I
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 961
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 9, 2023
Ms. Stevens (for herself and Mr. Gomez) 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 increase the period of eligibility for Federal Pell Grants, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Pell to Grad Act
.
Period of eligibility for grants
Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) is amended—
in subsection (a), by inserting or as a postbaccalaureate student in accordance with subsection (c)(1),
after as an undergraduate,
; and
in subsection (c)—
by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
The period during which a student may receive Federal Pell Grants shall be the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study being pursued by that student at the institution at which the student is in attendance except that—
any period during which the student is enrolled in a noncredit or remedial course of study as defined in paragraph (2) shall not be counted for the purpose of this paragraph; and
the period during which a student may receive Federal Pell Grants shall also include the period required for the completion of the first postbaccalaureate course of study at an eligible institution that meets the definition of institution of higher education in section 101, in a case in which—
the student received a Federal Pell Grant during the period required for the completion of the student’s first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study for at least 1 but fewer than 16 semesters, or the equivalent of at least 1 but fewer than 16 semesters, as determined under paragraph (5);
the student would otherwise be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, but for the completion of such baccalaureate course of study; and
the period during which the student receives Federal Pell Grants does not exceed the student’s duration limits under paragraph (5).
; and
in paragraph (5), by striking 12
each place it appears and inserting 16
.
Conforming amendment to law as modified by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
In general
Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a), as amended by section 703 of division FF the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), is further amended—
in subsection (b)(8)(A), by inserting or as a postbaccalaureate student in accordance with subsection (d)(1),
after as an undergraduate,
;
in subsection (d)—
by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
The period during which a student may receive Federal Pell Grants shall be the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study being pursued by that student at the institution at which the student is in attendance except that—
any period during which the student is enrolled in a noncredit or remedial course of study, as described in paragraph (2), shall not be counted for the purpose of this paragraph; and
the period during which a student may receive Federal Pell Grants shall also include the period required for the completion of the first postbaccalaureate course of study at an eligible institution that is an institution of higher education as defined in section 101, in a case in which—
the student received a Federal Pell Grant during the period required for the completion of the student’s first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study for at least 1 but fewer than 16 semesters, or the equivalent of at least 1 but fewer than 16 semesters, as determined under paragraph (5);
the student would otherwise be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, but for the completion of such baccalaureate course of study; and
the period during which the student receives Federal Pell Grants does not exceed the student’s duration limits under paragraph (5).
; and
in paragraph (5)(A), by striking 12
each place it appears and inserting 16
.
Effective date
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of title VII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260).
