Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 1288
117th Congress(2021-2022)
College for All Act of 2021
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Apr 21, 2021
Overview
Text
Introduced
Apr 21, 2021
Latest Action
Apr 21, 2021
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
1288
Congress
117
Policy Area
Education
Education
Primary focus of measure is elementary, secondary, or higher education including special education and matters of academic performance, school administration, teaching, educational costs, and student aid.
Sponsorship by Party
Independent
Vermont
Democrat
California
Democrat
Connecticut
Democrat
Massachusetts
Democrat
Massachusetts
Senate Votes (0)
House Votes (0)
No Senate votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

College for All Act of 2021

This bill establishes measures to expand access to higher education, including by eliminating tuition and required fees for eligible students, revising the Federal Pell Grant program, and reauthorizing certain programs to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Specifically, the bill provides funding to eliminate tuition and required fees for (1) all students at community colleges and two-year tribal colleges and universities; (2) working- and middle-class students at four-year public institutions of higher education (IHEs) and tribal colleges and universities; and (3) eligible students at private, nonprofit historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions.

The bill permanently reauthorizes and otherwise revises the Federal Pell Grant program by

  • providing funding to increase the maximum award for each eligible student,
  • increasing the duration limit for the use of Pell Grants, and
  • allowing students to use their awards to cover living and non-tuition expenses.

Next, the bill makes Dreamer students (i.e., students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status) who entered the United States before the age of 16 and who meet certain educational criteria eligible for federal financial aid.

Further, the bill requires the Department of Education to award grants to underfunded IHEs, HBCUs, and minority-serving institutions for investing in support programs to improve student outcomes (e.g., graduation rates).

The bill also reauthorizes through FY2031 the Federal TRIO Programs and reauthorizes through FY2025 the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

Text (1)
April 21, 2021
Actions (2)
04/21/2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
04/21/2021
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:49:14 PM