zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
College Life Safety and Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a demonstration program to award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of contracting with fire alarm companies to install professionally fire alarm detection systems or other fire detection and prevention technologies in student housing, dormitories, and other buildings controlled by such entities.

Date: 2007-03-08
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses; (2) increase the maximum amount of such deduction to $5,000 and repeal provisions requiring a phaseout of the deduction based on adjusted gross income; and (3) allow grandparents to claim a deduction for the tuition and related expenses of their grandchildren.

Date: 2007-03-09
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
10,000 Trained by 2010 Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive grants for basic research on innovative approaches to improve health care information systems. Requires the Director to award competitive, multi-year grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to establish multidisciplinary Centers for Informatics Research for conducting cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research to generate innovative approaches in health care information. Allows IHEs to partner with one or more government laboratories and for-profit or nonprofit institutions. Requires the Director to convene an annual meeting of the Centers to foster collaboration and cooperation between Center participants. Requires the Director to award competitive grants to IHEs to establish or improve undergraduate and master's degree health care information programs, attract students to such programs, and provide them with experience in government or industry related to their studies. Requires the Director to evaluate this grant program within three years of establishing it. Requires the Director to award grants under the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 for the purposes of two existing grant programs that provide funds to associate-degree-granting IHEs for: (1) improving education in advanced technology, science, and mathematics; and (2) establishing centers of excellence in such subjects that serve as information clearinghouses and models for other educational institutions. Limits the use of these new grants to improving health information education. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2011.

Date: 2007-03-09
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007 - Establishes in the executive branch the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation to carry out this Act. Requires the Foundation to award grants, increasingly for study in nontraditional study abroad destinations, to: (1) U.S. students; (2) nongovernmental institutions that provide and promote study abroad opportunities for U.S. students, in consortium with institutions of higher education (IHEs); and (3) IHEs, individually or in consortium. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Foundation should: (1) award up to 25% of such grants to such U.S. students and at least 75% of them to such institutions; and (2) ensure that at least 85% of the amount awarded to such institutions is used to award scholarships to students. Requires the Comptroller General, within two years after enactment of this Act, to review and report to the Secretary of State (in the capacity of the Secretary as Chairperson of the Board of the Foundation) and to specified congressional committees on the operations of the Foundation. Authorizes appropriations. States that such amounts are in addition to those authorized for educational exchange programs, including the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State.

Date: 2007-03-12
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: International affairs
Family Friendly Employers Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include assistance provided to dependents of an employee. Limits the annual amount of the exclusion for such dependents to $2,500.

Date: 2007-03-13
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Married Student Debt Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a husband and wife filing a joint tax return to each claim the maximum tax deduction of $2,500 for interest on education loans.

Date: 2007-03-15
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Henry Ford Scholarship Program Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to establish a program awarding scholarships to high-achieving students (to be known as "Henry Ford Scholars") who graduate from secondary school after May 1, 2007, and pursue undergraduate degrees in mathematics, science, engineering, and health-related fields at institutions of higher education.Awards each scholarship for one academic year, but gives recipients who continue to meet scholarship eligibility criteria priority for additional one-year scholarships, for up to four years of undergraduate study.Sets forth eligibility criteria requiring applicants to have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5, and family or individual adjusted gross income of less than $200,000 or $100,000, respectively.

Date: 2007-03-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
College Aid Made EZ Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to require the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): (1) consumer-friendly, with 50% fewer data elements within five years of this Act's enactment; (2) available in both paper and (downloadable) electronic formats; (3) flexible enough to permit applicants to enter data years before enrolling and selectively update information; and (4) include data elements relevant to state student aid determinations. Directs the Secretary to develop a simplified paper EZ FAFSA for applicants having no expected family contributions and simplified electronic FAFSAs for applicants to whom a simplified needs test applies. Directs the Secretary to conduct a demonstration program assessing the feasibility and benefits of allowing dependent students to apply for aid in their junior year of high school. Reduces the types of income and benefits which are considered untaxed and thereby included in student need analyses. Excludes untaxed distributions from qualified education benefits as income or assets in computing expected family contributions in student aid calculations. Treats a qualified education benefit as: (1) the parent's asset when considering the family contribution for a dependent student; and (2) the student's asset when considering such contribution for independent students. Excludes from need analyses any untaxed distributions from state prepaid tuition plans or Coverdell education savings accounts. Urges the Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a process allowing the Department of Education, with the applicant's permission, to complete the FAFSA by drawing income information directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Allows the Secretary to use the previous tax year's income information to facilitate this end.

Date: 2007-03-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Authorizes the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to award scholarships to students at institutions of higher education to recruit and prepare them for careers in the National Weather Service and in NOAA marine research, atmospheric research, and satellite programs. Requires individuals to be selected to receive scholarships under this Act through a competitive process primarily based on academic merit, with consideration given to financial need and to the goal of promoting the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities as identified under provisions of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act. Requires the Administrator to enter into contractual agreements with selected individuals under which such individuals, in exchange for receiving a scholarship, agree to serve as full-time employees of NOAA, for a 24-month period of obligated service for each academic year for which a scholarship is provided in positions needed by NOAA in marine research, atmospheric research, and satellite programs. Instructs the Administrator to make publicly available a list of academic programs and fields of study for which scholarships may be utilized in marine research, atmospheric research, and satellite programs and to update such list as necessary. Prohibits: (1) an individual from receiving a scholarship for more than four academic years, unless the Administrator grants a waiver; and (2) the amount of a scholarship from exceeding the cost of attendance. Permits a scholarship to be used for tuition, fees, and other authorized uses as established by the Administrator by regulation. Allows the Administrator to enter into a contractual agreement with an institution of higher education under which the amounts provided for a scholarship for tuition, fees, and other authorized expenses are paid directly to the institution with respect to which the scholarship is provided. Sets forth penalties for specified breaches of scholarship agreements.

Date: 2007-03-22
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Public Service Academy Act of 2007 - Establishes in the Department of Homeland Security a U.S. Public Service Academy for the instruction in and preparation for public service of selected individuals. Sets forth provisions relating to: (1) key personnel positions and faculty and departments; (2) student qualifications and requirements for admission; (3) procedures for the appointment of students to the Academy by Members of Congress and the President; (4) curriculum standards; and (5) study abroad requirements.Requires each Academy student to sign an agreement with respect to length of public service. Imposes tuition and cost repayment requirements for Academy students who fail to graduate or accept or complete assigned public service. Establishes a Board of Visitors to inquire into the efficiency and effectiveness of the operations of the Academy.Requires the tuition of each Academy student to be fully subsidized. Provides for public (80%) and private funding for the Academy.

Date: 2007-03-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Green Energy Education Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to contribute energy research and development funds to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program to support graduate education related to such energy projects.Authorizes the Secretary to contribute funds for advanced energy technology research and development for high performance buildings to the NSF for curriculum development to improve undergraduate or graduate interdisciplinary engineering and architecture education related to the design and construction of such buildings.

Date: 2007-03-27
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Foreign Language Education Expansion Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to assume or cancel loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan or the Direct Loan programs to individuals who have been employed for five consecutive complete school years as full-time foreign language teachers in secondary schools whose enrollment of disadvantaged students exceeds 30% and whose local educational agencies are eligible for funding under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 Caps loan forgiveness at $17,500. Limits the benefits of this Act to new borrowers on or after October 1, 2001.

Date: 2007-03-27
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to assume or cancel loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan or the Direct Loan programs to individuals who have been employed as Head Start teachers for five consecutive complete program years, if they have demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, early childhood development, and other areas of a preschool curriculum, with a focus on cognitive learning. Limits the benefits of this Act to individuals who earn a baccalaureate or graduate degree on or after the date of this Act's enactment.

Date: 2007-03-29
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Permits accelerated payments of educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill to an individual enrolled in an approved program of education that leads to employment as an operator of a commercial motor vehicle. Excludes benefits payable under under the Montgomery GI Bill from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility for education grants or loans under any other provision of Federal law.

Date: 2007-03-29
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Librarian Incentive to Boost Recruitment and Retention in Areas of Need Act of 2007 or the LIBRARIAN Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to permit the cancellation of Federal Perkins Loans for students who perform public service as full-time librarians, if the librarian has a master's degree in library science and is employed in: (1) an elementary school or secondary school that is eligible for assistance under title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; or (2) a public library that serves a geographic area that contains one or more schools eligible for assistance under title I of such Act.

Date: 2007-04-17
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Fairness for Disabled Students Act of 2007 - Amends federal housing law to exempt from the prohibition against specified public housing rental assistance ("Section 8 assistance") persons with disabilities who were not receiving such assistance as of November 30, 2005.

