I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4308 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish an emergency 
grant aid program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 
Mr. MORELLE (for himself, Ms. HILL of California, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr. KING 
of New York, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. BRINDISI, 
and Mr. NADLER) 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 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 ‘‘Cost Assistance Made 
Possible for Undergraduate Students Act’’ or the ‘‘CAM-
PUS Act’’. 
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‘‘(c) 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 
30 days before each deadline to submit applications 
under paragraph (1), conduct outreach to eligible in-
stitutions (as defined in section 371(a)) to provide 
such institutions 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-
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 an emergency for which an eligible 
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student will be eligible to receive an emergency 
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 that would directly 
impact the ability of an eligible student to con-
tinue the course of study of such student, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(i) a loss of employment, transpor-
tation, child care, or housing of the stu-
dent; 
‘‘(ii) a medical condition of the stu-
dent, or a dependent of the student; 
‘‘(iii) with respect to the eligible stu-
dent, food insecurity; and 
‘‘(iv) in the case of an eligible student 
who is a dependent student— 
‘‘(I) the death of a parent or 
guardian of such eligible student; or 
‘‘(II) a medical condition of the 
parent or guardian of such eligible 
student which results in the loss of 
employment of such parent or guard-
ian; 
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‘‘(D) a description of the process by which 
an eligible student may apply and receive an 
emergency financial aid grant; 
‘‘(E) an assurance that the eligible entity, 
when applicable, will make information available 
to eligible students about the eligibility of such 
students and their dependents for assistance 
under the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the special sup-
plemental nutrition program for women, in-
fants, and children under the Child Nutrition 
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and the pro-
gram 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.); 
‘‘(F) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will, to the extent practicable, assist eligible stu-
dents in obtaining information about and ac-
cessing means-tested Federal benefit programs 
(as defined in section 479(d)) for which such 
students may be eligible; 
‘‘(G) how the eligible entity will administer 
the emergency grant aid program, including— 
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‘‘(i) which employees and departments 
of the eligible entity will administer the 
emergency grant aid program; 
‘‘(ii) the role of the student financial 
aid administrator of the eligible entity with 
respect to the emergency grant aid pro-
gram; 
‘‘(iii) the online processes the eligible 
entity will use to respond to applications, 
approve applications, and disburse emer-
gency financial aid grants outside of nor-
mal business hours; 
‘‘(iv) the data management tools the 
eligible entity will use— 
‘‘(I) to ensure efficient adminis-
tration of the emergency grant aid 
program; and 
‘‘(II) for data collection for pur-
poses of evaluating the emergency 
grant aid program; 
‘‘(v) the internal controls the eligible 
entity will use to discourage fraud under 
the emergency grant aid program; 
‘‘(vi) a description of other student 
emergency financial support services of-
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fered by the eligible entity and the rela-
tionship between the emergency grant aid 
program and such support services; and 
‘‘(vii) the process the eligible entity 
will use to inform students who apply for 
an emergency financial aid grant of the 
services described under clause (vi); 
‘‘(H) an assurance that either the financial 
aid department or the student services depart-
ment of the eligible entity will serve as the pri-
mary program administrator for the emergency 
grant aid program; 
‘‘(I) an assurance that the process by 
which an eligible student applies for an emer-
gency financial aid grant includes— 
‘‘(i) to the extent practicable, an 
interview; and 
‘‘(ii) at least one opportunity to ap-
peal a denial of such a grant; 
‘‘(J) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will— 
‘‘(i) acknowledge a request of a stu-
dent for an emergency financial aid grant 
not later than 8 hours after such a request 
is submitted to the eligible entity; and 
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‘‘(ii) not later than 48 hours after 
such a request is submitted to the eligible 
entity— 
‘‘(I) decide whether to award an 
emergency financial aid grant to such 
student; and 
‘‘(II) if applicable, disburse such 
emergency financial aid grant to such 
eligible student; 
‘‘(K) a description of how the school in-
tends to limit excessive demand, fraud, or abuse 
including through program audits and requiring 
student documentation of the expenses for 
which the emergency financial aid grant was 
disbursed; 
‘‘(L) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will provide the emergency financial aid grants 
to eligible students— 
‘‘(i) subject to the availability of 
funds, as requested by such eligible stu-
dents in the order such requests are made; 
and 
‘‘(ii) without regard to any other cri-
teria; and 
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‘‘(M) 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 shall give priority to an 
eligible entity in which at least 30 percent of the 
students enrolled at such eligible entity are eligible 
to receive a Federal Pell Grant. 
‘‘(d) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 9 months after 
the date of enactment of this subpart, the Secretary shall 
make available to the authorizing committees and the pub-
lic a list of eligible entities selected to carry out an emer-
gency grant aid program under this section. 
