3.0.0 468 2026-09-19T23:07:25Z 2026-09-19T23:07:25Z House H HR 2025-01-15 119 https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/468 [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 15, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Ms. VELAZQUEZ:H.R. 468.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article I, Section 8, Clause 1The Congress shall have Power to . . . provide for the . .. general Welfare of the United States; . . .[Page H187]]]> hsed00 Education and Workforce Committee House Standing Referred To 2025-01-15T15:02:15Z 2025-01-15 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hsed00 Education and Workforce Committee 2025-01-15 Introduced in House IntroReferral Intro-H 9 Library of Congress 2025-01-15 Introduced in House IntroReferral 1000 9 Library of Congress V000081 Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] Nydia Velázquez D NY M. 7 N M000317 Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11] Nicole Malliotakis R NY 11 2025-01-15 True E000297 Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13] Adriano Espaillat D NY 13 2025-01-15 True T000469 Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] Paul Tonko D NY 20 2025-01-15 True C001127 Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick D FL 20 2025-01-15 True M001229 Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] LaMonica McIver D NJ 10 2025-01-15 True F000466 Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] Brian Fitzpatrick R PA K. 1 2025-07-02 False Education Higher education 2025-03-12T13:33:15Z School administration 2025-03-12T13:33:22Z Student records 2025-03-12T13:33:28Z Education 2025-02-20T16:37:34Z 00 2025-01-15 Introduced in House 2025-03-17T19:11:52Z Mel's Law

This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs to establish policies for awarding posthumous degrees.

Specifically, the IHE must certify that it has a policy to award a posthumous degree to a deceased student who (1) was enrolled in a degree program at the IHE; (2) died prior to completing such program; and (3) at the time of death, was in academic standing consistent with the requirements for graduation from such program (as determined by the IHE).

The bill prohibits accrediting agencies from taking into consideration the number of posthumous degrees awarded to deceased students by the IHE. (Under current law, an IHE must be accredited by an accrediting agency to participate in federal student aid programs.)

]]> Mel’s Law Display Title 45 Mel’s Law 2026-09-19T23:07:25Z Official Title as Introduced 6 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education, as a condition of participation in programs under title IV of such Act, to establish a policy to award posthumous degrees to certain deceased students, and for other purposes. 2026-09-19T23:07:24Z Introduced in House IH Short Title(s) as Introduced 101 Mel’s Law 2025-02-14T13:38:17Z Introduced in House IH Introduced in House 2025-01-15T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr468ih/xml/BILLS-119hr468ih.xml 2025-01-15 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.