Date: 2007-04-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Housing and community development
Montgomery G.I. Bill Improvement Act of 2007 - Exempts enlisted personnel in pay grade E-5 or below from the reduction in pay for contributions (premiums) under the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program. Allows individuals serving on active duty a one-year opportunity to withdraw a previous election not to receive such educational assistance.

Date: 2007-04-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Financial Aid Accountability and Transparency Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution of higher education (IHE) from recommending student loan providers unless it has a formal written recommendation policy, publicizes such policy, and recommends a minimum of three unaffiliated lenders. Requires IHEs to disclose to students: (1) that they cannot limit students to recommended lenders and must process the loan documents of any eligible lender; (2) the maximum federal grant and loan aid available; and (3) the cost of attendance. Directs the Secretary of Education to develop and prescribe an easy-to-read model disclosure form for use by IHEs and lenders in providing relevant and specified minimum information to students concerning the terms of federal and private student loans. Requires IHEs to develop, publicize, and enforce codes of conduct for their employees, trustees, and directors prohibiting the acceptance of certain financial benefits or fees from student loan providers or guarantors. Bans IHEs from: (1) entering into educational loan arrangements that involve lender payments for recommended lender status; or (2) requesting or accepting lender assistance with call center or financial aid office staffing. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require private educational loan providers to inform consumers, before such loans are executed, that they may qualify for federal educational assistance, that federal student loans may have more beneficial terms than private loans, and that they may obtain additional information concerning such assistance from the Department of Education's website.

Date: 2007-04-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Higher Education for Freedom Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to institutions of higher education and nonprofit history or academic organizations associated with higher education to prepare elementary, middle, and secondary school history teachers and to strengthen postsecondary programs in fields related to the founding of the United States, free institutions, and Western civilization.

Date: 2007-04-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Part-time Student Assistance Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide access and assistance to increase college attendance and completion by part-time students. Increases the earnings exempt from student aid need determinations for academic year 2007-2008 by exempting earnings of up to: (1) $9,000 for dependent students; and (2) $12,000 for independent students with no dependents (other than spouse). Establishes a revised table that increases the amount of earnings for independent students with dependents (other than spouse) that are exempt. Provides for inflationary adjustments to such earnings exemptions in subsequent academic years. Exempts earned income credits from the calculation of income. Revises and expands a program (child care access means parents in school) which provides grants to institutions of higher education for child care assistance for low-income students. Directs the Secretary of Education to establish a year-round Pell grant pilot program. Authorizes a demonstration program to create a holistic approach to addressing the needs of part-time students. Allows such program to: (1) be at up to 150 associate's and bachelor's degree-granting institutions; and (2) include grants, leveraging funds from nonfederal sources, comprehensive child care, and better tailored remedial course programs.

Date: 2007-04-24
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Pacific Islands Fulbright Scholarship Fund Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of State to review and report to Congress on the marginalization of Pacific Island students in the awarding of Fulbright Scholarships. Requires the Secretary to establish an annual one-year program within the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange program providing scholarships to Pacific Islands students for study in the United States pursuant to the terms of such Exchange program.

Date: 2007-05-03
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Includes within educational loans eligible for repayment by the Department of Defense (DOD) under the Selected Reserve education loan repayment program any educational loan made by a lender that is: (1) an agency or instrumentality of a state; (2) a financial or credit institution subject to examination and supervision by the United States or a state; (3) a pension fund approved by the Secretary of Defense; or (2) a nonprofit private entity designated and regulated by a state, and approved by the Secretary. Makes officers (under current law, only enlisted personnel) eligible for such repayments.

Date: 2007-05-07
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Montgomery GI Bill for Life Act of 2007 - Provides that, if an individual eligible for educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill is enrolled in an educational institution and the period of such individual's entitlement (ten years after discharge or release from active duty) would expire during a term, quarter, or semester of enrollment, that period shall be extended to the end of that term, quarter, or semester. Allows such an extension until the later of the end of the course or 12 weeks, in the case of an educational institution not regularly operated on a quarter or semester basis. Repeals the: (1) 14-year (after first becoming entitled) limit on the use of educational assistance by members of the Selected Reserve; and (2) ten-year limit on the use educational assistance by members of the Ready Reserve who are separated due to disability after supporting contingency and certain other operations.

Date: 2007-05-09
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Generating Opportunity by Forgiving Educational Debt for Service Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income student loan repayments by the federal government on behalf of federal employees and members of the Armed Forces on active duty. Exempts such repayments from social security taxes.

