Simple FAFSA Act of 2019
Latest action · Sep 24, 2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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.
- IntroducedSep 24, 2019
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Simple FAFSA Act of 2019
This bill revises the application process, eligibility requirements, and certain calculations related to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Specifically, the bill
- establishes three pathways for FAFSA applicants to submit income or asset information;
- establishes a certification process whereby a student who submits an initial FAFSA, and who certifies in the subsequent year that their dependency status has not changed, shall not be required to submit another FAFSA to maintain aid eligibility;
- requires the Department of Education (ED) to make the FAFSA form available in multiple languages and in formats that are accessible to individual with disabilities;
- repeals provisions that make ineligible for federal student aid any individual who fails to register with selective service or has committed drug-related offenses;
- prohibits ED from asking questions relating to whether an applicant for federal student aid has committed any drug-related offenses;
- expands eligibility for federal student aid to certain students who entered the United States prior to age 16;
- increases support for working students;
- requires ED to assign an applicant an expected family contribution of zero in certain situations (e.g., if the student received a federal means-tested benefit such as Medicaid during the previous twenty-four months); and
- requires ED to use data from the second preceding tax year to simplify the application process and determination of financial aid eligibility.
Cosponsors 3
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Sep 24, 2019 to Oct 21, 2019; 2 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CA | Ami Bera | Original | Sep 24, 2019 |
| D-DE | Lisa Blunt Rochester | Original | Sep 24, 2019 |
| D-GU | Michael F. Q. San Nicolas | Oct 21, 2019 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Education and Workforce Committee | Referred Sep 24, 2019 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 24, 2019Introduced in House
- Sep 24, 2019Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1196)
- Sep 24, 2019Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
In the Congressional Record 1
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E1196 | Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan D-MP | Sep 24, 2019 |
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
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 165, no. 154, September 24, 2019, page H7903.
Related bills 5
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 4216 | Strengthening Financial Aid for Students Act (Strengthening FAFSA) | Related bill | Aug 30, 2019 |
| HR 4240 | File Once FAFSA Act | Related bill | Sep 6, 2019 |
| HR 4674 | College Affordability Act | Related bill | Dec 28, 2020 |
| HR 4787 | Working Students Act | Related bill | Oct 22, 2019 |
| HR 8748 | HONOR Our Veterans’ Sacrifice Act | Related bill | Nov 12, 2020 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove barriers for students seeking Federal financial aid by reducing the complexity and length of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and increasing support for working students and vulnerable populations.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Simple FAFSA Act of 2019
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Education.
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Sep 24, 2019Introduced in House
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.
