I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2465 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a program that 
enables college-bound residents of the Northern Mariana Islands and 
American Samoa to have greater choices among institutions of higher 
education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2019 
Mr. SABLAN (for himself and Mrs. RADEWAGEN) 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 
a program that enables college-bound residents of the 
Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa to have 
greater choices among institutions of higher education, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Northern Mariana Is-
lands and American Samoa College Access Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS AND AMERICAN 
SAMOA COLLEGE ACCESS. 
Subpart 10 of part A of title IV of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070h) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘Subpart 10—Northern Mariana Islands and 
American Samoa College Access 
‘‘SEC. 420R. PUBLIC SCHOOL GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this subpart to 
establish a program that enables college-bound residents 
of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa to 
have greater choices among institutions of higher edu-
cation. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—From amounts appro-
priated under subsection (j), the Secretary shall pro-
vide— 
‘‘(A) 50 percent of such amount to the 
Northern Mariana Islands for the Governor to 
award grants to eligible institutions that enroll 
eligible students to pay the difference between 
the tuition and fees charged for in-State stu-
dents and the tuition and fees charged for out- 
of-State students on behalf of each eligible stu-
dent enrolled in the eligible institution; and 
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‘‘(B) 50 percent of such amount to the 
American Samoa for the Governor to award 
grants to eligible institutions that enroll eligible 
students to pay the difference between the tui-
tion and fees charged for in-State students and 
the tuition and fees charged for out-of-State 
students on behalf of each eligible student en-
rolled in the eligible institution. 
‘‘(2) 
MAXIMUM
STUDENT
AMOUNTS.—The 
amount paid on behalf of an eligible student under 
this section shall be— 
‘‘(A) not more than $15,000 for any one 
award year (as defined in section 481); and 
‘‘(B) not more than $45,000 in the aggre-
gate. 
‘‘(3) PRORATION.—The Governor shall prorate 
payments under this section for students who attend 
an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis. 
‘‘(c) REDUCTION
FOR INSUFFICIENT APPROPRIA-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the funds appropriated 
pursuant to subsection (j) for any fiscal year are in-
sufficient to award a grant in the amount deter-
mined under subsection (a) on behalf of each eligible 
student enrolled in an eligible institution, then the 
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Governor, in consultation with the Secretary of Edu-
cation, shall— 
‘‘(A) first, ratably reduce the amount of 
the tuition and fee payment made on behalf of 
each eligible student who has not received funds 
under this section for a preceding year; and 
‘‘(B) after making reductions under sub-
paragraph (A), ratably reduce the amount of 
the tuition and fee payments made on behalf of 
all other eligible students. 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENTS.—The Governor, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Education, may ad-
just the amount of tuition and fee payments made 
under paragraph (1) based on— 
‘‘(A) the financial need of the eligible stu-
dents to avoid undue hardship to the eligible 
students; or 
‘‘(B) undue administrative burdens on the 
Governor. 
‘‘(3) FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS.—Notwithstand-
ing paragraphs (1) and (2), the Governor may 
prioritize the making or amount of tuition and fee 
payments under this subsection based on the income 
and need of eligible students. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this subpart: 
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‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘eligi-
ble institution’ means an institution that— 
‘‘(A) is a public four-year institution of 
higher education located in one of the several 
States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 
the United States Virgin Islands, or Guam; 
‘‘(B) is eligible to participate in the stu-
dent financial assistance programs under title 
IV; and 
‘‘(C) enters into an agreement with the 
Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands and 
American Samoa containing such conditions as 
each Governor may specify, including a require-
ment that the institution use the funds made 
available under this section to supplement and 
not supplant assistance that otherwise would be 
provided to eligible students from the Northern 
Mariana Islands and American Samoa. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE STUDENT.—The term ‘eligible 
student’ means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) graduated from a public institution of 
higher education located in the Northern Mar-
iana Islands or American Samoa; 
‘‘(B) begins the individual’s course of 
study within the 3 calendar years (excluding 
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any period of service on active duty in the 
Armed Forces or service under the Peace Corps 
Act (22 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) or subtitle D of 
title I of the National and Community Service 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.)) of grad-
uation from a public institution of higher edu-
cation located in the Northern Mariana Islands 
or American Samoa; 
‘‘(C) is enrolled or accepted for enrollment, 
on at least a half-time basis, in a baccalaureate 
degree or other program (including a program 
of study abroad approved for credit by the insti-
tution at which such student is enrolled) lead-
ing to a recognized educational credential at an 
eligible institution; 
‘‘(D) if enrolled in an eligible institution, is 
maintaining satisfactory progress in the course 
of study the student is pursuing in accordance 
with section 484(c); and 
‘‘(E) has not completed the individual’s 
first undergraduate baccalaureate course of 
study. 
‘‘(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101. 
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‘‘(4) GOVERNOR.—The term ‘Governor’ means 
the Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands or American Samoa. 
‘‘(e) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this subpart shall 
be construed to require an institution of higher education 
to alter the institution’s admissions policies or standards 
in any manner to enable an eligible student to enroll in 
the institution. 
‘‘(f) APPLICATIONS.—Each student desiring a tuition 
payment under this section shall submit an application to 
the eligible institution at such time, in such manner, and 
accompanied by such information as the eligible institution 
may require. 
‘‘(g) ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Governor shall carry 
out the program under this section in consultation 
with the Secretary. Each Governor may enter into a 
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with an-
other public or private entity to administer the pro-
gram under this section if the Governor determines 
that doing so is a more efficient way of carrying out 
the program. 
‘‘(2) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.—Each Gov-
ernor, in consultation with institutions of higher 
education eligible for participation in the program 
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authorized under this section, shall develop policies 
and procedures for the administration of the pro-
gram. 
‘‘(3) MEMORANDUM
OF
AGREEMENT.—Each 
Governor and the Secretary shall enter into a Memo-
randum of Agreement that describes— 
‘‘(A) the manner in which the Governor 
shall consult with the Secretary with respect to 
administering the program under this section; 
and 
‘‘(B) any technical or other assistance to 
be provided to the Governor by the Secretary 
for purposes of administering the program 
under this section (which may include access to 
the information in the common financial report-
ing form developed under section 483). 
‘‘(h) GOVERNOR’S REPORT.—Each Governor shall re-
port to the authorizing committees annually regarding— 
‘‘(1) the number of eligible students attending 
each eligible institution and the amount of the grant 
awards paid to those institutions on behalf of the eli-
gible students; 
‘‘(2) the extent, if any, to which a ratable re-
duction was made in the amount of tuition and fee 
payments made on behalf of eligible students; and 
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