Date: 2007-05-17
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Deductibility and Incentives to Promote Learning Opportunities and Maximize Assistance (DIPLOMA) Act of 2007- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow an unlimited tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses for taxpayers whose adjusted gross incomes do not exceed $80,000 ($160,000 for joint returns); (2) extend such deduction through 2010; (3) allow a tax deduction for principal amounts paid on education loans for the first 60 months of such loans; (4) replace the Hope Scholarship tax credit with an earned tuition tax credit for the first $1,500 of qualified tuition and related expenses (50% of expenses over $1,500 up to $4,000) for four years of postsecondary education; and (5) make the tax credit for earned tuition and lifetime learning expenses refundable.

Date: 2007-05-21
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Montgomery GI Bill Second Chance Act of 2007 - Authorizes certain members of the Armed Forces to make an irrevocable election during October of any year beginning in 2005 to become entitled to basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill. Requires a reduction in basic pay of those members electing such educational assistance or, if the member is discharged or released from active duty prior to such reduction, the collection of specified amounts from the member or an equivalent reduction in retired or retainer pay. Requires the Secretary concerned, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense, to provide notice of the opportunity created by this Act to elect educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill.

Date: 2007-05-21
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Universal Higher Education and Lifetime Learning Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to replace the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits with a partially refundable Higher Education Tax Credit covering: (1) up to 50% of a taxpayer's higher education expenses for a taxable year that do not exceed $3,000; and (2) up to 30% of such expenses between $3,000 and $8,000. Sets a lifetime credit limitation of $12,000 per student. Applies the credit to no more than two years of graduate education. Repeals the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.

Date: 2007-05-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Income-Dependent Education Assistance Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to conduct a direct income-dependent education assistance (IDEA) loan program, from July 1, 2008, through July 1, 2014, under which student borrowers of Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) or Direct Loans (DLs), under parts B and D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, may elect to convert or consolidate such loans to direct IDEA loans. Provides that when a student defaults on a loan under the FFEL or DL programs and it is repaid or canceled by the Secretary, it is thereby converted to a direct IDEA loan. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for collection of IDEA loan repayments through the income tax collection system.

Date: 2007-05-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Nursing Facility Fire Safety Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish programs of direct loans and grants for retrofitting nursing facilities with automatic fire sprinkler systems. Gives priority to grant applications that demonstrate a need or hardship. Requires the Secretary to consult with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to determine if there are loan programs or other funds available for such retrofitting. Authorizes the Secretary to evaluate where a nursing facility may not have an adequate structure to retrofit the entire facility within a reasonable timeframe and work with the facility to identify other remedial actions.

Date: 2007-05-24
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Health
First Higher Education Extension Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Extension Act of 2005 to extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 through October 31, 2007.

Date: 2007-06-05
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Nurse Loan Forgiveness Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to include, under HEA student loan forgiveness and cancellation programs, nurses who: (1) serve at least one calendar year in an approved health care facility or setting; or (2) have a Masters of Science in Nursing and are nursing instructors in a school of nursing. Limits the maximum amount of such loan repayment by the Secretary of Education to $2,000 after the first year of a nurse's employment, with incremental increases after the second through fourth years, up to $5,000 after the fifth year.

Date: 2007-06-05
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Comprehensive Coverdell Modernization Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase from $2,000 to $4,000 the annual contribution limit to Coverdell education savings accounts; and (2) adjust such contribution limit for inflation after 2008.Makes permanent provisions enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 relating to Coverdell education savings accounts and qualified tuition programs.

Date: 2007-06-06
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Teacher and Nurse Support Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase to a maximum of $17,500 the aggregate student loan obligation eligible for forgiveness or cancellation under the Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan programs for teachers who serve full-time in certain elementary or secondary schools that enroll a high proportion of disadvantaged students. Includes, under these student loan forgiveness and cancellation programs, nurses who serve in a clinical setting or as a member of the nursing faculty at an accredited school of nursing. Directs the Secretary of Education to repay such loan obligation in annual installments up to specified maximum amounts after each of five years of such service.

