College Affordability Act
Latest action (30 Oct 2019): Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 22.
What this bill does
The College Affordability Act (H.R. 4674) is a broad, wide-ranging bill to reauthorize and amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. It touches nearly every part of federal higher-education policy, including student financial aid, federal student loan programs, campus safety and consumer-protection rules, teacher-preparation grants, and funding for institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges, and other minority-serving institutions. Among its provisions are changes to Pell Grant eligibility and amounts, revisions to student loan repayment and forgiveness terms, new requirements for institutional accountability and accreditation, expanded support for foster-youth and homeless students, a new "America's College Promise" federal-state partnership to reduce tuition costs, and directives requiring various federal studies and data-collection efforts on issues like campus safety, student debt, and equity gaps.
The bill would affect current and prospective college students, borrowers repaying federal student loans, colleges and universities (public, private, and for-profit), teacher-preparation programs, and federal agencies such as the Department of Education, which would be required to implement new rules, studies, and reporting requirements. Proprietary (for-profit) institutions would face a new revenue-source requirement to qualify for federal student aid programs.
The bill was introduced in October 2019 by Rep. Robert "Bobby" Scott and was reported by the House Committee on Education and Labor with amendments in December 2020, following a committee vote of 28–22. According to the official summary, it did not receive a floor vote before the end of that Congress, meaning it did not become law and would need to be reintroduced in a later Congress to be considered further.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
College Affordability Act
This bill reauthorizes and revises the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) and addresses additional issues related to higher education, including to revise federal student financial aid programs, consolidate federal student loans and expand loan forgiveness, increase college access and success for certain students, and revise accountability measures.
Specifically, the bill revises financial aid programs, including to increase the maximum federal Pell Grant award, provide incentives for states to fund public institutions of higher education (IHEs), increase and make permanent funding for minority-serving IHEs, expand the availability of financial aid to postsecondary students, and extend eligibility for student aid to certain noncitizen students.
The bill also revises federal student loan programs, including to replace existing student loan repayment plans with one income-based repayment plan and one fixed repayment plan, allow existing borrowers to lower their payments by switching to the new plans, expand public service loan forgiveness programs (e.g., TEACH grants), and create appeal processes for denied applications for loan forgiveness.
In addition, the bill increases college access and success for certain students (e.g., students with low-income, children, or disabilities) through investments and practices, such as student support services and accelerated learning opportunities.
The bill establishes consumer information requirements for prospective students. Further, it revises accountability measures for IHEs (including for-profit IHEs), job training programs, college accrediting agencies, and lenders. In particular, the bill updates the performance goals of the Office of Federal Student Aid and requires the Department of Education (ED) to be responsible for the oversight of the office.
Finally, the bill prohibits ED from issuing or enforcing certain rules that weaken the enforcement of the prohibition of sex discrimination applicable under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Timeline
30 Oct 2019
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 22.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 4674 do?
- The College Affordability Act (H.R. 4674) is a broad, wide-ranging bill to reauthorize and amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. It touches nearly every part of federal higher-education policy, including student financial aid, federal student loan programs, campus safety and consumer-protection rules, teacher-preparation grants, and funding for institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges, and other minority-serving institutions. Among its provisions are changes to Pell Grant eligibility and amounts, revisions to student loan repayment and forgiveness terms, new requirements for institutional accountability and accreditation, expanded support for foster-youth and homeless students, a new "America's College Promise" federal-state partnership to reduce tuition costs, and directives requiring various federal studies and data-collection efforts on issues like campus safety, student debt, and equity gaps. The bill would affect current and prospective college students, borrowers repaying federal student loans, colleges and universities (public, private, and for-profit), teacher-preparation programs, and federal agencies such as the Department of Education, which would be required to implement new rules, studies, and reporting requirements. Proprietary (for-profit) institutions would face a new revenue-source requirement to qualify for federal student aid programs. The bill was introduced in October 2019 by Rep. Robert "Bobby" Scott and was reported by the House Committee on Education and Labor with amendments in December 2020, following a committee vote of 28–22. According to the official summary, it did not receive a floor vote before the end of that Congress, meaning it did not become law and would need to be reintroduced in a later Congress to be considered further.
- Has H.R. 4674 become law?
- Not yet. As of 30 Oct 2019, H.R. 4674 is ordered reported.
- Who sponsored H.R. 4674?
- H.R. 4674 was sponsored by Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott [D-VA3] (Democrat-VA), with 158 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 4674?
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 22. (30 Oct 2019).
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