[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8618 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8618
To increase the total maximum Federal Pell Grant and extend flexibility
for eligibility.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2026
Mr. Menefee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase the total maximum Federal Pell Grant and extend flexibility
for eligibility.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``College Affordability and
Accessibility Act''.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF A FEDERAL PELL GRANT.
(a) Award Year 2026-2027 and Subsequent Award Years.--
(1) Amendment to award amount.--Section 401(b)(5)(A) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)(5)(A)), is
amended to read as follows:
``(A)(i) Award years 2026-2027 and 2027- 2028.--For
award years 2026-2027 and 2027- 2028, the total maximum
Federal Pell Grant award per student shall be equal to
$14,800, reduced by the amount specified as the maximum
Federal Pell Grant in the last enacted appropriation
Act applicable to that award year.
``(ii) Subsequent award years.--For award
year 2028-2029, and each subsequent award year,
the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award per
student shall be equal to the amount that is
equal to $14,800, increased by a percentage
equal to the annual adjustment percentage for
the award year for which the amount under this
subparagraph is being determined, then reduced
by the amount specified as the maximum Federal
Pell Grant in the last enacted appropriation
Act applicable to that award year.''.
(2) Definition.--Section 401(a)(2) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(a)(2)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) 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.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on July 1, 2026, and shall apply with respect to each award
year (as defined in section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1088)) beginning on or after such date.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION IN THE PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS.
Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(8)(A), by inserting ``or as a
postbaccalaureate student in accordance with sub-section
(d)(1),'' after ``as an undergraduate,'';
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) 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--
``(A) 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
``(B) 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--
``(i) 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);
``(ii) the student would otherwise be
eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, but for the
completion of such baccalaureate course of
study; and
``(iii) the period during which the student
receives Federal Pell Grants does not exceed
the student's duration limits under paragraph
(5);''; and
(B) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ``12'' each
place it appears and inserting ``16''.
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