Education (Higher Education)

in committee · United States · House Jan 28, 2025

HR 777: Closing the College Hunger Gap Act

This bill requires the U.S. Department of Education to proactively notify eligible college students about potential access to SNAP (food stamp) benefits. It targets students with a negative or zero student aid index (SAI) who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Department must send annual written and electronic notices explaining SNAP eligibility and providing state contact information for applying. The bill also mandates consultation between the Education and Agriculture Departments to design these notifications. This is a policy change focused on improving access to nutrition assistance for low-income students already enrolled in college.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by removing food insecurity barriers for college students, directly supporting higher education retention through SNAP eligibility outreach.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Student Health

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in committee · United States · House Feb 25, 2025

HR 1557: Stop Sexual Harassment in K–12 Act

This bill requires schools receiving federal funding to increase the number of Title IX Coordinators based on student population (one per 75,000 students in grades 7+ and one per 150,000 students in grades 6 and below), ensuring these coordinators have no conflicting responsibilities. It mandates annual anonymous surveys to assess students' and staff's experiences with sex-based harassment, including off-campus and online incidents, and requires trauma-informed prevention education for students and staff. The bill includes $50 million annually for five years to support schools in implementing these requirements, with priority for underserved areas and schools facing financial burdens. Schools must also monitor complaints, identify patterns of discrimination, and provide clear reporting procedures for sex-based harassment incidents. The legislation aims to improve school responses to harassment through standardized reporting, prevention, and support mechanisms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates trauma-informed prevention education and Title IX Coordinator requirements to address harassment, enhancing student safety and well-being in K-12 schools.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates workplace harassment prevention, surveys, and training for school staff, directly improving workplace safety for employees in education sector.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Safety Student Health Employment Discrimination

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 30, 2025

S 163: Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025

This bill requires colleges and universities receiving federal funds to prominently display a link to file discrimination complaints (based on race, color, or national origin) on their main website homepage. It mandates annual posting of a public awareness campaign about Title VI rights in high-traffic campus locations and on institutional websites. Schools must also submit annual reports to the Education Department’s Inspector General detailing discrimination complaints received, their analysis, and actions taken. The bill aims to improve student awareness of civil rights protections and increase accountability by tracking complaints, requiring transparency through congressional briefings, and auditing high-complaint institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates anti-discrimination measures in higher ed, protecting student access and rights under Title VI as part of educational equity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · United States · House Sep 2, 2025

HR 5084: Teacher Loan Forgiveness Enhancement Act

HR 5084, the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Enhancement Act, creates a new program to forgive federal undergraduate student loans for public school teachers after 8 years of full-time service. It directly affects public elementary and secondary school teachers who meet the 8-year employment requirement, forgiving the remaining principal and interest on their eligible federal undergraduate loans (including those made, insured, or guaranteed under specific parts of the Higher Education Act). Crucially, the forgiven amount is not considered taxable income under federal tax law. The bill also adds deferment provisions allowing teachers to pause loan payments and interest accrual during their teaching service and for six months afterward.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates federal loan forgiveness program for teachers, increasing government spending to fund public education (an essential program) and aligns with 'funds essential programs' indicator.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationForgives federal loans for public K-12 teachers after 8 years, directly supporting educators by reducing debt burden and retaining teachers in public schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Teachers

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in committee · United States · House May 29, 2025

HR 3624: Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act

This bill requires colleges and universities to include suicide prevention contact information on student identification cards or their websites. Specifically, institutions must list the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, and their campus mental health center on student IDs (or post the info online if IDs aren't issued). The requirement applies to all higher education institutions creating student ID cards after the bill's enactment, with a one-year implementation period. It directly affects students by ensuring immediate access to critical mental health resources through a routine campus tool.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates mental health resources on student IDs, enhancing student support services in higher education per bill's requirements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates inclusion of suicide prevention resources on student IDs/websites, directly improving access to mental health services per bill's explicit purpose.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Jan 16, 2025

HR 494: To amend the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 to make improvements to the Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service Program, and for other purposes.