Date: 2007-06-07
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Early Educator Loan Forgiveness Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to replace the loan forgiveness demonstration program for child care providers with a program providing student loan forgiveness or cancellation under the Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan programs to borrowers who are employed for at least five consecutive complete school years as early childhood educators who work directly with children in eligible preschool or early childhood education programs in low-income communities. Requires such educators to have completed a baccalaureate or advanced degree in early childhood development, early childhood education, or in a field related to early childhood education. Limits such forgiveness or cancellation to no more than $5,000 of the borrower's loan outstanding upon completion of five years of service.

Date: 2007-06-11
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Education for Public Service Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to forgive the balance due on Direct Loans and direct consolidation loans by individuals who have been public sector employees for 10 years and have made 120 income contingent payments on such loans. Revises income contingent Direct Loan repayment schedules for married borrowers to attribute to the borrower one-half (rather than all) of the combined adjusted gross income of the borrower and the borrower's spouse.

Date: 2007-06-11
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Real Access to College Education Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers (and their spouses if a joint return is filed) a tax deduction from gross income for post-secondary educational expenses, including tuition and related expenses and room and board. Limits the annual amount of such deduction to $13,150, subject to an adjustment based on the taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income.

Date: 2007-06-12
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
College Affordability and Accountability Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to require state maintenance of effort in providing funding to public institutions of higher education (IHEs). Requires all IHEs to plan, engage in, and report on cost containment strategies. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to conduct research on such strategies. Directs the Secretary to publish an annual report on college affordability and to disseminate certain data, including the net price tuition index (NTPI) for each IHE through a college price calculator on an enhanced college opportunities on line (COOL) website. Establishes a Pell Plus program to provide an increased award to each Pell Grant recipient at IHEs that maintain specified types of: (1) low tuition; (2) guaranteed tuition; or (3) affordable tuition. Establishes a program of grants for cooperative education for IHEs that restrain tuition increases. Authorizes grants and contracts for cooperative education demonstration and innovation projects, training and resource centers, and research. Directs the Secretary to commission the National Research Council to study the viability of developing and implementing standards in environmental, health, and safety areas to provide for differential regulation of: (1) industrial laboratories and facilities; and (2) research and teaching laboratories. Authorizes the Secretary to select IHEs, IHE systems, or IHE consortia for voluntary participation in an articulation agreement demonstration program to specify the acceptability of courses in transfer toward meeting specific degree requirements, as a means to lower tuition prices for students. Directs the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance to convene a task force of experts to: (1) determine the best methods to finance higher education in the long-term; (2) help public institutions utilize long-term budgeting; (3) review the trends of financing of higher education; and (4) define the role played by the states, the federal government, families, and outside entities in financing higher education, and determine the best methods to strengthen this partnership.

Date: 2007-06-12
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Directs the Secretary of Education to immediately suspend, until expressly authorized by statute, enforcement of the Notice of Final Priority, including the evaluation described within it. (The Absolute Priority, issued by the Department of Education on July 3, 2006, which is the subject of the Notice: (1) sets rules regarding which high school students will be given priority for participation in the Upward Bound college preparation program; and (2) calls for an evaluation of the program using a control group of students who do not receive Upward Bound services.)

Date: 2007-06-13
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
University of the District of Columbia Graduate Programs Act - Amends the Higher Education Act to: (1) make the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) David A. Clarke School of Law and other UDC qualified graduate programs eligible for federal grants for postgraduate programs substantially contributing to the legal, medical, dental, veterinary, or other graduate education opportunities in mathematics, engineering, or the physical or natural sciences for black Americans; and (2) authorize appropriations for FY2008-FY2013 for such grant program.

Date: 2007-06-15
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses through 2009.

Date: 2007-06-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Central Asia Education Enhancement Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of State to establish a pilot program of scholarships for public policy internships in the United States for undergraduate and graduate students from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Gives internship priority to students who are: (1) underprivileged or from ethnic, religious or cultural minorities; and (2) from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, or Uzbekistan.

Date: 2007-06-26
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: International affairs
Greater Access to Education Act of 2007 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the Hope Scholarship tax credit to: (1) include room, board, fees, books, supplies, and equipment as expenses eligible for such credit; (2) exclude Pell and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants from types of scholarship assistance which reduce the allowable amount of such credit; and (3) exempt certain expenses eligible for such credit from tax information reporting requirements.Makes the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits refundable.

Date: 2007-06-28
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay to each individual entitled to basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill and pursuing a program of education with a focus on science, technology, engineering, or math a lump-sum payment of $2,000 per academic year, or fraction thereof for enrollment lasting less than a year. Makes such amount in addition to any other educational assistance to which the individual is entitled.

