I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5560 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a grant program 

for undergraduate students with financial need to assist such students 

in completing degrees at institutions of higher education. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish 

a grant program for undergraduate students with financial need to assist such students in completing degrees 

at institutions of higher education. 

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 ‘‘Helping College Stu5 dents Cross the Finish Line Act’’. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 5560 IH

1 SEC. 2. GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE AWARDS TO 

2 UNDERGRADUATE AND VOCATIONAL STU3 DENTS WITH FINANCIAL NEED TO ASSIST IN 

4 COMPLETION OF DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE 

5 PROGRAMS. 

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

7 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) is amended by inserting 

8 after subpart 7 the following new subpart: 

9 ‘‘Subpart 8—Grants to Institutions To Provide 

10 Awards to Undergraduate and Vocational Stu11 dents With Financial Need To Assist in Comple12 tion of Degree and Certificate Programs 

13 ‘‘SEC. 420. GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE AWARDS 

14 TO UNDERGRADUATE AND VOCATIONAL STU15 DENTS WITH FINANCIAL NEED TO ASSIST IN 

16 COMPLETION OF DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE 

17 PROGRAMS. 

18 ‘‘(a) GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF FINANCIAL

19 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall award 

20 grants to institutions of higher education to establish pro21 grams of financial assistance for students in accordance 

22 with this section. 

23 ‘‘(b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 

24 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—An institution of high25 er education receiving a grant under subsection (a) 

26 shall establish a financial assistance program to 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 5560 IH

1 award funds to not less than 100 eligible students 

2 per academic year in accordance with this sub3 section. 

4 ‘‘(2) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.—A student shall 

5 be eligible for an award under a financial assistance 

6 program established by an institution of higher edu7 cation in accordance with this subsection if— 

8 ‘‘(A) such student is enrolled as an under9 graduate or vocational student at such institu10 tion on a not less than half-time basis; 

11 ‘‘(B) such student is academically able to 

12 complete the degree or certificate program for 

13 which such student is enrolled within an aca14 demic year; 

15 ‘‘(C) such student is in good academic 

16 standing at such institution (as determined by 

17 such institution) at the time of the distribution 

18 of the award; 

19 ‘‘(D) in the case of a student who pre20 viously received an award under this section, 

21 such student maintained good academic stand22 ing during the academic period for which the 

23 student received such previous award under this 

24 section; 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 5560 IH

1 ‘‘(E) such student has an outstanding tui2 tion payment due to such institution and is un3 able to fully pay the amount due; and 

4 ‘‘(F) the institution determines that with5 out financial assistance, such student will dis6 continue the degree or certificate program for 

7 which such student is enrolled due to an inabil8 ity to pay tuition. 

9 ‘‘(3) GRANT AMOUNT.—The amount of an 

10 award to a student under a financial assistance pro11 gram established by an institution of higher edu12 cation in accordance with this subsection for a se13 mester or equivalent shall be the lesser of— 

14 ‘‘(A) $1,000; or 

15 ‘‘(B) the amount of tuition such institution 

16 determines the student is unable to pay for 

17 such semester or equivalent. 

18 ‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF GRANTS.—A 

19 student may only receive an award under a financial 

20 assistance program established by an institution of 

21 higher education in accordance with this subsection 

22 for a total of two semesters or the equivalent of two 

23 semesters. 

24 ‘‘(5) INFORMATION ON OTHER FINANCIAL AS25 SISTANCE.— 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 5560 IH

1 ‘‘(A) INFORMATION REQUIRED.—Each in2 stitution of higher education receiving a grant 

3 under subsection (a) shall provide information 

4 to each covered student attending such institu5 tion on financial assistance available from any 

6 source other than this section. 

7 ‘‘(B) COVERED STUDENT DEFINED.—In 

8 this paragraph, the term ‘covered student’ 

9 means a student receiving an award under a fi10 nancial assistance program established by an 

11 institution of higher education in accordance 

12 with this subsection in an amount that does not 

13 fully pay an outstanding tuition payment due to 

14 such institution. 

15 ‘‘(c) FINANCIAL LITERACY SURVEY.—The Secretary 

16 shall create, and each student receiving an award under 

17 a financial assistance program established by an institu18 tion of higher education in accordance with subsection (b) 

19 shall complete, an online survey concerning financial lit20 eracy. Such survey shall include matters relating to budg21 eting and saving, student loan debt, and career planning. 

22 ‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 

23 ‘‘(1) INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 

24 Each institution of higher education receiving a 

25 grant under subsection (a) shall annually submit to 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 5560 IH

1 the Secretary a report containing, for the academic 

2 year preceding the date of the submission of such re3 port— 

4 ‘‘(A) the number of students enrolled at 

5 such institution that received an award under a 

6 financial assistance program established by 

7 such institution in accordance with subsection 

8 (b); 

9 ‘‘(B) the number of such students who 

10 completed the degree or certificate program in 

11 which such students were enrolled during such 

12 academic year; 

13 ‘‘(C) the number of such students who, fol14 lowing completion of the degree or certificate 

15 program in which such students were enrolled, 

16 subsequently enrolled in a degree or certificate 

17 program at a higher level; 

18 ‘‘(D) the number of such students who, 

19 following completion of the degree or certificate 

20 program in which such students were enrolled, 

21 subsequently obtained full-time employment and 

22 the average salary for such students; and 

23 ‘‘(E) any other information that the Sec24 retary considers necessary. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 5560 IH

1 ‘‘(2) SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall annu2 ally submit to Congress a report on the implementa3 tion of this section. Such report shall include— 

4 ‘‘(A) the aggregate data submitted by all 

5 institutions of higher education in accordance 

6 with paragraph (1); 

7 ‘‘(B) an analysis of the grant program 

8 under this section and any suggestions for im9 proving such program; and 

10 ‘‘(C) any other information that the Sec11 retary considers necessary. 

12 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

13 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

14 such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2015 

15 through 2020.’’. 

Æ 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS