(ii) by striking ‘‘475(g)(2)(D) and 
476(b)(1)(A)(iv)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘475(g)(2)(C) and 476(b)(1)(A)(iii)’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘December 1999’’ and 
inserting ‘‘December 2004’’. 
(g) RELIEF FOR WORKING STUDENTS.—
(1) DEPENDENT STUDENTS.—Paragraph (4) of 
section 475(g) (20 U.S.C. 1087oo(g)(4)), as redesig-
nated by subsection (f)(3)(C), is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(4) the student’s available income (determined 
in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection) 
is assessed at 40 percent.’’
(2) INDEPENDENT
STUDENTS
WITHOUT
DE-
PENDENTS OTHER THAN A SPOUSE.—Paragraph (4) 
of section 476(b) (20 U.S.C. 1087pp(b)), as redesig-
nated by subsection (f)(3)(C), is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(4) ASSESSMENT
OF
AVAILABLE
INCOME.—
The family’s available income (determined in accord-
ance with paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection) is as-
sessed at 40 percent.’’. 
(h) SIMPLIFYING
FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL 
CIRCUMSTANCES.—Section 480 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv) is
amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) INDEPENDENT STUDENT.—
‘‘(1) DEFINITION.—The term ‘independent’ 
when used with respect to a student, means any in-
dividual who—
‘‘(A) is 24 years of age or older by Decem-
ber 31 of the award year; 
‘‘(B) is an orphan, in foster care, or a 
ward of the court, or was in foster care or a 
ward of the court until the individual reached 
the age of 18; 
‘‘(C) is an emancipated youth as defined 
by his or her state of legal residence or is in 
legal guardianship as defined by section 475(7) 
of the Social Security Act; 
‘‘(D) is a veteran of the Armed Forces of 
the United States (as defined in subsection 
(c)(1)); 
‘‘(E) is a graduate or professional student; 
‘‘(F) is a married individual; 
‘‘(G) has legal dependents other than a 
spouse; or 
‘‘(H) is a student for whom a financial aid 
administrator makes a documented determina-
tion of independence by reason of unusual cir-
cumstances. 
‘‘(2) SIMPLIFYING
THE
DEPENDENCY
OVER-
RIDE
PROCESS.—Nothing in this subsection shall 
prohibit a financial aid administrator to make a de-
termination of independence, as defined in para-
graph (1)(H), based upon a documented determina-
tion of independence, as defined in paragraph 
(1)(H), previously made by another financial aid ad-
ministrator in the same application year.’’. 
(i) TAILORING ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS FOR STU-
DENTS WITH SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.—Section 483(a) 
of the Higher Education Act is further amended by insert-
ing after paragraph (13), as added by subsection 
(b)(1)(B) of this section, the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(14) APPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS SEEKING 
A
DOCUMENTED
DETERMINATION
OF
INDEPEND-
ENCE.—In the case of dependent students seeking a 
documented determination of independence by a fi-
nancial aid administrator (as defined by section 
480(d)), nothing in this section shall prohibit the 
Secretary from—
‘‘(A) allowing such students to indicate 
their special circumstance on an electronic form 
developed pursuant for this section;
‘‘(B) collecting and processing on a pre-
liminary basis data provided by such students 
using the electronic forms developed pursuant 
for this section; and 
‘‘(C) distributing such data to institutions 
of higher education, guaranty agencies, and 
States for the purposes of processing loan appli-
cations and determining need and eligibility for 
institutional and State financial aid awards on 
a preliminary basis, pending a documented de-
termination of independence by a financial aid 
administrator.’’. 
SEC. 110. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
CAMPUS-BASED AID. 
(a) FEDERAL TRIO PROGRAM AUTHORIZATIONS.—
Section 402A(f) (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11(f)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘$700,000,000 for fiscal year 
1999’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,250,000,000 for fiscal year 
2004’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘4 succeeding fiscal years’’ and 
inserting ‘‘5 succeeding fiscal years’’. 
(b) GEARUP.—Section 404H (20 U.S.C. 1070a–28) 
is amended to read as follows: