[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3159-S3160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1670. Mr. LEE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 1502 proposed by Mr. Schumer to the bill S. 1260, to 
establish a new Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the 
National Science Foundation, to establish a regional technology hub 
program, to require a strategy and report on economic security, 
science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and job creation, to 
establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title I of division F, insert the following:

              Subtitle D--Transparency in Higher Education

     SEC. 6131. TIME FOR TRANSPARENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

       (a) In General.--Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 487(a), by adding at the end the following:
       ``(30) The institution will publish information in 
     compliance with section 494A.''; and
       (2) in part G, by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 494A. INSTITUTIONAL PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION.

       ``(a) Publication of Information.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each institution of higher education 
     participating in a program under this title shall publish on 
     the institution's website and in an alternative format, on an 
     annual basis, the information described in paragraphs (2) and 
     (3). To the extent that such data is available, an 
     institution may use data that the institution is already 
     collecting in accordance with other Federal requirements.
       ``(2) Information.--Each institution of higher education 
     described in paragraph (1) shall publish, with respect to the 
     institution as a whole and with respect to each program of 
     study offered by the institution, the following information 
     for the most recent fiscal year for which the information is 
     available:
       ``(A) For each of the following, the percentage and number 
     of students enrolled at the institution or in the program of 
     study, as applicable, who receive the following:
       ``(i) Federal grant aid, including Federal Pell Grants 
     under subpart 1 of part A, Federal Supplemental Educational 
     Opportunity Grants under subpart 3 of part A, or any other 
     Federal postsecondary education grant aid or subsidy.
       ``(ii) Federal student loans, including Federal loans under 
     part D.
       ``(iii) State grant aid.
       ``(iv) Institutional grants.
       ``(v) A student loan from a State.
       ``(B) Student body enrollment status, including as a--
       ``(i) first-time, full-time student;
       ``(ii) first-time, part-time student;
       ``(iii) non-first-time, full-time student; and
       ``(iv) non-first-time, part-time student.
       ``(C) Information about students that includes the 
     following:
       ``(i) The percentage of students who do not complete the 
     program of study the student initially started upon 
     enrollment.
       ``(ii) The percentage of students who transfer.
       ``(iii) The percentage of students who complete the program 
     of study the student initially started upon enrollment.
       ``(iv) The average length of time for a student to complete 
     the program of study.
       ``(v) The percentage of students who continue on to higher 
     levels of education.
       ``(vi) The percentage of former students who received 
     financial aid who are employed at 2, 4, and 6 years after 
     graduating, disaggregated by program of study.
       ``(vii) The median earnings of former students who earned a 
     degree or credential and received financial aid on the date 
     that is 10 years after the date the students first enrolled 
     in a program of study at the institution, disaggregated by 
     program of study.
       ``(viii) The median earnings of former students who 
     received financial aid on the date that is 10 years after the 
     date the students first enrolled in a program of study at the 
     institution, disaggregated by program of study.
       ``(3) Publication of default and non-repayment rates.--In 
     addition to the information described in paragraph (2), each 
     institution of higher education described in paragraph (1) 
     shall publish, with respect to the institution as a whole and 
     with respect to each program of study offered by the 
     institution, the following information for the most recent 
     fiscal year for which the information is available:
       ``(A) The average amount of total Federal student loan debt 
     accrued upon graduation.
       ``(B) The average amount of total Federal student loan debt 
     accrued by students who leave the institution without having 
     graduated.
       ``(C) Federal student loan default rate.
       ``(D) Federal student loan non-repayment rate.
       ``(E) Default and non-repayment rate, including as a--
       ``(i) first-time, full-time student;
       ``(ii) first-time, part-time student;
       ``(iii) non-first-time, full-time student; and
       ``(iv) non-first-time, part-time student.
       ``(F) Default and non-repayment rate, of--
       ``(i) students who complete a program of study;
       ``(ii) students who transfer; and
       ``(iii) students who do not complete a program of study.
       ``(b) Privacy.--
       ``(1) Compliance with ferpa.--In carrying out this section, 
     an institution of higher education and any personnel of the 
     institution shall not share any personally identifiable 
     information and shall act in accordance with section 444 of 
     the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g, 
     commonly known as the `Family Educational Rights and Privacy 
     Act of 1974').
       ``(2) Prohibition on use of information.--Information 
     published pursuant to this section shall not be used by a 
     Federal employee, agency, or officer, or an institution of 
     higher education to take action against an individual.
       ``(3) Penalties.--The Secretary shall establish penalties 
     for a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) that includes both a 
     monetary fine and up to 5 years in prison.
       ``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
     be construed to authorize or permit the Secretary or any 
     employee or contractor of the Department to mandate, direct, 
     or control the selection of practices or curriculum by an 
     institution of higher education.''.
       (b) GAO Report.--
       (1) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study that compiles all the institutional 
     publication of information pursuant to section 494A of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965, as added by subsection (a).

[[Page S3160]]

       (2) Report.--Not later than October 1 of the fourth fiscal 
     year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
     General of the United States shall submit a report containing 
     the results of the study under paragraph (1) to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress
                                 ______