HR 2451 · 115th Congress 2017–2019, ended

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

Introduced May 16, 2017 Originated House Sponsor Susan A. Davis D-CA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · May 16, 2017 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedMay 16, 2017
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

This bill amends the title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the Federal Pell Grant Program. Specifically, it:

  • converts the Pell Grant program into a mandatory spending program;
  • increases the maximum Pell Grant award for academic year 2019-2020 and adjusts it in subsequent award years to account for inflation;
  • allows federal financial aid for higher education to be given to dreamer students (students who entered the country when they were under the age of 16 and who meet certain educational criteria) and students convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drug;
  • requires the Department of Education (ED) to carry out a program that awards Federal Pell Grants to students in job training programs;
  • requires ED to award Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants under the Pell Grant program to assist veterans' dependents with the costs of attending institutions of higher education;
  • increases, in academic year 2018-2019, the income protection allowance levels for students who are dependent, independent without non-spouse dependents (e.g., children), and independent with non-spouse dependents to reduce such students' income available (and increase need for financial assistance) to cover postsecondary educational expenses;
  • increases the income threshold for an automatic zero expected family contribution from $23,000 to $34,000; and
  • increases from 12 to 15 the total number of semesters a student may receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Cosponsors 81

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from May 16, 2017 to May 25, 2018; 7 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-LACedric L. RichmondOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-ILDanny K. DavisOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-WADerek KilmerOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-CAJudy ChuOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-CALucille Roybal-AllardOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-NMMichelle Lujan GrishamOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-VARobert C. "Bobby" ScottOriginalMay 16, 2017
D-VAA. Donald McEachinJun 6, 2017
D-CAAdam B. SchiffJun 6, 2017
D-WAAdam SmithJun 6, 2017
D-NYAdriano EspaillatJun 6, 2017
D-TXAl GreenJun 6, 2017
D-FLAl Lawson, Jr.Jun 6, 2017
D-NJAlbio SiresJun 6, 2017
D-INAndré CarsonJun 6, 2017
D-CABarbara LeeJun 6, 2017
D-NMBen Ray LujánJun 6, 2017
D-ILBobby L. RushJun 6, 2017
D-NJBonnie Watson ColemanJun 6, 2017
D-MIBrenda L. LawrenceJun 6, 2017
D-NHCarol Shea-PorterJun 6, 2017
D-RIDavid N. CicillineJun 6, 2017
D-NJDonald M. Payne, Jr.Jun 6, 2017
D-VADonald S. Beyer, Jr.Jun 6, 2017
D-CADoris O. MatsuiJun 6, 2017
D-PADwight EvansJun 6, 2017
D-OREarl BlumenauerJun 6, 2017
D-COEd PerlmutterJun 6, 2017
D-DCEleanor Holmes NortonJun 6, 2017
D-MDElijah E. CummingsJun 6, 2017
D-NYEliot L. EngelJun 6, 2017
D-CAEric SwalwellJun 6, 2017
D-NJFrank Pallone, Jr.Jun 6, 2017
D-FLFrederica S. WilsonJun 6, 2017
D-NYGrace MengJun 6, 2017
D-MPGregorio Kilili Camacho SablanJun 6, 2017
D-WIGwen MooreJun 6, 2017
D-MAJames P. McGovernJun 6, 2017
D-RIJames R. LangevinJun 6, 2017
D-MDJamie RaskinJun 6, 2017
D-ILJanice D. SchakowskyJun 6, 2017
D-CAJared HuffmanJun 6, 2017
D-CAJohn GaramendiJun 6, 2017
D-GAJohn LewisJun 6, 2017
D-NYJoseph CrowleyJun 6, 2017
D-OHJoyce BeattyJun 6, 2017
D-MNKeith EllisonJun 6, 2017
D-ILLuis V. GutierrezJun 6, 2017
D-CAMark DeSaulnierJun 6, 2017
D-WIMark PocanJun 6, 2017
D-CAMark TakanoJun 6, 2017
D-CANorma J. TorresJun 6, 2017
D-VTPeter WelchJun 6, 2017
D-AZRaúl M. GrijalvaJun 6, 2017
D-MNRichard M. NolanJun 6, 2017
D-ILRobin L. KellyJun 6, 2017
D-NVRuben J. KihuenJun 6, 2017
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeJun 6, 2017
D-FLTheodore E. DeutchJun 6, 2017
D-OHTim RyanJun 6, 2017
D-MNTimothy J. WalzJun 6, 2017
D-TXVicente GonzalezJun 6, 2017
D-MOWm. Lacy ClayJun 6, 2017
D-FLDarren SotoJun 12, 2017
D-CAZoe LofgrenJun 12, 2017
D-NYSean Patrick MaloneyJun 21, 2017
D-FLDebbie Wasserman SchultzJul 11, 2017
D-GUMadeleine Z. BordalloJul 13, 2017
D-NJDonald NorcrossSep 13, 2017
D-ILMike QuigleySep 13, 2017
D-FLAlcee L. HastingsOct 2, 2017
D-NYLouise McIntosh SlaughterOct 2, 2017
D-OHMarcy KapturOct 2, 2017
D-CAMike ThompsonOct 2, 2017
D-MASeth MoultonOct 2, 2017
D-FLVal Butler DemingsOct 2, 2017
D-CTElizabeth H. EstyDec 6, 2017
D-MAMichael E. CapuanoJan 3, 2018
D-TXBeto O'RourkeJan 16, 2018
D-COJared PolisJan 25, 2018
D-TXFilemon VelaMay 25, 2018

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseEducation and Workforce Committee
Referred May 16, 2017
HouseBudget Committee
Referred May 16, 2017

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. May 16, 2017Introduced in House
  2. May 16, 2017Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 163, no. 84, May 16, 2017, page H4223.

Related bills 10

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 206JOBS Act of 2017Related billJan 24, 2017
HR 254REAL Act of 2017Related billJan 4, 2017
S 1125Protect Our Gold Star Families' Education Act of 2017Related billMay 15, 2017
S 1135Pell Grant Restoration Act of 2017Related billMay 16, 2017
S 1136Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion ActIdentical billMay 16, 2017
Show all 10 related bills

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To improve the structure of the Federal Pell Grant program, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Education.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. May 16, 2017Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.