aid grant and when the eli24 gible entity— 

25 ‘‘(I) acknowledged such request; 


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1 ‘‘(II) decided whether to award 

2 an emergency financial aid grant; and 

3 ‘‘(III) disbursed such emergency 

4 financial aid grant. 

5 ‘‘(vi) If the eligible student completed 

6 the program of study of such eligible stu7 dent after receiving such emergency finan8 cial aid grant. 

9 ‘‘(vii) In the case of an eligible stu10 dent described in clause (vi), the period of 

11 time between the date such eligible student 

12 received an emergency financial aid grant 

13 and when such eligible student completed 

14 the program of study of such eligible stu15 dent. 

16 ‘‘(B) AGGREGATE INFORMATION.—The Di17 rector shall use the student-level data provided 

18 under subparagraph (A) to annually determine 

19 the following information with respect to each 

20 emergency grant aid program carried out under 

21 this section in the preceding year: 

22 ‘‘(i) The average number of credit 

23 hours eligible students earned prior to re24 ceiving an emergency financial aid grant. 


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1 ‘‘(ii) The average amount of an emer2 gency financial aid grant. 

3 ‘‘(iii) The dates in the academic year 

4 on which each student applied for an emer5 gency financial aid grant. 

6 ‘‘(iv) The type of emergency declared 

7 by each student. 

8 ‘‘(v) The average period of time be9 tween the date an eligible student received 

10 an emergency financial aid grant and when 

11 such eligible student completed the pro12 gram of study of such eligible student. 

13 ‘‘(vi) The average period of time be14 tween a request of a student for an emer15 gency financial aid grant and when the eli16 gible entity— 

17 ‘‘(I) acknowledged such request; 

18 ‘‘(II) decided whether to award 

19 an emergency financial aid grant; and 

20 ‘‘(III) disbursed the emergency 

21 financial aid grant. 

22 ‘‘(vii) In the case of eligible students 

23 who received more than one emergency fi24 nancial aid grant, the average amount of 

25 an emergency financial aid grant received 


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1 over the period of enrollment of such eligi2 ble students. 

3 ‘‘(viii) The completion and retention 

4 rates of eligible students who received an 

5 emergency financial aid grant. 

6 ‘‘(C) DISAGGREGATION.—The information 

7 determined under subparagraph (B) shall, in a 

8 manner that does not identify any individual 

9 student, be disaggregated as follows: 

10 ‘‘(i) For each eligible entity that car11 ries out an emergency grant aid program 

12 under this section, disaggregated by— 

13 ‘‘(I) the eligible students who re14 ceived an emergency financial aid 

15 grant under such emergency grant aid 

16 program; 

17 ‘‘(II) the students who applied 

18 but did not receive an emergency fi19 nancial aid grant under such emer20 gency grant aid program; 

21 ‘‘(III) the eligible students who 

22 received more than one emergency fi23 nancial aid grant under such emer24 gency grant aid program; and 


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1 ‘‘(IV) the eligible students who 

2 received a total of $2,000 from emer3 gency financial aid grants under such 

4 emergency grant aid program. 

5 ‘‘(ii) For each group of students de6 scribed in clause (i), disaggregated by age, 

7 race (as defined in section 153(a)(3) of the 

8 Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 

9 (20 U.S.C. 9543)), gender, disability sta10 tus, students who are veterans or service 

11 members, first generation college students, 

12 and status as a recipient of a Federal Pell 

13 Grant. 

14 ‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—The Director, in consulta15 tion with the Secretary and using the information 

16 determined under paragraph (1), shall annually 

17 evaluate each eligible entity carrying out an emer18 gency grant aid program under this section. Each 

19 evaluation shall be disaggregated in accordance with 

20 paragraph (1)(C) and include, with respect to the 

21 preceding year— 

22 ‘‘(A) the extent to which the eligible entity 

23 met the elements of the application of such eli24 gible entity under subsection (c); 


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1 ‘‘(B) whether, with respect to the students 

2 enrolled in the eligible entity, the emergency 

3 grant aid program led to a reduced average 

4 time to completion or increased retention rates; 

5 ‘‘(C) any obstacles related to the adminis6 tration of the emergency grant aid program; 

7 ‘‘(D) the total amount of emergency finan8 cial aid grant assistance transmitted by the eli9 gible entity; 

10 ‘‘(E) with respect to eligible students who 

11 received an emergency financial aid grant, the 

12 average amount of such emergency financial aid 

13 grant; 

14 ‘‘(F) enrollment data, disaggregated by en15 rollment status, retention rates, credit accumu16 lation, and completion rates for— 

17 ‘‘(i) first-time, full-time students; 

18 ‘‘(ii) first-time, part-time students; 

19 ‘‘(iii) non-first-time, full-time stu20 dents; 

21 ‘‘(iv) non-first-time, part-time stu22 dents; 

23 ‘‘(v) students eligible for Federal Pell 

24 Grants; 


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1 ‘‘(vi) race (as defined in section 

2 153(a)(3) of the Education Sciences Re3 form Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9543)) and 

4 ethnicity; and 

5 ‘‘(vii) transfer rates; and 

6 ‘‘(G) a description of the role of staff and 

7 faculty in the administration of the emergency 

8 grant aid program. 

9 ‘‘(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Director, in con10 sultation with the Secretary, shall annually provide 

11 to the authorizing committees a report on the effec12 tiveness of the emergency grant aid programs. 

13 ‘‘(g) DATA PRIVACY.— 

14 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for any 

15 person who obtains or has access to personally iden16 tifiable information pursuant to this section to 

17 knowingly disclose to any person (except as author18 ized in this section or any Federal law) such person19 ally identifiable information. 

20 ‘‘(2) PENALTY.—Any person who violates para21 graph (1) shall be fined under title 18, United 

22 States Code. 

23 ‘‘(3) OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED

24 STATES.—If any officer or employee of the United 

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1 ployee shall be dismissed from office or discharged 

2 from employment upon conviction for the violation. 

3 ‘‘(4) LAW ENFORCEMENT.—Personally identifi4 able information collected under this section shall 

5 not be used for any law enforcement activity or any 

6 other activity that would result in adverse action 

7 against any student, including debt collection activ8 ity or enforcement of the immigration laws. 

9 ‘‘(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

10 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en11 tity’ means an institution of higher education that 

12 on the date such entity receives a grant under this 

13 section, is participating in the FSEOG program 

14 under subpart 3. 

15 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE STUDENT.—The term ‘eligible 

16 student’ means a student who— 

17 ‘‘(A) is enrolled in an eligible entity on an 

18 at least half-time basis; and 

19 ‘‘(B) who is making satisfactory academic 

20 progress. 

21 ‘‘(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 

22 The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 

23 meaning given the term in section 101. 


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1 ‘‘(4) FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT.— 

2 The term ‘first generation college student’ has the 

3 meaning given the term in section 402A(h)(3).’’. 

Æ 


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