Date: 2007-07-12
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Sets $19 million as the maximum amount per fiscal year for reimbursement to states and local agencies administering veterans' education benefits.

Date: 2007-07-17
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Montgomery GI Bill Degree Extension Act of 2007 - Extends the time limitation (generally ten years from the original eligibility date) for the use of educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill all-volunteer force educational assistance program, in the case of an individual who has completed at least 50% of the credit or time requirements leading to a degree or certificate before the last day of the ten-year period, to the earlier of: (1) the date on which the individual completes such requirements; or (2) two years after the last day of the ten-year period.

Date: 2007-07-18
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Patsy T. Mink Fellowship Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish the Patsy T. Mink Fellowship program. Directs the Secretary of Education to make grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to award fellowships to minorities and women seeking terminal master's degrees or doctorate degrees in academic areas in which such individuals are underrepresented for the purpose of entering the higher education professoriate. Requires fellowship recipients to teach, for a period equivalent to their fellowship period, at IHEs with graduate programs. Directs the Secretary, to the extent practical, to provide at least 50% of the grant funds to minority-serving IHEs or consortia that include such IHEs.

Date: 2007-07-18
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
National Guard and Reserve Higher Education Fairness Act - Allows educational assistance to continue to be provided to a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve who incurs a break in service from the Selected Reserve of any period of time (current law prohibits such break from being more than 90 days) if the member continues to serve in the Ready Reserve during and after such break in service.

Date: 2007-07-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Second Higher Education Extension Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Extension Act of 2005 to extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 through September 30, 2007.

Date: 2007-07-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Local Education Authority Returns Now Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to make an annual determination of states that have chosen to opt-out of K-12 education grant programs.Requires the Secretary of Education to determine credits due to states as opt-out state education amounts.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers in states that opt-out a refundable tax credit for a share of the opt-out amount creditable to such states.

Date: 2007-07-25
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
GEAR UP Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) created to facilitate the transition of low-income high school students into postsecondary education. Establishes a seven year GEAR UP grant period. Requires grantees to provide services to students through their first year of postsecondary education. Revises GEAR UP matching requirements to allow: (1) matching funds to accrue over the duration of a grant; (2) grantees to request that the match be reduced; and (3) each non-federal dollar obligated for student financial aid to be treated as two dollars toward the match. Expands permissible uses of grant funds to include promoting student financial and economic literacy and facilitating family and community involvement in the program. Permits state grantees to use program funds for technical assistance to middle or secondary schools or partnership grantees located in the state. Provides that GEAR UP scholarships are to supplement aid to which students are already eligible. Alters the formula used in determining the minimum GEAR UP scholarship to factor in the minimum, rather than maximum, Pell Grant. Reauthorizes GEAR UP appropriations through FY2014.

Date: 2007-08-02
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
College Affordability for Working Students Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a Demonstration Loan program providing guaranteed and direct loans to less than half-time students for not more than six terms, semesters, or substantially equivalent periods of enrollment over the duration of the students' studies. Limits program participation to up to 100 institutions of higher education or consortia of IHEs. Requires program loans to be: (1) subject to deferral of repayment while the borrower is enrolled as a student, even if less than half-time; and (2) repaid pursuant to a repayment plan selected by the borrower that commences six months after the borrower's enrollment ends. Authorizes the Secretary to waive, for IHE participants, certain requirements limiting what may be included in the cost of attendance for less than half-time students.

Date: 2007-08-03
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
College Affordability Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the tax deduction for tuition and related expenses; (2) allow an inflation adjustment after 2008 of taxpayer adjusted gross income levels used to determine eligibility for, and allowable amounts of, such deduction; and (3) make such deduction permanent.

Date: 2007-08-03
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Veterans Upward Bound Improvement Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit members of the Armed Forces Reserves who served on active duty in support of a contingency operation on or after September 11, 2001, from being deemed ineligible for participation in federal TRIO programs due to age. (TRIO programs prepare disadvantaged students for, and support their pursuit of, postsecondary education.)

