I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1959 
To provide Dreamer students with access to student financial aid. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2015 
Mr. HINOJOSA (for himself, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ 
of California, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. 
KIND, and Ms. FUDGE) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to 
the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide Dreamer students with access to student financial 
aid. 
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 ‘‘College Options for 
DREAMers Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to invest in highly moti-
vated college students who came to the United States, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1959.IH
H1959
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
grew up in our churches and schools, and want to con-
tribute to the Nation by earning a college degree, making 
more money and paying higher taxes, starting businesses, 
hiring American workers, and spending more to strength-
en the Nation’s economy. 
SEC. 3. COLLEGE OPTIONS FOR DREAMER STUDENTS. 
Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1091) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(5), by inserting ‘‘or be a 
Dreamer student, as defined in subsection (u)’’ after 
‘‘becoming a citizen or permanent resident’’; and 
(2) by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘(u) DREAMER STUDENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term 
‘Dreamer student’ means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) was younger than 16 years of age on 
the date on which the individual initially en-
tered the United States; 
‘‘(B) has provided a list of each secondary 
school (as that term is defined in section 9101 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965) that the student attended in the 
United States; and 
‘‘(C)(i) has earned a high school diploma, 
the recognized equivalent of such diploma from 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1959.IH
H1959
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
a secondary school, a high school equivalency 
diploma in the United States, or is scheduled to 
complete the requirements for such a diploma 
or equivalent before the next academic year be-
gins; 
‘‘(ii) has acquired a degree from an institu-
tion of higher education or has completed not 
less than 2 years in a program for a bacca-
laureate degree or higher degree at an institu-
tion of higher education in the United States 
and has made satisfactory academic progress, 
as defined in subsection (c), during such time 
period; 
‘‘(iii) is a beneficiary of the Deferred Ac-
tion for Childhood Arrivals program pursuant 
to the Department of Homeland Security Sec-
retary’s memorandum on June 15, 2012, or 
November 20, 2014; or 
‘‘(iv) has served in the uniformed services, 
as defined in section 101 of title 10, United 
States Code, for not less than 4 years and, if 
discharged, received an honorable discharge. 
‘‘(2) HARDSHIP EXCEPTION.—The Secretary of 
Education shall issue regulations that direct when 
the Department shall waive the requirement of sub-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1959.IH
H1959
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
paragraph (A) or (B), or both, of paragraph (1) to 
qualify as a Dreamer student under such paragraph, 
if the individual— 
‘‘(A) 
demonstrates 
compelling 
cir-
cumstances for the inability to satisfy the re-
quirement of such subparagraph (A) or (B), or 
both; and 
‘‘(B) satisfies the requirement under para-
graph (1)(C).’’. 
SEC. 4. RESTORATION OF STATE OPTION TO DETERMINE 
RESIDENCY FOR PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDU-
CATION. 
(a) REPEAL.—Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 
U.S.C. 1623) is repealed. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The repeal under subsection 
(a) shall take effect as if included in the original enact-
ment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
Responsibility Act of 1996 (division C of Public Law 104– 
208). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1959.IH
H1959
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS