I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1958 
To improve the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes. 
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 
A BILL 
To improve the Federal Pell Grant program, 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 ‘‘Year-Round Pell Grant 
Restoration Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Congressional Budget Office reports on 
any overall financial surplus or shortfall in the fund-
ing provided for the Federal Pell Grant program. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1958.IH
H1958
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
However, in recent years, in order to meet the max-
imum Federal Pell Grant level with the provided 
level of funding, Congress has made cuts to the pro-
gram through imposing additional eligibility require-
ments for Federal Pell Grants and limiting the avail-
ability of year-round Federal Pell Grants, causing 
significant uncertainty and reducing access to higher 
education for millions of hardworking college stu-
dents. 
(2) The ‘‘traditional student’’ who attends col-
lege for 4 years immediately after high school is now 
a minority of college students today. Ambitious stu-
dents now need more flexibility to attend school 
year-round while juggling work schedules. 
(3) Section 1860 of the Department of Defense 
and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 
(Public Law 112–10, 125 Stat. 169) eliminated the 
provision of the Federal Pell Grant program of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et 
seq.) that allowed more than one Federal Pell Grant 
awards per year, creating significant hardship for 
many students trying to take courses over the sum-
mer or outside the traditional school calendar. Al-
lowing students to continue to receive Federal Pell 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1958.IH
H1958
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
Grants in successive semesters, without a gap, would 
reduce the time needed to complete their degrees. 
SEC. 3. YEAR-ROUND FEDERAL PELL GRANT STUDENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 401(b) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8)(A) In this paragraph, the term ‘eligible student’ 
means a student who— 
‘‘(i) has received a Federal Pell Grant for an 
award year and is enrolled in an eligible program for 
one or more additional payment periods during the 
same award year that are not otherwise fully covered 
by the student’s Federal Pell Grant; 
‘‘(ii) continues to meets all eligibility require-
ments to receive a Federal Pell Grant under this 
section; and 
‘‘(iii) attends an institution of higher education 
on average, not less than a half-time basis. 
‘‘(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
subsection, the Secretary shall award an additional Fed-
eral Pell Grant to an eligible student for the additional 
payment periods during an award year that are not other-
wise fully covered by the student’s Federal Pell Grant for 
the award year. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:23 May 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1958.IH
H1958
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS