Title: Access to PELL Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Access to Professional Education and Lifelong Learning Act or Access to PELL Act
This bill establishes a program under which the Department of Education must award job training Pell Grants to students in job training programs and increases student assistance for working students.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6935 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6935

 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for job training 
   Federal Pell Grants and to increase support for working students.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2018

   Mr. Bera 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 provide for job training 
   Federal Pell Grants and to increase support for working students.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Access to Professional Education and 
Lifelong Learning Act'' or ``Access to PELL Act''.

SEC. 2. JOB TRAINING FEDERAL PELL GRANTS.

    Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) Job Training Federal Pell Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--For the award years beginning on or 
        after July 1, 2019, the Secretary shall carry out a program 
        through which the Secretary shall award job training Federal 
        Pell Grants to students in job training programs. Each job 
        training Federal Pell Grant awarded under this subsection shall 
        have the same terms and conditions, and be awarded in the same 
        manner, as a Federal Pell Grant awarded under subsection (a), 
        except as follows:
                    ``(A) A student who is eligible to receive a job 
                training Federal Pell Grant under this subsection is a 
                student who--
                            ``(i) has not yet attained a baccalaureate 
                        degree or postbaccalaureate degree;
                            ``(ii) attends an institution of higher 
                        education as defined in section 101 or 
                        102(a)(1)(B);
                            ``(iii) is enrolled, or accepted for 
                        enrollment, in a job training program at such 
                        institution of higher education; and
                            ``(iv) meets all other eligibility 
                        requirements for a Federal Pell Grant (except 
                        with respect to the type of program of study, 
                        as provided in clause (iii)).
                    ``(B) The amount of a job training Federal Pell 
                Grant for an eligible student shall be determined under 
                subsection (b)(2)(A), except that--
                            ``(i) the maximum Federal Pell Grant 
                        awarded under this subsection for an award year 
                        shall be 50 percent of the maximum Federal Pell 
                        Grant awarded under subsection (b) applicable 
                        to that award year;
                            ``(ii) no increase shall be calculated 
                        under subsection (b)(7)(B) for a student 
                        receiving a job training Federal Pell Grant 
                        under this subsection; and
                            ``(iii) subsection (b)(4) shall not apply.
            ``(2) Inclusion in total eligibility period.--Any period 
        during which a student receives a job training Federal Pell 
        Grant under this subsection shall be included in calculating 
        the student's period of eligibility for Federal Pell Grants 
        under subsection (c), and any regulations under such subsection 
        regarding students who are enrolled in an undergraduate program 
        on less than a full-time basis shall similarly apply to 
        students who are enrolled in a job training program at an 
        eligible institution on less than a full-time basis.
            ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection, the following 
        definitions apply:
                    ``(A) Eligible career pathways program.--The term 
                `eligible career pathway program' means a program that 
                is part of a career pathway, as defined under section 
                3(7) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
                (29 U.S.C. 3102(7)), that is a combination of rigorous 
                and high-quality education, training, and other 
                services that--
                            ``(i) aligns with the skill needs of 
                        industries in the State or regional economy 
                        involved;
                            ``(ii) prepares an individual to be 
                        successful in any of a full range of secondary 
                        or postsecondary education options, including 
                        apprenticeships registered under the Act of 
                        August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the 
                        `National Apprenticeship Act'; 50 Stat. 664; 29 
                        U.S.C. 50 et seq.);
                            ``(iii) includes counseling to support an 
                        individual in achieving the individual's 
                        education and career goals;
                            ``(iv) includes, as appropriate, education 
                        offered concurrently with and in the same 
                        context as workforce preparation activities and 
                        training for a specific occupation or 
                        occupational cluster;
                            ``(v) organizes education, training, and 
                        other services to meet the particular needs of 
                        an individual in a manner that accelerates the 
                        educational and career advancement of the 
                        individual to the extent practicable;
                            ``(vi) enables an individual to attain a 
                        secondary school diploma or its recognized 
                        equivalent, and at least one recognized 
                        postsecondary credential; and
                            ``(vii) helps an individual enter or 
                        advance within a specific occupation or 
                        occupational cluster.
                    ``(B) Job training program.--The term `job training 
                program' means a career and technical education program 
                at an institution of higher education that--
                            ``(i) provides not less than 150 clock 
                        hours of instructional time over a period of 
                        not less than 8 weeks;
                            ``(ii) provides training aligned with the 
                        requirements of employers in the State or local 
                        area, which may include in-demand industry 
                        sectors or occupations in the State or local 
                        area, as defined under section 3(23) of the 
                        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
                        U.S.C. 3102(23));
                            ``(iii) provides a student, upon completion 
                        of the program, with a recognized postsecondary 
                        credential, as defined under section 3(52) of 
                        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
                        (29 U.S.C. 3102(52)), that is recognized by 
                        employers in the relevant industry, including 
                        credentials recognized by industry or sector 
                        partnerships in the State or local area where 
                        the industry is located;
                            ``(iv) has been determined, by the 
                        institution of higher education, to provide 
                        academic content, an amount of instructional 
                        time, and a recognized postsecondary credential 
                        that are sufficient to--
                                    ``(I) meet the hiring requirements 
                                of potential employers; and
                                    ``(II) allow the students to apply 
                                for any licenses or certifications that 
                                may be required to be employed in the 
                                field for which the job training is 
                                offered;
                            ``(v) may include integrated or basic 
                        skills courses; and
                            ``(vi) may be offered as part of an 
                        eligible career pathways program.''.

