I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3223
To assist institutions of higher education help at-risk students stay in school
and complete their 4-year postsecondary academic programs.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 4, 1999
Mr. FATTAH (for himself, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. HASTINGS
of Florida, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. FROST, Mr. ROMERO-
BARCELO´, Ms. LEE, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. MCGOV-
ERN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. PASTOR, Ms.
BALDWIN, Mr. CLAY, Mr. OWENS, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr.
RUSH, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, and Ms. SCHAKOWSKY)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To assist institutions of higher education help at-risk stu-
dents stay in school and complete their 4-year postsec-
ondary academic programs.
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 ‘‘William H. Gray, III,
College Completion Challenge Grant Program of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
Subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132a et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end thereof the following new chapter:
‘‘CHAPTER 4—WILLIAM H. GRAY, III, COL-
LEGE 
COMPLETION 
CHALLENGE
GRANT PROGRAM
‘‘SEC. 408A. FINDINGS.
‘‘Congress makes the following findings:
‘‘(1) Students from low-income families are sig-
nificantly more likely to leave a 4-year institution of
higher education without a baccalaureate degree
than are students with higher incomes.
‘‘(2) Even among students with above average
grades, low-income students are still more likely to
leave a 4-year institution of higher education with-
out a baccalaureate degree than are students with
higher incomes, especially low-income students en-
rolled at private institutions.
‘‘(3) This lack of persistence to completion of a
baccalaureate degree continues to contribute to the
gap in educational attainment and ultimate income
levels between disadvantaged students and their
more affluent classmates.
‘‘(4) While the focus of Federal student finan-
cial assistance and higher education programs has
traditionally been to ensure access to postsecondary
education, the Federal Government should expand
its role in student financial assistance programs for
postsecondary education to address this lack of per-
sistence to baccalaureate degree completion.
‘‘(5) The amount of grant assistance provided
to postsecondary students is critical to their persist-
ence and degree attainment.
‘‘(6) In addition to economic disadvantage, the
following factors significantly contribute to a student
dropping out of a 4-year institution of higher edu-
cation:
‘‘(A) A delayed entry into postsecondary
education after graduating from high school.
‘‘(B) A low grade point average.
‘‘(C) Working full-time while enrolled.
‘‘(D) Being a first-generation college stu-
dent.
‘‘(E) Being less engaged with an academic
program.
‘‘(7) Most students who drop out of college,
particularly those at the greatest risk of leaving
their programs of study without a baccalaureate de-
gree, do so during the first 2 years of study.
‘‘(8) At-risk students who receive targeted aca-
demic support services persist to degree completion
at higher rates than at-risk students who do not re-
ceive such services.
‘‘(9) Educators interested in student retention
have long viewed intensive academic summer pro-
grams for incoming first-year students as very im-
portant in helping students from disadvantaged
backgrounds become acclimated to college life and in
improving retention.
‘‘SEC. 408B. PURPOSE AND PROGRAM AUTHORITY.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this program is to
assist institutions of higher education to help students who
are at risk of ending their postsecondary education prior
to obtaining baccalaureate degrees, particularly those who
are economically disadvantaged, to stay in school until
they obtain those degrees.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From funds appro-
priated pursuant to section 408G for each fiscal year, the
Secretary is authorized, in accordance with the require-
ments of this chapter, to award competitive grants to eligi-
ble institutions to enable them to pay the Federal share
of the costs of carrying out programs designed to meet
the purpose of this chapter.
‘‘(c) DURATION OF GRANT.—A grant made under
this chapter shall be awarded for a period of 3 years.
‘‘SEC. 408C. INSTITUTIONAL ELIGIBILITY.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An institution of higher edu-
cation is eligible to receive a grant under this chapter if
the institution—
‘‘(1) meets the requirements of section 102; and
‘‘(2) awards baccalaureate degrees, or, subject
to subsection (b)(1), associate degrees.
‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.—
‘‘(1) ASSOCIATE
DEGREE-GRANTING
INSTITU-
TIONS.—An eligible applicant that awards only asso-
ciate degrees may apply for a grant under this chap-
ter only as part of a consortium that includes one
or more institutions of higher education that awards
baccalaureate degrees.
‘‘(2) MULTIPLE GRANTS.—An institution that
receives a grant under this chapter may compete to
receive a subsequent grant, but may not receive
more than two grants under this chapter.
‘‘SEC. 408D. APPLICATION PROCESS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) ll.—Each eligible applicant that desires
a grant under this chapter shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application for that grant at such time
and containing such information as the Secretary
may prescribe.
‘‘(2) DEMONSTRATION
OF
PRIOR
COMMIT-
MENT.—In order to receive a grant under this chap-
ter, an applicant shall demonstrate in its application,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary, its successful
prior commitment to the purposes of this chapter,
through the prior support of at least one of the ac-
tivities described in section 408E(a).
‘‘(b) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the
cost of programs assisted under this chapter shall
not be more than 50 percent, and the matching
funds shall be from non-Federal sources.
‘‘(2) CONSORTIA.—The Secretary may establish
in regulations the matching requirement applicable
to a consortium of institutions in which some of the
institutions are eligible for a waiver of the matching
requirement pursuant to section 395 or section 515.
‘‘(c) COORDINATION REQUIREMENT.—Each eligible
institution shall ensure that the activities provided under
this chapter are, to the extent practicable, coordinated
with, complement, and enhance related services under
other Federal and non-Federal programs, and do not du-
plicate the services already provided at that institution.