I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 186 
To establish a program that enables college-bound residents of the United 
States Virgin Islands to have greater choices among institutions of higher 
education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 3, 2017 
Ms. PLASKETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish a program that enables college-bound residents 
of the United States Virgin Islands 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 ‘‘United States Virgin 
Islands College Access Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
It is the purpose of this Act to establish a program 
that enables college-bound residents of the United States 
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Virgin Islands to have greater choices among institutions 
of higher education. 
SEC. 3. PUBLIC SCHOOL GRANTS. 
(a) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—From amounts appropriated 
under subsection (i), the Governor shall award 
grants to eligible institutions that enroll eligible stu-
dents to pay the difference between the tuition and 
fees charged for in-State students and the tuition 
and fees charged for out-of-State students on behalf 
of each eligible student enrolled in the eligible insti-
tution. 
(2) 
MAXIMUM
STUDENT
AMOUNTS.—The 
amount paid on behalf of an eligible student under 
this section shall be— 
(A) not more than $10,000 for any one 
award year (as defined in section 481 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1088)); and 
(B) not more than $50,000 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. 
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(b) REDUCTION
FOR
INSUFFICIENT
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—If the funds appropriated 
pursuant to subsection (i) 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 
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 
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