I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2967 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish an emergency 
grant aid program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2023 
Mr. MORELLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish 
an emergency grant aid 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 ‘‘Emergency Grant Aid 
for College Students Act’’. 
SEC. 2. EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT PROGRAM. 
Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
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‘‘PART F—EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANTS 
‘‘SEC. 791. EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANT PROGRAMS 
AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary shall carry out a grant pro-
gram to make grants, in accordance with subsection (b), 
to eligible entities to provide emergency financial aid 
grants to eligible students in accordance with subsection 
(c). 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible entity desir-
ing to carry out an emergency grant aid program 
under this section shall submit an application to the 
Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
‘‘(2) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall, at least 
60 days before each deadline to submit applications 
under paragraph (1), conduct outreach to institu-
tions of higher education (including such institutions 
that are eligible for priority under this section) and 
systems of higher education to provide such institu-
tions and systems with information on the oppor-
tunity to apply under paragraph (1) to carry out an 
emergency grant aid program under this section. 
‘‘(3) CONTENTS.—Each application under para-
graph (1) shall include a description of the emer-
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gency grant aid program to be carried out by the eli-
gible entity, including— 
‘‘(A) an estimate of the number of emer-
gency financial aid grants that such entity will 
make in an award year and how such eligible 
entity assessed such estimate; 
‘‘(B) the criteria the eligible entity will use 
to determine a student’s eligibility for an emer-
gency financial aid grant; 
‘‘(C) an assurance that an emergency for 
which an eligible student will be eligible to re-
ceive an emergency financial aid grant will in-
clude financial challenges related to any compo-
nent of the student’s cost of attendance or fi-
nancial challenges that would impact the ability 
of an eligible student to continue the course of 
study of such student; 
‘‘(D) an assurance that the eligible entity, 
when applicable, will make information available 
to eligible students about the eligibility of such 
students, and their dependents, as applicable, 
for assistance under means-tested Federal ben-
efit programs, including— 
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‘‘(i) the supplemental security income 
program under title XVI of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); 
‘‘(ii) the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program under the Food and Nutri-
tion Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), 
a nutrition assistance program carried out 
under section 19 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
2028), or a supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program carried out under section 
3(c) of the Act entitled ‘An Act to author-
ize appropriations for certain insular areas 
of the United States, and for other pur-
poses’ (Public Law 95–348); 
‘‘(iii) the free and reduced price 
school lunch program established under the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.); 
‘‘(iv) the program of block grants for 
States for temporary assistance for needy 
families established under part A of title 
IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
601 et seq.); 
‘‘(v) the special supplemental nutri-
tion program for women, infants, and chil-
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dren established by section 17 of the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786); 
‘‘(vi) the Medicaid program under 
title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); 
‘‘(vii) Federal housing assistance pro-
grams, 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)); 
‘‘(viii) the refundable credit for cov-
erage under a qualified health plan under 
section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986; 
‘‘(ix) the Earned Income Tax Credit 
under section 32 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986; or 
‘‘(x) any other means-tested program 
determined by the Secretary to be appro-
priate; 
‘‘(E) how the eligible entity will administer 
the emergency grant aid program, including— 
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‘‘(i) the process by which an eligible 
student may apply for and receive an 
emergency grant, which shall include an 
opportunity to apply online, and at least 1 
opportunity to appeal a grant denial; 
‘‘(ii) the processes the eligible entity 
will use to respond to applications, approve 
applications, and disburse emergency fi-
nancial aid grants, including outside of 
normal business hours; 
‘‘(iii) how the eligible entity will ad-
vertise emergency grants to eligible stu-
dents; and 
‘‘(iv) how quickly the eligible entity 
will disburse emergency aid grants to stu-
dents after applications have been sub-
mitted; 
‘‘(F) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will acknowledge receipt of a student’s applica-
tion and fund approved applications not later 
than 10 business days after the date of the ap-
proval; 
‘‘(G) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will conduct outreach to students to inform 
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them of the availability of, and process for ap-
plying for, emergency aid grants; 
‘‘(H) a description of how the eligible enti-
ty will prioritize eligible students with financial 
need in awarding emergency financial aid 
grants; and 
‘‘(I) any other information the Secretary 
may require. 
‘‘(4) PRIORITY.—In selecting eligible entities to 
carry out an emergency grant aid program under 
this section, the Secretary may give priority to— 
‘‘(A) an eligible entity that is a community 
college; 
‘‘(B) an eligible entity that is an institu-
tion of higher education described in section 
371(a); 
‘‘(C) an eligible entity that is considered 
rural according to the National Center for Edu-
cation Statistics for purposes of the Integrated 
Postsecondary Education Data System; 
‘‘(D) an eligible entity in which not less 
than 33 percent of the students enrolled at such 
eligible entity are eligible to receive a Federal 
Pell Grant; or 
‘‘(E) an eligible entity that— 
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‘‘(i) has an admissions rate that is 50 
percent or higher and is under-resourced; 
or 
‘‘(ii) is an eligible institution as de-
fined in section 312(b). 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity may only 
use funds provided under this section to make emer-
gency financial aid grants to eligible students. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF AWARDS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—An eligible student 
may receive an amount under this section that 
would cause the amount of total financial aid 
received by such student to exceed the cost of 
attendance of the institution of higher edu-
cation in which the student is enrolled. 
