I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3857 
To provide for the basic needs of students at institutions of higher education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2021 
Mrs. TORRES of California introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To provide for the basic needs of students at institutions 
of higher education. 
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 ‘‘Basic Assistance for 
Students In College Act’’ or the ‘‘BASIC Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DATA SHARING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, 
in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Sec-
retary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Sec-
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retary of Health and Human Services, shall develop and 
implement an agreement to— 
(1) securely share data among the respective 
Federal agencies of such Secretaries in order to, not-
withstanding section 483(a)(3)(E) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090(a)(3)(E)) 
and section 444 of the General Education Provisions 
Act (commonly known as the ‘‘Family Educational 
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974’’), identify students 
described in subsection (b) who may be eligible for 
Federally funded programs to support basic needs 
through— 
(A) the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program established under the Food and Nutri-
tion Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), a nu-
trition assistance program carried out under 
section 19 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2028), or a 
nutrition assistance program carried out by the 
Secretary of Agriculture in the Northern Mar-
iana Islands; 
(B) the supplemental security income pro-
gram under title XVI of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); 
(C) the program of block grants to States 
for temporary assistance for needy families 
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under part A of title IV of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); 
(D) the special supplemental nutrition pro-
gram for women, infants, and children estab-
lished by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786); 
(E) the Medicaid program under title XIX 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 
seq.); 
(F) Federal housing assistance programs, 
including tenant-based assistance under section 
8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)), and public housing, as 
defined in section 3(b)(1) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 1437a(b)(1)); 
(G) Federal child care assistance pro-
grams, including assistance under the Child 
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) and the Child 
Care Access Means Parents in School Program 
under section 419N of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e); 
(H) the free and reduced price school 
lunch program established under the Richard 
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B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1751 et seq.); 
(I) the refundable credit for coverage 
under a qualified health plan under section 36B 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; 
(J) the Earned Income Tax Credit under 
section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986; 
(K) the Child Tax Credit under section 24 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or 
(L) any other Federally funded program 
determined by the Secretary to be appropriate; 
and 
(2) coordinate efforts to provide assistance to 
institutions of higher education to facilitate the en-
rollment of eligible students in the programs listed 
in paragraph (1). 
(b) COVERED STUDENTS.—Students described in 
this subsection are students who— 
(1) have applied for Federal financial aid; 
(2) are enrolled at institutions of higher edu-
cation (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), including full- 
time and part-time students; and 
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(3) have not opted out of the information shar-
ing under this section through the process described 
in subsection (c) or any other process established by 
the Secretary of Education. 
(c) INCLUSION ON FAFSA.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Students and borrowers, 
through the Free Application for Federal Student 
Aid under section 483 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090), may authorize the Sec-
retary of Education to disclose to the Federal agen-
cies described in subsection (a)(1) information pro-
vided by the applicant on the application described 
by this subsection, as well as such applicant’s stu-
dent aid index and scheduled Federal Pell Grant 
award, to assist in identification, outreach and appli-
cation efforts for the application, award, and admin-
istration of such means-tested Federal benefits pro-
grams, except such information shall not include 
Federal tax information as specified in section 
6103(l)(13)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986. 
(2) OPT-OUT.—The Secretary shall provide an 
opportunity for students and borrowers to opt out of 
the authorization described in paragraph (1). 
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SEC. 3. GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF STU-
DENTS. 
Title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1161a) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘PART BB—GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC 
NEEDS OF STUDENTS 
‘‘SEC. 899. GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF STU-
DENTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) BASIC
NEEDS.—The term ‘basic needs’ 
means the needs of students that support their suc-
cess while enrolled at an eligible institution, includ-
ing needs such as— 
‘‘(A) food; 
‘‘(B) housing; 
‘‘(C) transportation; 
‘‘(D) child care; 
‘‘(E) health care; and 
‘‘(F) technology. 
‘‘(2) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘com-
munity college’ means a public institution of higher 
education at which the highest degree that is pre-
dominantly awarded to students is an associate de-
gree, including a 2-year Tribal Colleges or Univer-
sity, as defined in section 316. 
