116 HR 6537 IH: Pell Grant Sustainability Act U.S. House of Representatives 2022-02-01 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.

I117th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 6537IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 1, 2022Mr. Casten (for himself, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Trone, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. McNerney, and Mr. Larson of Connecticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and LaborA BILLTo index the maximum value of Federal Pell Grants to inflation.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Pell Grant Sustainability Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following:(1)From 2009 through 2018, the maximum discretionary Federal Pell Grants under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 stayed flat while inflation was 17 percent.(2)The value of Federal Pell Grants must keep pace with students’ costs in order to fulfill their mission of enabling lower-income students to attend college.

3.

Indexing Federal Pell Grants to inflation

(a)

Award year 2022–2023

Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) is amended—(1)in subsection (a)(1), by striking through fiscal year 2017 and inserting through fiscal year 2022; and (2)in subsection (b)(7)(C), by amending clause (iii) to read as follows:(iii)

Subsequent award years

(I)

Award years 2018–2019 through 2021–2022

For each of the award years 2018–2019 through 2021–2022, the amount determined under this subparagraph for purposes of subparagraph (B)(iii) shall be equal to the amount determined under clause (ii) for award year 2017–2018.(II)

Award year 2022–2023

For award year 2022–2023 and each subsequent award year, the amount determined under this subparagraph for purposes of subparagraph (B)(iii) shall be equal to—(aa)(AA)$6,495 or the total maximum Federal Pell Grant for the preceding award year (as determined under clause (iv)(II)), whichever is greater, increased by a percentage equal to the annual adjustment percentage for the award year for which the amount under this subparagraph is being determined; reduced by(BB)$5,435 or the maximum Federal Pell Grant for which a student was eligible for the preceding award year, as specified in the last enacted appropriation Act applicable to that year, whichever is greater; and(bb)rounded to the nearest $5..(b)

Award year 2023–2024, and each subsequent award year

Section 401(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)), as amended by section 703 of the FAFSA Simplification Act (division FF of Public Law 116–260), is further amended—(1)by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows: (5)

Total maximum Federal Pell Grant

(A)

In general

For award year 2023–2024, and each subsequent award year, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award per student shall be equal to the sum of—(i)$1,060, increased by a percentage equal to the annual adjustment percentage for the award year for which the amount under this paragraph is being determined; and(ii)the amount specified as the maximum Federal Pell Grant in the last enacted appropriation Act applicable to that award year.(B)

Rounding

The total maximum Federal Pell Grant for any award year shall be rounded to the nearest $5.(C)

Annual adjustment percentage defined

In this paragraph, the term annual adjustment percentage, as applied to an award year, is equal to the estimated percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary, using the definition in section 478(f)) for the most recent calendar year ending prior to the beginning of that award year.; (2)in paragraph (6)(A)(ii), by striking each of the fiscal years 2023 through 2033 and inserting fiscal year 2023 and each subsequent fiscal year; and(3)in paragraph (8)(A), by striking through fiscal year 2033.