Equitable Student Aid Access Act

Bill: 115-hr-2015
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-35]
Introduced: 2017-04-06
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Government information and archives

Higher education

Medicaid

Poverty and welfare assistance

Student aid and college costs
Latest action: action_date: 2017-04-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-04-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Equitable Student Aid Access Act</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise requirements governing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).</p> <p>The bill increases the adjusted gross income threshold used to determine whether a student qualifies for an automatic zero expected family contribution (EFC) in the calculation of the student's financial need. A dependent student is eligible for an automatic zero EFC if the student's parents have adjusted gross income up to $30,000. An independent student with non-spouse dependents is eligible for a zero EFC if the student and spouse have adjusted gross income up to $30,000.</p> <p>The bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to allow students to use tax information from the year before the previous one in determining their financial aid eligibility. The Internal Revenue Service and ED must share available data pursuant to taxpayer consent. </p> <p>The bill requires the FAFSA application to be available to students by October 1, which is three months earlier than is currently required.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2015 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 6, 2017 Mr. Doggett (for himself, Ms. Adams , Ms. Barragán , Mr. Beyer , Mr. Blumenauer , Ms. Bonamici , Ms. Brownley of California , Mrs. Bustos , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Carson of Indiana , Mr. Cartwright , Mr. Castro of Texas , Ms. Judy Chu of California , Mr. Cicilline , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Cohen , Mr. Cuellar , Mrs. Davis of California , Ms. DeLauro , Ms. DelBene , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Gallego , Mr. Garamendi , Mr. Gonzalez of Texas , Mr. Al Green of Texas , Mr. Gene Green of Texas , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Gutiérrez , Mr. Hastings , Mr. Higgins of New York , Ms. Jackson Lee , Ms. Jayapal , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Mr. Kennedy , Mr. Kildee , Mr. Kind , Mr. Larsen of Washington , Mr. Lewis of Georgia , Mr. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico , Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico , Mr. Meeks , Ms. Moore , Mr. Moulton , Mr. Nadler , Mr. Nolan , Ms. Norton , Mr. O'Rourke , Mr. Payne , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Price of North Carolina , Mr. Ruppersberger , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Ms. Sánchez , Mr. Sarbanes , Mr. Scott of Virginia , Mr. David Scott of Georgia , Mr. Soto , Mr. Swalwell of California , Ms. Titus , Mrs. Torres , Ms. Velázquez , Mr. Welch , and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina ) 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 simplify the financial aid application process, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Equitable Student Aid Access Act . 2. Zero expected family contribution (a) Simplified needs test Section 479(b)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(b)(1) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)(i)— (A) in subclause (II), by adding or at the end; (B) in subclause (III), by striking or at the end and inserting and ; and (C) by striking subclause (IV); and (2) in subparagraph (B)(i)— (A) in subclause (II), by adding or at the end; (B) in subclause (III), by striking or at the end and inserting and ; and (C) by striking subclause (IV). (b) Zero expected family contribution Section 479(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(c) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) by inserting except as provided in paragraph (3), before in the case of ; (B) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (ii), by adding or at the end; (ii) in clause (iii) by striking or at the end and inserting and ; and (iii) by striking clause (iv); and (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking or at the end; (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) by inserting except as provided in paragraph (3), before in the case of ; (B) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (ii), by adding or at the end; (ii) in clause (iii) by striking or at the end and inserting and ; and (iii) by striking clause (iv); and (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or ; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) (A) in the case of a dependent student, the student or a member of the student’s household received benefits at some time during the previous 24-month period under a means-tested Federal benefit program as defined under subsection (d); or (B) in the case of an independent student (without regard to whether such student has dependents), the student received benefits at some time during the previous 24-month period under a means-tested Federal benefit program as defined under subsection (d). . (c) Income threshold Section 479(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(c) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking $23,000 and inserting $30,000 ; and (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking $23,000 and inserting $30,000 . (d) Means-Tested Federal benefit program Section 479(d)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087ss(d)(2) ) is amended by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the following: (C) the Medicaid program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); . 3. Using data from second preceding year Section 480(a)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087vv(a)(1)(B) ) is amended— (1) by striking may in both places it appears and inserting shall ; and (2) by striking sharing of data between and inserting sharing of data, to the extent such data is available, between . 4. Early FAFSA submission Section 483(a)(8) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1090(a)(8) ) is amended by striking as early as practicable prior to January 1 of and inserting not later than October 1 of the year preceding . 5. Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to award years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.