Date: 2007-08-03
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
College Student Success Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot program awarding competitive, matching, Student Success grants to institutions of higher education in which, during the preceding three-year period, an average of at least 50% of entering first-year students were enrolled in developmental courses to bring their reading, writing, or mathematics skills up to college-level. Requires the grants to be used to help Pell grant eligible students persevere in postsecondary education, beginning from their first year of study. Requires such help to include the assignment of a Student Success Coach to every student participant to provide intensive career and academic advising, ongoing personal help in navigating college services, and assistance in connecting to community resources that can help students overcome family and personal challenges to success. Gives grant priority to schools proposing to replicate policies and practices that have proven effective in increasing persistence and completion by low-income students or students in need of developmental education. Provides that the size of each grant shall be based on the number of a grantee's student participants; but limits each school to no more than 200 participants each academic year. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees who, after three years, are not significantly improving their student participants' perseverance in their studies.

Date: 2007-08-03
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Universal College Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit up to $4,000 annually for the qualified tuition and related expenses of an individual taxpayer, a taxpayer's spouse, and dependents. Allows such credit for four years of undergraduate education expenses and six years of graduate or professional education expenses. Excludes expenses for courses involving sports, games, or hobbies (unless part of a degree program) and expenses unrelated to an academic program (e.g., student activity fees, athletic fees, or insurance fees).

Date: 2007-09-06
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
College Textbook Affordability and Transparency Act of 2007 - Requires publishers informing teachers at institutions of higher education about available textbooks or supplements to include written information concerning: (1) the price the publisher would charge the bookstore associated with such institution for such items; (2) the full history of revisions for such items; and (3) whether such items are available in other formats, including paperback and unbound, and the price the publisher would charge the bookstore for items in those formats. Requires a publisher that sells a textbook and any accompanying supplement as a single bundled item also to sell them as separately priced and unbundled items. Directs federally-assisted institutions of higher education to include on printed or internet course schedules the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and retail price for each required or recommended textbook or supplement for listed courses. Requires an institution to: (1) use the author and title if the ISBN is unavailable; and (2) indicate that the required information has yet to be determined if its disclosure for a course is impractical. Requires such institutions to provide sellers of textbooks (other than publishers) that meet their requirements with: (1) their course schedules for the subsequent academic period; (2) the information this Act requires to be placed on each course schedule regarding each textbook or supplement required or recommended for each course; and (3) the number of students enrolled, and the maximum enrollment, in each course.

Date: 2007-09-10
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Extends permanently the Secretary of Education's authority under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 to waive or modify the application of requirements and regulations pertaining to student financial assistance, under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, to certain individuals and entities affected by wars, other military operations, or national emergencies.

Date: 2007-09-18
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Increasing Education Opportunities for Nurses and Nurse Faculty Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award grants to nursing schools to enhance their capacity to accommodate additional students in: (1) Registered Nurse (RN) associate or baccalaureate degree programs; or (2) graduate programs for prospective teachers of nursing or RNs who seek advanced practice degrees. Bases the amount of a school's grant on the extent to which the school increases its enrollment of nursing students for an academic year over its average nursing student enrollment for the four preceding academic years. Prohibits the use of grants to construct new facilities.

Date: 2007-09-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the maximum dollar limitation on the Hope Scholarship tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000; (2) allow such credit for four years (currently, two years) of postsecondary education; and (3) allow such credit to include expenses for books, supplies, and equipment for courses and for reasonable room and board expenses.

Date: 2007-09-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Taxation
Declares the sense of Congress that: (1) the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 addresses the unique situations that active duty military personnel and other affected individuals may face in connection with their enrollment in postsecondary institutions and their federal student loans; and (2) the provisions authorized by such Act should be made permanent, thereby allowing the Secretary of Education to continue providing assistance to active duty service members and other affected individuals and their families. Amends the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 to repeal the termination date of such act, thereby making permanent the Secretary's authority to waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to the student financial assistance programs under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as deemed necessary in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency.

Date: 2007-09-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Strategic Technology/Engineering Program Act of 2007 or the STEP Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award renewable one-year STEP scholarships to students who pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in engineering, technology, applied sciences, mathematics, or similar fields. Authorizes the Secretary to provide student loan forgiveness to borrowers under the Federal Family Education Loan and Direct Loan programs who agree to remain employed as engineers for at least eight years and obtain licensure as professional engineers within eight years of obtaining a degree.

Date: 2007-09-24
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Servicemember Student Loan Interest Relief Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that no interest shall accrue on student loans under the Federal Direct Loan program for individuals who are serving on active duty or performing National Guard duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency. Limits receipt of such benefit to 60 months. Requires the Secretary of Education to offer direct consolidation loans to eligible service members who want to avoid the accrual of interest on existing loans.

Date: 2007-10-04
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education