‘‘(e) 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) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) AMOUNT.—An emergency financial 
aid grant to an eligible student may not be in 
an amount greater than $750. 
‘‘(B) TOTAL AMOUNT.—The total amount 
of emergency financial aid grants that an eligi-
ble student may receive from an eligible entity 
may not exceed $2,000. 
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‘‘(f) INFORMATION AND EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(1) INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(A) STUDENT-LEVEL DATA.—Each eligi-
ble entity that carries out an emergency grant 
aid program under this section shall annually 
submit to the Director of the Institute of Edu-
cation Sciences a report that includes, with re-
spect to each eligible student who received an 
emergency financial aid grant from such eligible 
entity in the preceding year, the following: 
‘‘(i) The number of credit hours such 
eligible student earned prior to receiving 
an emergency financial aid grant. 
‘‘(ii) The amount of the emergency fi-
nancial aid grant. 
‘‘(iii) The date in the academic year 
such eligible student applied for an emer-
gency financial aid grant. 
‘‘(iv) The type of emergency declared 
by such eligible student. 
‘‘(v) The period of time between the 
request by the eligible student for an emer-
gency financial aid grant and when the eli-
gible entity— 
‘‘(I) acknowledged such request; 
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‘‘(IV) the eligible students who 
received a total of $2,000 from emer-
gency financial aid grants under such 
emergency grant aid program. 
‘‘(ii) For each group of students de-
scribed in clause (i), disaggregated by age, 
race (as defined in section 153(a)(3) of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 
(20 U.S.C. 9543)), gender, disability sta-
tus, students who are veterans or service 
members, first generation college students, 
and status as a recipient of a Federal Pell 
Grant. 
‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—The Director, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary and using the information 
determined under paragraph (1), shall annually 
evaluate each eligible entity carrying out an emer-
gency grant aid program under this section. Each 
evaluation shall be disaggregated in accordance with 
paragraph (1)(C) and include, with respect to the 
preceding year— 
‘‘(A) the extent to which the eligible entity 
met the elements of the application of such eli-
gible entity under subsection (c); 
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‘‘(B) whether, with respect to the students 
enrolled in the eligible entity, the emergency 
grant aid program led to a reduced average 
time to completion or increased retention rates; 
‘‘(C) any obstacles related to the adminis-
tration of the emergency grant aid program; 
‘‘(D) the total amount of emergency finan-
cial aid grant assistance transmitted by the eli-
gible entity; 
‘‘(E) with respect to eligible students who 
received an emergency financial aid grant, the 
average amount of such emergency financial aid 
grant; 
‘‘(F) enrollment data, disaggregated by en-
rollment status, retention rates, credit accumu-
lation, and completion rates for— 
‘‘(i) first-time, full-time students; 
‘‘(ii) first-time, part-time students; 
‘‘(iii) non-first-time, full-time stu-
dents; 
‘‘(iv) non-first-time, part-time stu-
dents; 
‘‘(v) students eligible for Federal Pell 
Grants; 
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‘‘(vi) race (as defined in section 
153(a)(3) of the Education Sciences Re-
form Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9543)) and 
ethnicity; and 
‘‘(vii) transfer rates; and 
‘‘(G) a description of the role of staff and 
faculty in the administration of the emergency 
grant aid program. 
‘‘(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Director, in con-
sultation with the Secretary, shall annually provide 
to the authorizing committees a report on the effec-
tiveness of the emergency grant aid programs. 
‘‘(g) DATA PRIVACY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for any 
person who obtains or has access to personally iden-
tifiable information pursuant to this section to 
knowingly disclose to any person (except as author-
ized in this section or any Federal law) such person-
ally identifiable information. 
‘‘(2) PENALTY.—Any person who violates para-
graph (1) shall be fined under title 18, United 
States Code. 
‘‘(3) OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED 
STATES.—If any officer or employee of the United 
States violates paragraph (1), the officer or em-
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ployee shall be dismissed from office or discharged 
from employment upon conviction for the violation. 
‘‘(4) LAW ENFORCEMENT.—Personally identifi-
able information collected under this section shall 
not be used for any law enforcement activity or any 
other activity that would result in adverse action 
against any student, including debt collection activ-
ity or enforcement of the immigration laws. 
‘‘(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means an institution of higher education that 
on the date such entity receives a grant under this 
section, is participating in the FSEOG program 
under subpart 3. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE STUDENT.—The term ‘eligible 
student’ means a student who— 
‘‘(A) is enrolled in an eligible entity on an 
at least half-time basis; and 
‘‘(B) who is making satisfactory academic 
progress. 
‘‘(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101. 
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‘‘(4) FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT.— 
The term ‘first generation college student’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 402A(h)(3).’’. 
Æ 
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