| Current | |
| Law: | Higher Education Amendments of 1998 [P.L. 105-244] |
| | |
| Senate | S. 1614, "Higher Education Amendments of 2005," introduced, 9/6/05 |
| Action: | S. 1614 passed by Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee 20-0, 9/8/05 |
| | |
| House | H.R. 609, "College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005," introduced, 2/8/05 |
| Action: | H.R. 609 passed by 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee 18-15, 7/14/05 |
| H.R. 609 passed by Education and the Workforce Committee 27-20, 7/22/05 |
| | H.R. 609 passed by House 221-199, 3/30/06 |
March 31, 2006
On Thursday the House voted 221-199 to pass a bill, H.R. 609, that would reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Although large portions of the law, covering student loan programs, were reauthorized in the budget reconciliation law (P.L. 109-171 enacted earlier this year, the recent House-passed bill covers the remainder of HEA programs, chiefly Pell grants and campus-based aid such as work study.
Among other things, the bill would authorize an increase the maximum Pell grant by $200, to $6,000. However, Pell grants, the current maximum being $4,050, are funded through the appropriations process, therefore the increased authorization is largely symbolic.
It is not clear when the Senate will take up its own reauthorization bill (S. 1614).
June 20, 2006
In the absence of a complete reauthorization, Rep. Ric Keller (R-FL), chairman of the House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, has introduced another extension of the Higher Education Act. The bill, H.R. 5603, would extend the Higher Education Act without change until September 30, 2006. It would be the fourth time in a year that the bill has been extended, and is necessary because some student aid portions of the bill (that are funded through mandatory spending and are not considered by the Appropriations Committees) are currently scheduled to expire on June 30. The House is scheduled to vote on the extension on June 21.
June 30, 2006
Public Law 109-238 was enacted to extend the Higher Education Act until September 30, 3006. This is the fourth time in a year that the bill has been extended, and is necessary because some student aid portions of the bill (that are funded through mandatory spending and are not considered by the Appropriations Committees) were currently scheduled to expire on June 30.
October 11, 2006
Before adjourning for the mid-term elections, Congress passed an extension of the Higher Education Act by unanimous consent. The previous extension of the law was set to expire on September 30. In addition to extending HEA until June 30, 2007, the bill also includes provisions restricting school-as-lender student loan programs, as well as loan forgiveness for the victims (and their survivors) of September 11, 2001. This extension signals that the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will not occur until 2007.
In the meantime, the Secretary of Education has released new recommendations to improve the higher education system, in response to the report by the Commission on the Future of Higher Education. The Secretary's proposals address accessibility, affordability, and accountability.
