I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4433 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the income 
protection allowances. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 2, 2016 
Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. BERA, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. HONDA, Mr. 
KEATING, Ms. LEE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. POCAN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RYAN of 
Ohio, Mr. TAKAI, Mr. TONKO, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. CONYERS, and Mr. 
MCDERMOTT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase 
the income protection allowances. 
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 ‘‘Working Student Act 
of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR WORKING STUDENTS. 
(a) DEPENDENT STUDENTS.—Section 475(g)(2)(D) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087oo(g)(2)(D)) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(D) an income protection allowance (or a 
successor amount prescribed by the Secretary 
under section 478) of $8,519 for academic year 
2016–2017;’’. 
(b) INDEPENDENT STUDENTS WITHOUT DEPEND-
ENTS OTHER THAN A SPOUSE.—Section 476(b)(1)(A)(iv) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087pp(b)(1)(A)(iv)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(iv) an income protection allowance 
(or a successor amount prescribed by the 
Secretary under section 478)— 
‘‘(I) for single or separated stu-
dents, or married students where both 
are enrolled pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2), of $13,244 for academic year 
2016–2017; and 
‘‘(II) for married students where 
1 is enrolled pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2), of $21,222 for academic year 
2016–2017;’’. 
(c) INDEPENDENT STUDENTS WITH DEPENDENTS 
OTHER THAN A SPOUSE.—Section 477(b)(4) of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087qq(b)(4)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(4) INCOME
PROTECTION
ALLOWANCE.—The 
income protection allowance is determined by the fol-
lowing table (or a successor table prescribed by the 
Secretary under section 478), for academic year 
2016–2017: 
‘‘Income Protection Allowance 
Family 
Size 
Number in College 
(including 
student) 
For each 
additional 
subtract: 
$33,534 
$27,797 
$4,230
41,742 
36,045 
$30,308 
51,543 
45,833 
40,122 
$34,385 
60,831 
55,080 
49,370 
43,659 
$37,949 
71,321 
65,408 
59,724 
53,960 
48,276 
For each 
additional 
add: 
5,950 
’’. 
(d) UPDATED
TABLES
AND
AMOUNTS.—Section 
478(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087rr(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—For each academic 
year after academic year 2016–2017, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register a 
revised table of income protection allowances 
for the purpose of sections 475(c)(4) and 
477(b)(4), subject to subparagraphs (B) and 
(C). 
‘‘(B) TABLE
FOR
INDEPENDENT
STU-
DENTS.—For each academic year after aca-
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demic year 2016–2017, the Secretary shall de-
velop the revised table of income protection al-
lowances by increasing each of the dollar 
amounts contained in the table of income pro-
tection allowances under section 477(b)(4) by a 
percentage equal to the estimated percentage 
increase in the Consumer Price Index (as deter-
mined by the Secretary) between December 
2014 and the December next preceding the be-
ginning of such academic year, and rounding 
the result to the nearest $10.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘shall be de-
veloped’’ and all that follows through the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘shall be developed for each 
academic year after academic year 2016–2017, by 
increasing each of the dollar amounts contained in 
such section for academic year 2016–2017 by a per-
centage equal to the estimated percentage increase 
in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the 
Secretary) between December 2014 and the Decem-
ber next preceding the beginning of such academic 
year, and rounding the result to the nearest $10.’’. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall be effective on July 1, 2016. 
Æ 
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