[118th Congress Public Law 145]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 138 STAT. 1671]]

Public Law 118-145
118th Congress

                                 An Act


 
      To establish an earlier application processing cycle for the 
             FAFSA. <<NOTE: 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, <<NOTE: FAFSA Deadline 
Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 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; and

[[Page 138 STAT. 1672]]

                                    ``(II) the financial impact such 
                                failure will have on students and 
                                families.''.

    Approved December 11, 2024.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 8932:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 118-695 (Comm. on Education and the Workforce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
            Nov. 15, considered and passed House.
            Nov. 20, considered and passed Senate.

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