SEC. 3. INCREASING SUPPORT FOR WORKING STUDENTS BY 35 PERCENT.

    (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:
                    ``(D) an income protection allowance (or a 
                successor amount prescribed by the Secretary under 
                section 478) of $9,010 for academic year 2019-2020;''.
    (b) Independent Students Without Dependents 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 
                                students, or married students where 
                                both are enrolled pursuant to 
                                subsection (a)(2), of $14,010 for 
                                academic year 2019-2020; and
                                    ``(II) for married students where 
                                one is enrolled pursuant to subsection 
                                (a)(2), of $22,460 for academic year 
                                2019-2020;''.
    (c) Independent Students With Dependents Other Than a Spouse.--
Section 477(b)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087qq(b)(4)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(4) Income protection allowance.--The income protection 
        allowance is determined by the following table (or a successor 
        table prescribed by the Secretary under section 478), for 
        academic year 2019-2020:

                                          ``Income Protection Allowance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Family  Size                                          Number in College
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     For each
   (including           1               2               3               4               5           additional
    student)                                                                                        subtract:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2              $35,470         $29,410                                                           $6,030
      3               44,170          38,130         $32,070
      4               54,540          45,490          42,450         $36,370
      5               64,360          58,280          52,240          46,190         $40,160
      6               75,260          69,210          63,190          57,090          51,070
For each
additional
   add:                8,500                                                                              ''.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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 2019-2020, the Secretary 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 students.--For each 
                academic year after academic year 2019-2020, the 
                Secretary shall develop the revised table of income 
                protection allowances by increasing each of the dollar 
                amounts contained in the table of income protection 
                allowances under section 477(b)(4) by a percentage 
                equal to the estimated percentage increase in the 
                Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary 
                for the most recent calendar year ending prior to the 
                beginning of the academic year for which the 
                determination is being made), and rounding the result 
                to the nearest $10.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``shall be developed'' 
        and all that follows through the period at the end and 
        inserting ``shall be developed for each academic year after 
        academic year 2019-2020, by increasing each of the dollar 
        amounts contained in such section for academic year 2019-2020 
        by a percentage equal to the estimated percentage increase in 
        the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary for 
        the most recent calendar year ending prior to the beginning of 
        the academic year for which the determination is being made), 
        and rounding the result to the nearest $10.''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect beginning on July 1, 2019, and shall apply to grant and award 
determinations made under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) beginning with the 2019-2020 award year.
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