[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 29 (Thursday, March 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1953-S1954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE ACCESS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2002

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a 
message from the House of Representatives on the bill (H.R. 1499) to 
amend the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 to permit 
individuals who enroll in an institution of higher education more than 
3 years after graduating from a secondary school and individuals who 
attend private historically black colleges and universities nationwide 
to participate in the tuition assistance programs under such Act, and 
for other purposes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the House of Representatives:

         Resolved, That the House agree to the amendment of the 
     Senate to the title and agree to the amendment of the Senate 
     to the text to the bill (H.R. 1499) entitled ``An Act to 
     amend the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 to 
     permit individuals who graduated from a secondary school 
     prior to 1998 and individuals who enroll in an institution of 
     higher education more than 3 years after graduating from a 
     secondary school to participate in the tuition assistance 
     programs under such Act, and for other purposes'', with the 
     following House amendment to Senate amendments:
       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the 
     amendment of the Senate, insert the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``District of Columbia College 
     Access Improvement Act of 2002''.

     SEC. 2. PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAM.

       Section 3(c)(2) of the District of Columbia College Access 
     Act of 1999 (sec. 38-2702(c)(2), D.C. Official Code) is 
     amended by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(A)(i) in the case of an individual who begins an 
     undergraduate course of study within 3 calendar years 
     (excluding any period of service on active duty in the armed 
     forces, or service under the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2501 
     et seq.) or subtitle D of title I of the National and 
     Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.)) of 
     graduation from a secondary school, or obtaining the 
     recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma, was 
     domiciled in the District of Columbia for not less than the 
     12 consecutive months preceding the commencement of the 
     freshman year at an institution of higher education;
       ``(ii) in the case of an individual who graduated from a 
     secondary school or received the recognized equivalent of a 
     secondary school diploma before January 1, 1998, and is 
     currently enrolled at an eligible institution as of the date 
     of enactment of the District of Columbia College Access 
     Improvement Act of 2002, was domiciled in the District of 
     Columbia for not less than the 12 consecutive months 
     preceding the commencement of the freshman year at an 
     institution of higher education; or
       ``(iii) in the case of any other individual and an 
     individual re-enrolling after more than a 3-year break in the 
     individual's post-secondary education, has been domiciled in 
     the District of Columbia for at least 5 consecutive years at 
     the date of application;
       ``(B)(i) graduated from a secondary school or received the 
     recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma on or 
     after January 1, 1998;
       ``(ii) in the case of an individual who did not graduate 
     from a secondary school or receive a recognized equivalent of 
     a secondary school diploma, is accepted for enrollment as a 
     freshman at an eligible institution on or after January 1, 
     2002; or
       ``(iii) in the case of an individual who graduated from a 
     secondary school or received the recognized equivalent of a 
     secondary school diploma before January 1, 1998, is currently 
     enrolled at an eligible institution as of the date of 
     enactment of the District of Columbia College Access 
     Improvement Act of 2002;
       ``(C) meets the citizenship and immigration status 
     requirements described in section 484(a)(5) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1091(a)(5));''.

     SEC. 3. PRIVATE SCHOOL PROGRAM.

       Section 5(c)(1)(B) of the District of Columbia College 
     Access Act of 1999 (sec. 38-2704(c)(1)(B), D.C. Official 
     Code) is amended by striking ``the main campus of which is 
     located in the State of Maryland or the Commonwealth of 
     Virginia''.

     SEC. 4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

       Section 6 of the District of Columbia College Access Act of 
     1999 (sec. 38-2705, D.C. Official Code) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Administrative Expenses.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Mayor of the District of Columbia 
     may not use more than 7 percent of the total amount of 
     Federal funds appropriated for the program, retroactive to 
     the date of enactment of this Act (the District of Columbia 
     College Access Act of 1999), for the administrative expenses 
     of the program.
       ``(2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term 
     `administrative expenses' means any expenses that are not 
     directly used to pay the cost of tuition and fees for 
     eligible students to attend eligible institutions.'';
       (2) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections 
     (f) and (g);
       (3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
       ``(e) Local Funds.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
     District of Columbia may appropriate such local funds as 
     necessary for the programs under sections 3 and 5.''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Dedicated Account for Programs.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The District of Columbia government 
     shall establish a dedicated account for the programs under 
     sections 3 and 5 consisting of the following amounts:
       ``(A) The Federal funds appropriated to carry out such 
     programs under this Act or any other Act.
       ``(B) Any District of Columbia funds appropriated by the 
     District of Columbia to carry out such programs.
       ``(C) Any unobligated balances in amounts made available 
     for such programs in previous fiscal years.
       ``(D) Interest earned on balances of the dedicated account.
       ``(2) Use of funds.--Amounts in the dedicated account shall 
     be used solely to carry out the programs under sections 3 and 
     5.''.

     SEC. 5. CONTINUATION OF CURRENT AGGREGATE LEVEL OF 
                   AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--The District of Columbia College Access 
     Act of 1999 (sec. 38-2701 et seq., D.C. Official Code) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 7. LIMIT ON AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR 
                   PUBLIC SCHOOL AND PRIVATE SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

       ``The aggregate amount authorized to be appropriated to the 
     District of Columbia for the programs under sections 3 and 5 
     for any fiscal year may not exceed--
       ``(1) $17,000,000, in the case of the aggregate amount for 
     fiscal year 2003;
       ``(2) $17,000,000, in the case of the aggregate amount for 
     fiscal year 2004; or
       ``(3) $17,000,000, in the case of the aggregate amount for 
     fiscal year 2005.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Public school program.--Section 3(i) of such Act (sec. 
     38-2702(i), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking ``and 
     such sums'' and inserting ``and (subject to section 7) such 
     sums''.
       (2) Private school program.--Section 5(f) of such Act (sec. 
     38-2704(f), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking ``and 
     such sums'' and inserting ``and (subject to section 7) such 
     sums''.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendments, and that the 
motion to reconsider be laid on the table.

[[Page S1954]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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