I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4259
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize Presidential Honors
Scholarships to be awarded to all secondary school students in the
top 5 percent of their graduating class, to promote and recognize high
academic achievement in secondary school, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 27, 1996
Mr. MCHALE (for himself, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. KILDEE, Mr.
FAZIO of California, Mr. EVANS, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Ms. WOOL-
SEY, Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO´, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. TEJEDA, Mr. ANDREWS,
and Ms. HARMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize
Presidential Honors Scholarships to be awarded to all
secondary school students in the top 5 percent of their
graduating class, to promote and recognize high aca-
demic achievement in secondary school, 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 ‘‘Presidential Honors
Scholarship Act of 1996’’.
SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL HONORS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
Part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is amended by inserting
after subpart 6 the following new subpart:
‘‘SUBPART 7—PRESIDENTIAL HONORS SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM
‘‘SEC. 420A. PRESIDENTIAL HONORS SCHOLARSHIP PRO-
GRAM.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this subpart to
establish a Presidential Honors Scholarship Program to
encourage high academic achievement in public and pri-
vate secondary schools and to recognize and reward the
achievement of their outstanding graduates.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—The Secretary is au-
thorized, in accordance with this subpart, to carry out a
program of recognizing high academic achievement in pub-
lic and private secondary schools by awarding scholarships
to all students in the top 5 percent of their graduating
class, and thereby encouraging students to excel in their
secondary studies and pursue postsecondary education.
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated $130,000,000 for fiscal
year 1998, and such sums as may be necessary for each
of the 4 succeeding fiscal years, to carry out the purposes
of this subpart. Funds shall remain available for obligation
until the end of the fourth fiscal year immediately succeed-
ing the fiscal year for which such funds were appropriated.
‘‘(d) TERMS OF SCHOLARSHIPS.—
‘‘(1) AMOUNT
OF
SCHOLARSHIP.—(A) The
amount of a scholarship awarded under this subpart
shall be $1,000.
‘‘(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if
funds available in a fiscal year are insufficient to
fully fund all scholarships under this subpart, the
amount paid to each student shall be reduced pro-
portionately.
‘‘(C) Notwithstanding any other provision of
this title, a scholarship awarded under this part—
‘‘(i) shall not be counted in determining
the student’s need for grant, loan, or work as-
sistance under this title; and
‘‘(ii) may, alone or in combination with
other grant, loan, or work assistance received
under this title, exceed the student’s cost of at-
tendance, as defined in section 472.
‘‘(2) PERIOD
OF
SCHOLARSHIPS.—A student
who satisfies the requirements of subsection (f) may
receive a scholarship under this subpart for a period
of not more than 1 academic year of postsecondary
education or training on at least a half-time basis,
as determined by the institution.
‘‘(3) SCHOLARSHIP PROCEEDS.—
‘‘(A) USE
AND
AVAILABILITY.—Scholar-
ship proceeds shall be used for the scholarship
recipient’s first year of postsecondary education
or training, and shall remain available for such
use for not more than 3 academic years follow-
ing his or her graduation from secondary
school.
‘‘(B) DISBURSAL.—Scholarship proceeds
shall be disbursed on behalf of students who re-
ceive scholarships under this subpart to the in-
stitutions of higher education at which the stu-
dents are enrolled. No scholarship proceeds
shall be disbursed on behalf of a student until
the student is enrolled at an institution of high-
er education on at least a half-time basis, as de-
termined by such institution.
‘‘(4) USE AT ANY INSTITUTION PERMITTED.—
A scholarship awarded under this subpart may be
used to attend any institution of higher education,
as defined in section 481.
‘‘(e) SELECTION OF SCHOLARS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Scholarships shall be
awarded to all students who rank in the top 5 per-
cent of the graduating class of each secondary school
that participates in the program under this subpart.
Ranking procedures shall be established by each
such school, but may not include any nonacademic
or extracurricular factors.
‘‘(2) ANNUAL
ANNOUNCEMENT
OF
SCHOLAR-
SHIPS.—Each participating school shall announce
the availability of scholarships under this subpart,
and its selection procedures, to all students in the
school, and their parents, at the beginning of each
academic year.
‘‘(3) 
RECORDS.—Each 
participating 
school
shall maintain records of its selection procedures,
the names of the students selected, and such other
related information as the Secretary may require.
‘‘(f) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.—In order to receive a
scholarship under this subpart, a student must—
‘‘(1) rank in the top 5 percent of the graduat-
ing class at the secondary school that he or she at-
tends, as established by such school in accordance
with subsection (e); and
‘‘(2) meet the requirements of section 484.
‘‘(g) RECOGNITION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECEIPT.—
‘‘(1) DESIGNATION
OF
SCHOLARSHIP
RECIPI-
ENTS.—Students awarded scholarships under this
subpart shall be known as ‘Presidential Honors
Scholars’.
‘‘(2) CERTIFICATES; CEREMONIES.—The Sec-
retary shall provide each student awarded a scholar-
ship under this subpart a certificate from the Presi-
dent that indicates that the recipient is a Presi-
dential Honors Scholar. The certificates shall be
provided through the secondary schools that selected
such students. Such schools may present these cer-
tificates in appropriate ceremonies.
‘‘(h) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall, from time
to time, conduct an evaluation of the program authorized
by this subpart.
‘‘(i) SECRETARIAL AUTHORITY.—In order to carry
out the purposes of this subpart, the Secretary may, from
time to time, establish policies, procedures, and require-
ments, set deadlines, and require information.’’.
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