Bill Sponsor
House Bill 3101
116th Congress(2019-2020)
AID Act
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Jun 5, 2019
Overview
Text
Introduced
Jun 5, 2019
Latest Action
Jun 24, 2019
Origin Chamber
House
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
3101
Congress
116
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
Democrat
Oregon
House Votes (0)
Senate Votes (0)
No House votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Achieving Independence through Degrees Act or the AID Act

This bill revises certain federal student-aid programs. Among other things, it expands access to Pell Grants, expands loan counseling requirements, revises the Federal Work-Study Program, updates the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process, and extends Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits to certain students.

First, it expands access to Pell Grants by (1) increasing the maximum award and indexing it for inflation, (2) increasing the semester eligibility limit to 15 semesters, and (3) extending eligibility to certain short-term workforce training programs.

It modifies student loan counseling requirements applicable to institutions of higher education (IHEs) by requiring annual financial counseling and expanding exit counseling. The Department of Education (ED) must maintain an online counseling tool that provides annual and exit counseling.

Additionally, it permanently reauthorizes the Federal Work-Study Program and otherwise revises the program, including by allocating program funds to IHEs based on the amount of Pell Grant funds received by each IHE. It establishes a pilot program that provides work-based learning opportunities for students who demonstrate exceptional financial need.

It requires ED to allow students to complete FAFSA as independent students under special circumstances. It repeals a provision that makes students convicted of drug-related offenses ineligible for federal student aid and prohibits ED from asking about drug-related convictions on FAFSA.

The bill also allows certain students, including those who have an expected family contribution of zero, to qualify for SNAP benefits.

Text (1)
Actions (3)
06/24/2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
06/05/2019
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
06/05/2019
Introduced in House
Public Record
Record Updated
Nov 1, 2022 6:32:25 AM