Public Law 118–145: To establish an earlier application processing cycle for the FAFSA.Public Law145Public Law 118–145138 Stat. 16712024-12-112024-12-11United States Government Publishing OfficeNational Archives and Records AdministrationOffice of the Federal Registertext/xmlENPursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.GPO Locator to USLM Converter 4.15.31;Stage2.202507022026-01-02118publicPUBLIC LAW 118–145—DEC. 11, 2024138 STAT. 1671Public Law118–145118th CongressAn ActTo establish an earlier application processing cycle for the FAFSA.
Dec. 11, 2024
[H.R. 8932]
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
FAFSA Deadline Act.
SECTION 1.
20 USC 1001 note.
SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the “FAFSA Deadline Act”.SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF EARLIER APPLICATION PROCESSING CYCLE. Section 483(d)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090(d)(4)) is amended by striking “not later than January 1 of the applicant’s planned year of enrollment, to the maximum extent practicable, on or around October 1 prior to the applicant’s planned year of enrollment” and inserting “not later than October 1 prior to the applicant’s planned year of enrollment”.SEC. 3. CERTIFICATION AND TESTIMONY REQUIREMENTS. Section 483(d)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090(d)(4)) is further amended—(1) by striking “The Secretary” and inserting the following:“(A) In general.—The Secretary”; and(2) by adding at the end the following:“(B) Certification and testimony requirements.—The Secretary shall, with respect to each application processing cycle, prior to the initiation of such processing cycle—“(i) on a date that is not later than September 1—“(I) certify to the authorizing committees that the Department will meet the October 1 deadline specified in subparagraph (A) for such processing cycle; or“(II) certify to such committees that the Department will not meet such deadline; and“(ii) in the case of a certification described in clause (i)(II), on a date that is not later than September 30, testify before the authorizing committees on—“(I) the anticipated failure to meet such deadline; and138 STAT. 1672“(II) the financial impact such failure will have on students and families.”.ApprovedDecember 11, 2024.LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 8932:HOUSE REPORTS: ┐No. 118–695 (Comm. on Education and the Workforce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):