Jennifer G. Sandler University of Maryland, Baltimore County Legislative Update Jennifer G. Sandler University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Reauthorization Refresher Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) governs the administration of Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs “to assist in making available the benefits of postsecondary education to eligible students” Most recent reauthorization: August 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) was set to expire at the end of 2013 but continues to be extended by Congress Image source: LBJ Presidential Library

115th United States Congress Meets 1/3/2017-1/3/2019 Congress and the Presidency under unified Republican control Legislative accomplishments of note to ED and FAA: 5/5/2017: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 8/16/2017: Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act “Forever GI Bill” 12/22/2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 3/23/2018: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 9/28/2018: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Overall $3.9 billion increase for ED Increased 2018-2019 Pell Grant maximum to $6,095 Provided $107 million increase for FSEOG Provided $140 million increase for FWS Set aside $350 million to expand Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clarified data-sharing restrictions with scholarship-granting organizations Included Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act Image source: https://www.istonline.com/2018/04/consolidated-appropriations-act-2018/

Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 ED increases included in a larger spending bill that includes Departments of Defense, Labor, and Health and Human Services Increases 2019-2020 Pell Grant maximum to $6,195 Provides $50 million increase for TRIO Provides $70 million increase for Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) grants Provides an additional $350 million for PSLF expansion approved in FY18 Appropriations Enables students diagnosed with cancer to defer repayment during treatment Image Source: https://statecommissions.wordpress.com/2018/09/28/president-signs-2019-defense-labor-hhs-education-appropriations-act-hr-6157/

Midterm Elections Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Image source: https://www.newsmediaalliance.org/2018-midterms-news-quiz/ Midterm Elections Tuesday, November 6, 2018

US House of Representatives The U.S. House of Representatives has 435 seats: 235 Republicans, 193 Democrats, and 7 vacancies. All 435 seats are up on Tuesday. Democrats need a net gain of 23 Republican seats to take control of the House.

US Senate The U.S. Senate has 100 seats: 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats (including two independents). There are 35 seats up on Tuesday - of which 26 are held by Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of two Republican seats to take control of the Senate.

(H.R. 4508) House Republicans’ reauthorization bill- Introduced 12/1/2017 and passed out of Committee on Education and the Workforce 12/13/2017; awaiting floor vote by full House Key provisions: Access Extending Pell Grant eligibility for shorter, career-focused programs and offering Pell “bonus” to students enrolled in 15 credits per term FAFSA simplification-increases AGI limit to qualify for Simplified Needs Test, excludes 529 plans from asset calculation Simplification Streamlining FSA: One Grant, One Loan, One Work-Study-eliminating FSEOG, TEACH, Direct Subsidized Loans, PLUS Loans and FWS for graduate students Improving Federal Student Loans-eliminating origination fees, reducing repayment plans-one Standard and one IBR Consumer Information Improving early awareness-ED and institutions must notify HS sophomores of estimated FSA eligibility Enhancing financial aid counseling-expanding counseling to Pell Grant recipients and parent borrowers, introducing annual loan counseling Institutional Accountability Shifting burden of repaying unearned Title IV aid to institutions in R2T4 calculations Replacing institutional-level CDR with program-level CDR

(H.R. 6543) House Democrats’ reauthorization bill- Introduced 7/26/2018 and referred to Committee (Education and the Workforce) Key provisions: Access Extending FSA eligibility to DACA students Extending FSA eligibility to incarcerated students FAFSA simplification-three pathway system enabling Pell Grant recipients to file FAFSA once Affordability Strengthening Pell-extending eligibility to 14 semesters, increasing maximum Pell award, indexing Pell to inflation Strengthening FSEOG-remodeling allocation formula to account for institutional unmet need Improving Federal Student Loans-eliminating origination fees, reviving Perkins, reducing repayment plans and codifying automatic IBR enrollment Completion Amending FERPA to allow for reverse transfer of data and potential retroactive awarding of degrees Providing additional supports for foster care and homeless youth-institutional liaisons, housing between terms Expanding funding for HBCUs, HSIs, and other MSIs

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