This bill amends the Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service Program under the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014. It extends the required post-graduation service period from 3 to 5 years for scholarship recipients. Additionally, it removes restrictions on loan amounts by ensuring full loan coverage regardless of other Higher Education Act limits. The changes directly affect cybersecurity students receiving federal scholarships, altering their service obligations and financial support terms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances cybersecurity scholarship funding by removing loan limits and ensuring full financial coverage for higher education students, directly supporting student access and financial aid in STEM fields.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExtends cybersecurity scholarship service terms and removes loan limits to strengthen workforce development for cybersecurity programs, directly advancing cybersecurity efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Emerging Technology

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in committee · United States · House Feb 27, 2025

HR 1666: Pell Grant Sustainability Act

The Pell Grant Sustainability Act (HR 1666) requires the federal government to automatically adjust the maximum Pell Grant amount each year based on inflation, starting with $1,060 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure grants keep pace with rising college costs, directly affecting low-income students who rely on Pell Grants to afford higher education. The bill amends the Higher Education Act to mandate this annual inflation-based increase, rounding the final amount to the nearest $5. It aims to reverse the decades-long decline in grant purchasing power, which covered 80% of college costs in 1974-75 but only 31% by 2022-23.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates annual inflation-based increases to Pell Grant funding, directly increasing government spending on education for low-income students, strengthening public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirectly increases Pell Grant funding via annual inflation adjustments, ensuring affordability for low-income higher education students under the Higher Education Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate Jun 12, 2025

S 2045: Protecting Endowments from Our Adversaries Act

This bill imposes a 50% excise tax on the fair market value of "listed investments" acquired by large private colleges and universities during a taxable year, and a 100% tax on net income from such investments. It defines "listed investments" as any stock, debt, or derivatives held in entities on government security lists (like the Commerce Department's Entity List or FCC Covered List). The tax applies to private institutions with endowments exceeding $1 billion that aren't state universities, targeting investments in entities deemed national security threats. The law requires the Treasury to establish a consolidated list of these entities within 60 days of enactment, with taxes taking effect for acquisitions and income after the first calendar year following enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes 50% excise tax on listed investments of large private colleges, generating government revenue for fiscal management under Budget & Taxes.90% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationImposes 50-100% taxes on endowments of large private universities, reducing funds available for educational programs and operations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Higher Education

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in committee · United States · House Jun 12, 2025

HR 3977: Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act

HR 3977, the Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act, removes a ban preventing foster youth in college from receiving housing assistance. It allows the Secretary to waive income requirements for students who are in foster care (or were formerly in foster care), or are court-emancipated minors, while living in on-campus housing at eligible colleges. The bill ensures that housing assistance provided through this waiver does not count as income when determining eligibility for federal student aid, work-study programs, or other support like living allowances or child support calculations. This directly affects foster youth in higher education who face housing barriers, making campus housing more accessible without jeopardizing their other financial aid.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves ban on housing assistance for foster youth in college, expanding access to higher education by waiving income requirements for on-campus housing.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill removes ban on foster youth accessing campus housing assistance, waives income requirements to advance affordable housing access for vulnerable students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Affordable Housing

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 8, 2025

S 1347: Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025

S 1347, the Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025, creates federal grants to expand dual enrollment and early college high school programs for public high school students. The bill directly affects high school students, particularly those from low-income families, attending rural schools, or being first-generation college students, by covering tuition, fees, and materials for college courses taken while in high school. Key provisions include requiring grant recipients to partner with local schools, prioritize underserved students, and use funds for professional development, course design, and student outreach. Recipients must also conduct evaluations tracking student enrollment and credit transfers, with annual reports to Congress on program outcomes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates federal grants to fund tuition/fees for education programs, directly increasing government spending on public education for low-income students.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides federal grants covering tuition/fees/materials for dual enrollment programs, targeting low-income/rural/first-gen students to expand educational access and affordability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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