I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4787 
To amend title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to increase 
the amount of financial support available for working students. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 22, 2019 
Mr. BERA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
in order to increase the amount of financial support 
available for working students. 
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 ‘‘Working Students 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. INCREASING SUPPORT FOR WORKING STUDENTS 
BY 35 PERCENT. 
(a) DEPENDENT STUDENTS.—Section 475(g)(2)(D) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087oo(g)(2)(D)) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(D) an income protection allowance (or a 
successor amount prescribed by the Secretary 
under section 478) of $9,010 for academic year 
2020–2021;’’. 
(b) INDEPENDENT STUDENTS WITHOUT DEPEND-
ENTS OTHER THAN A SPOUSE.—Section 476(b)(1)(A)(iv) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087pp(b)(1)(A)(iv)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(iv) an income protection allowance 
(or a successor amount prescribed by the 
Secretary under section 478)— 
‘‘(I) for single or separated stu-
dents, or married students where both 
are enrolled pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2), of $14,010 for academic year 
2020–2021; and 
‘‘(II) for married students where 
1 is enrolled pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2), of $22,460 for academic year 
2020–2021;’’. 
(c) INDEPENDENT STUDENTS WITH DEPENDENTS 
OTHER THAN A SPOUSE.—Section 477(b)(4) of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087qq(b)(4)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(4) INCOME
PROTECTION
ALLOWANCE.—The 
income protection allowance is determined by the fol-
lowing table (or a successor table prescribed by the 
Secretary under section 478), for academic year 
2020–2021: 
‘‘Income Protection Allowance 
Family 
Size 
Number in College 
(including 
student) 
For each 
additional 
subtract: 
$36,370 
$30,160 
$6,180
45,290 
39,100 
$32,890 
55,920 
49,720 
43,540 
$37,300 
65,990 
59,750 
53,570 
47,360 
$41,180 
77,170 
70,960 
64,790 
58,540 
52,370 
For each 
additional 
add: 
8,710 
’’. 
(d) UPDATED
TABLES
AND
AMOUNTS.—Section 
478(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087rr(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—For each academic 
year after academic year 2020–2021, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register a 
revised table of income protection allowances 
for the purpose of sections 475(c)(4) and 
477(b)(4), subject to subparagraphs (B) and 
(C). 
‘‘(B) TABLE
FOR
INDEPENDENT
STU-
DENTS.—For each academic year after aca-
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demic year 2020–2021, the Secretary shall de-
velop the revised table of income protection al-
lowances by increasing each of the dollar 
amounts contained in the table of income pro-
tection allowances under section 477(b)(4) by a 
percentage equal to the estimated percentage 
increase in the Consumer Price Index (as deter-
mined by the Secretary for the most recent cal-
endar year ending prior to the beginning of the 
academic year for which the determination is 
being made), and rounding the result to the 
nearest $10.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘shall be de-
veloped’’ and all that follows through the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘shall be developed for each 
academic year after academic year 2020–2021, by 
increasing each of the dollar amounts contained in 
such section for academic year 2020–2021 by a per-
centage equal to the estimated percentage increase 
in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the 
Secretary for the most recent calendar year ending 
prior to the beginning of the academic year for 
which the determination is being made), and round-
ing the result to the nearest $10.’’. 
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(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect beginning on July 1, 2020 
and shall apply to grant and award determinations made 
under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) beginning with the 2020–2021 award 
year. 
Æ 
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