‘‘(B) MAXIMUM AMOUNTS RECEIVED.—An 
eligible student may not receive a cumulative 
amount under this section for an academic year 
that is more than the maximum Federal Pell 
Grant available for such academic year. 
‘‘(3) DETERMINATIONS.—In determining eligi-
bility for and awarding emergency financial aid 
grants under this section, an eligible entity may— 
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‘‘(A) waive the amount of need calculation 
under section 471; and 
‘‘(B) utilize a contract with a scholarship- 
granting organization designated for the sole 
purpose of accepting applications from, or dis-
bursing funds to, students enrolled in the insti-
tution of higher education, if such scholarship- 
granting organization disburses the full allo-
cated amount provided to the institution of 
higher education to the student recipients. 
‘‘(d) REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than 
once annually, each eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Sec-
retary a report on the progress of the eligible entity 
in carrying out the programs supported by such 
grant. 
‘‘(2) FORM
OF
REPORT.—The report under 
paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. The Sec-
retary shall issue uniform guidelines describing the 
information that shall be reported by grantees under 
such paragraph. 
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‘‘(3) CONTENT OF REPORT.—The report under 
paragraph (1) shall include, at minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) The average, minimum, and max-
imum amount of grants made available to eligi-
ble students, including any average, minimum, 
or maximum grant levels made to any specific 
subgroups of eligible students, including the 
subgroups listed in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) A description of any specific sub-
groups of eligible students who were prioritized 
for the emergency financial aid grants, includ-
ing students of color, low-income students, first- 
generation college students, students with dis-
abilities, English learners, students experiencing 
homelessness, former foster youth, or student 
parents. 
‘‘(C) The number of eligible students who 
received an emergency financial aid grant, in-
cluding the number of eligible students who re-
ceived more than one such grant, and the num-
ber of eligible students in each of the subgroups 
described in subparagraph (B) who received an 
emergency financial aid grant, including the 
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number of eligible students in each of such sub-
groups who received more than one such grant. 
‘‘(D) The types of emergencies declared 
and frequencies of emergencies declared by eli-
gible students. 
‘‘(E) The number of students who applied 
for an emergency financial aid grant, including 
the number of eligible students in each of the 
subgroups described in subparagraph (B) who 
applied for an emergency financial aid grant. 
‘‘(F) The number of students who were de-
nied such a grant. 
‘‘(G) The number of students who ap-
pealed a denial of such grant. 
‘‘(H) The average amount of time it took 
an eligible entity to respond to requests for 
such a grant and the average amount of time 
it took the eligible entity to award or deny such 
a grant. 
‘‘(I) A description and amount of any in-
stitutional funds used to supplement emergency 
financial aid grants provided in accordance with 
this section. 
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‘‘(J) Outcomes of the eligible students who 
received such a grant, including rates of persist-
ence, retention, and completion. 
‘‘(K) A description of the method used to 
disburse emergency grants to students. 
‘‘(e) 
DETERMINATION
OF
AWARDS.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, an eligible entity that 
receives a grant under this section shall solely determine 
which students receive emergency financial aid grants 
under this section. 
‘‘(f) SPECIAL RULES.—An emergency financial aid 
grant awarded to a student under this section— 
‘‘(1) shall not be treated as estimated financial 
assistance or other financial assistance for the pur-
poses of section 471 or section 480; 
‘‘(2) shall not be considered— 
‘‘(A) income or assets (including untaxed 
income and benefits under section 480(b)) in 
the computation of a student’s expected family 
contribution or student aid index in determining 
the amount of aid for which the student is eligi-
ble under title IV for any academic year; and 
‘‘(B) in determining eligibility for other 
public benefits; and 
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‘‘(3) shall not be included in the gross income 
of such student for purposes of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986. 
‘‘(g) ELIGIBILITY
FOR BENEFITS.—No individual 
shall be determined to be ineligible to receive benefits pro-
vided under this section on the basis of citizenship, 
alienage, or immigration status. 
‘‘(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘com-
munity college’ means— 
‘‘(A) a degree-granting public institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101) at 
which— 
‘‘(i) the highest degree awarded is an 
associate degree; or 
‘‘(ii) an associate degree is the most 
frequently awarded degree; 
‘‘(B) a 2-year Tribal College or University 
(as defined in section 316(b)(3)); 
‘‘(C) a degree-granting Tribal College or 
University (as defined in section 316(b)(3)) at 
which— 
‘‘(i) the highest degree awarded is an 
associate degree; or 
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‘‘(ii) an associate degree is the most 
frequently awarded degree; or 
‘‘(D) a branch campus of a 4-year public 
institution of higher education (as defined in 
section 101), if, at such branch campus— 
‘‘(i) the highest degree awarded is an 
associate degree; or 
‘‘(ii) an associate degree is the most 
frequently awarded degree. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means an institution of higher education. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE STUDENT.—The term ‘eligible 
student’ means any student who is enrolled in an eli-
gible entity. 
‘‘(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the 
term ‘institution of higher education’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 101 or 102(c). 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2024 through 2029.’’. 
Æ 
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