I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4577 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote the matriculation, 
and increase in the graduation rates, of individuals with disabilities 
within higher education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 
Ms. WILD (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. DEAN, Mr. 
TRONE, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. HARDER of 
California, Mr. FOSTER, and Mrs. HAYES) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote 
the matriculation, and increase in the graduation rates, 
of individuals with disabilities within 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 ‘‘Expanding Disability 
Access to Higher Education Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Students who are low income attend institu-
tions of higher education at a rate significantly 
lower than middle- and high-income students. 
(2) Similarly, students who are first-generation 
college students or are from minority backgrounds 
attend institutions of higher education at lower rates 
than the general public. 
(3) Many students who are low income, first 
generation, or minorities also have a disability. 
(4) In the last decade, both high school and 
postsecondary graduation rates for students with 
disabilities were significantly lower than for students 
without disabilities. 
(5) In 2015, approximately 65 percent of the 
total population of adults 25 to 34 years old had 
completed some postsecondary education compared 
with approximately 44 percent of adults with disabil-
ities in the same age range. 
(6) For students with disabilities who do attend 
an institution of higher education, only half will re-
ceive a diploma compared to 72 percent of students 
without disabilities. 
(7) Many researchers cite lack of support, such 
as in-class accommodations, accessible housing, and 
accessible technology, as a significant challenge as 
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students with disabilities transition from high school 
to postsecondary education. 
(8) As with their peers without disabilities who 
are first-generation students or come from low-in-
come backgrounds, students who are first-generation 
or low-income students with disabilities who receive 
mentoring and support services can successfully pre-
pare for, enroll in, and graduate from postsecondary 
education programs and gain greater economic con-
trol of their lives. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that individuals with disabilities, particularly those 
who are low income or first generation, should be able to 
attend institutions of higher education at the same rate 
as their peers in the general population. 
(c) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) To provide first-generation or low-income 
students with disabilities with information, support, 
and resources to matriculate and complete a course 
of study at an institution of higher education. 
(2) To encourage and support first-generation 
or low-income students with disabilities to achieve 
postsecondary credentials that benefit them and 
their communities both socially and economically. 
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(3) To increase the number of faculty with dis-
abilities in institutions of higher education. 
(4) To provide programs authorized under 
chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a– 
11) with the resources necessary to support first- 
generation or low-income students with disabilities 
to prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from institu-
tions of higher education. 
SEC. 3. PREPARING AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH 
DISABILITIES FOR POSTSECONDARY EDU-
CATION. 
Section 402A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1070a–11) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(4)(A), by striking ‘‘, and 
Native American Pacific Islanders (including Native 
Hawaiians),’’ and inserting ‘‘, Native American Pa-
cific Islanders (including Native Hawaiians), and in-
dividuals with a disability (as defined in section 3 of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 12102)),’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(i) PREPARING AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH 
DISABILITIES FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.— 
‘‘(1) FUNDS FOR FEDERAL TRIO PROGRAMS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary 
shall award funds under this paragraph, 
on a competitive basis, to an eligible entity 
that applies for a grant or contract for a 
program under this chapter (except section 
402E) and also applies for such funds 
under this paragraph in order to serve eli-
gible students, as described in clause (ii). 
The period for such award of funds under 
this paragraph shall be the same period for 
the associated grant or contract for a pro-
gram under this chapter (except section 
402E) (referred to in this paragraph as 
the ‘associated program’). 
‘‘(ii) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—An eligi-
ble student is described in this clause if the 
student— 
‘‘(I) is eligible to receive assist-
ance under a program authorized 
under this chapter (except section 
402E); and 
‘‘(II) has an individualized edu-
cation program, as defined in section 
602 of the Individuals with Disabil-
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