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‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘eligi-
ble institution’ means an institution of higher edu-
cation (as defined in section 102) that participates 
in programs under title IV. 
‘‘(b) PLANNING GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
planning grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
institutions to enable the eligible institutions to con-
duct research and planning to reduce incidences of 
student food insecurity, housing insecurity, and 
homelessness and to meet other basic needs of stu-
dents, by carrying out the activities described in 
paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—An eligible institution receiv-
ing a grant under this subsection shall use grant 
funds to carry out the following: 
‘‘(A) Establish a basic needs steering com-
mittee that will be responsible for creating and 
approving the basic needs strategy described in 
subparagraph (C), and that will be comprised of 
relevant campus stakeholders, such as— 
‘‘(i) students who have experienced 
challenges in meeting basic needs; 
‘‘(ii) student government representa-
tives; 
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‘‘(iii) institutional staff representing 
the areas of student financial aid, housing, 
dining, student affairs, academic advising, 
equity support services, accessibility serv-
ices, and well-being services (including 
counseling or psychological services); 
‘‘(iv) faculty; 
‘‘(v) relevant administrators, including 
local human services administrators; 
‘‘(vi) community-based organizations; 
and 
‘‘(vii) representatives from local gov-
ernmental agencies. 
‘‘(B) Conduct research regarding— 
‘‘(i) the level of unmet basic needs at 
the institution, disaggregated by race and 
ethnicity, income quintile, status as a first- 
generation college student (as defined in 
section 402A(h)), Federal Pell Grant eligi-
bility status, disability status, status as a 
student parent, sex (including sexual ori-
entation and gender identity), or other 
subgroup as determined by the institution; 
‘‘(ii) the presence of institutional bar-
riers (such as award displacement) and 
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current institutional interventions to ad-
dress basic needs insecurity; 
‘‘(iii)(I) the resources and activities 
available to address basic needs of stu-
dents, both on campus and off campus, as 
of the date of the research; and 
‘‘(II) the impact of such resources and 
activities; and 
‘‘(iv) opportunities for coordination 
and collaboration between the institution 
and government or community-based orga-
nizations, such as— 
‘‘(I) the local office that admin-
isters benefits under the supplemental 
nutrition assistance program estab-
lished under the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) 
and carries out employment and train-
ing programs under that Act or the 
temporary assistance for needy fami-
lies program (TANF) and subsidized 
programs that meet the work require-
ments under part A of title IV of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.); 
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‘‘(II) organizations that partici-
pate in the Federal work-study pro-
gram under part C of title IV; or 
‘‘(III) low-income housing assist-
ance organizations, including those as-
sisting with tenant-based assistance 
under section 8(o) of the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f(o)), and public housing, 
as defined in section 3(b)(1) of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(1)). 
‘‘(C) Create a basic needs strategy that de-
scribes how the institution will— 
‘‘(i) seek to address or meet the basic 
needs of students through on-campus and 
off-campus providers; and 
‘‘(ii) incorporate the research con-
ducted under subparagraph (B), including 
with respect to the subgroups identified 
under clause (i) of subparagraph (B), into 
the basic needs strategy. 
‘‘(3) GRANT AMOUNTS; DURATION.— 
‘‘(A) AMOUNT.—A grant under this sub-
section shall be in an amount not to exceed 
$50,000. 
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‘‘(B) DURATION.—A grant under this sub-
section shall be for a period of not more than 
2 years. 
‘‘(4) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the end of the planning grant period under this sub-
section, each eligible institution that receives such a 
grant shall submit a report to the Secretary describ-
ing the outcomes of the planning grant, regardless 
of whether the eligible institution intends to apply 
for an implementation grant. 
‘‘(c) IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) AUTHORIZATION
OF
AWARD.—The 
Secretary shall award implementation grants, 
on a competitive basis, to eligible institutions to 
enable the eligible institutions to develop infra-
structure to meet the basic needs of students, 
by implementing a basic needs strategy devel-
oped through a grant award under subsection 
(b) or another existing basic needs plan ap-
proved by the Secretary, and carrying out the 
activities described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(B) ONGOING EXTERNAL FUNDING.—In 
order to be eligible to receive an implementation 
grant under this subsection, an eligible institu-
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tion shall identify, in the application for such 
grant, an ongoing non-Federal funding mecha-
nism to support the activities carried out with 
grant funds after the grant period has expired. 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—An eligible institution receiv-
ing a grant under this subsection shall use the grant 
funds to carry out at least two of the following: 
‘‘(A) Providing free or subsidized food, se-
cure sleeping arrangements, temporary housing, 
priority access to existing on-campus child care, 
and other basic needs to eligible students. 
‘‘(B) Conducting outreach to students to 
reduce stigma, educate, and encourage students 
to participate in programs and receive services 
(including programs and services provided 
through grant funding) to meet basic needs. 
‘‘(C) Educating students about public as-
sistance programs (including State and local 
public assistance programs, and the supple-
mental nutrition assistance program under the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2011 et seq.), Federal housing assistance pro-
grams, and other income-based Federal assist-
ance programs), supporting students’ applica-
tions for those programs, and providing case 
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management and training for students to maxi-
mize the public assistance that students receive 
to meet basic needs. 
‘‘(D) Coordination and collaboration be-
tween the eligible institution and government or 
community-based organizations, such as the 
local office that administers benefits through 
the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) or a low-income housing 
assistance organization. 
‘‘(E) Purchasing materials, equipment, 
transportation, or facilities to reduce incidences 
of food and housing insecurity and address the 
basic needs of students at the eligible institu-
tion. 
‘‘(F) Hiring and training personnel to 
build basic needs infrastructure and implement 
programming to meet the basic needs of stu-
dents at the eligible institution. 
‘‘(G) Other activities or services deter-
mined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) GRANT AMOUNTS; DURATION.— 
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‘‘(A) AMOUNT.—A grant under this sub-
section shall be in an amount not to exceed 
$1,000,000 total for each 5-year period. 
‘‘(B) DURATION.—A grant under this sub-
section shall be for a period of 5 years. 
‘‘(4) REPORT.—The Secretary shall prepare 
and submit to Congress a report that describes— 
‘‘(A) the impact of the grant under this 
subsection on eligible students; 
‘‘(B) best practices for the provision of 
basic services to eligible students; 
‘‘(C) the obstacles faced by grant recipi-
ents; and 
‘‘(D) State or Federal policy barriers to 
meeting the basic needs of students at institu-
tions of higher education. 
‘‘(5) BEST
PRACTICES.—The Secretary shall 
disseminate to eligible institutions information about 
best practices, as described in paragraph (4)(B). 
‘‘(d) RESERVATION; PRIORITY; EQUITABLE
DIS-
TRIBUTION.— 
‘‘(1) RESERVATION.—In awarding grants under 
subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary shall reserve 
an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the 
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total amount available for grants under those sub-
sections for grant awards to community colleges. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under 
subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary shall give pri-
ority to the following: 
‘‘(A) Eligible institutions with respect to 
which not less than 25 percent of enrolled stu-
dents are students that are eligible to receive a 
Federal Pell Grant under subpart 1 of part A 
of title IV. 
‘‘(B) Eligible institutions that are de-
scribed in section 371(a). 
‘‘(3) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—In awarding 
grants under subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary 
shall ensure an equitable distribution of grant 
awards to eligible institutions in States based on 
State population. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION.—An eligible institution receiving a 
grant under— 
‘‘(1) subsection (b) shall not use more than 50 
percent of grant funds for personnel expenses; and 
‘‘(2) subsection (c) shall not use more than 75 
percent of grant funds for personnel expenses. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
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$1,000,000,000 for fiscal years 2022 through 2028, of 
which— 
‘‘(1) $40,000,000 are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out planning grants under sub-
section (b); and 
‘‘(2) $960,000,000 are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out implementation grants under 
subsection (c).’’. 
Æ 
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