Bill Sponsor
House Bill 3709
115th Congress(2017-2018)
America's College Promise Act of 2017
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Sep 7, 2017
Overview
Text
Introduced
Sep 7, 2017
Latest Action
Sep 7, 2017
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
3709
Congress
115
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
Virginia
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
Massachusetts
Democrat
New Jersey
House Votes (0)
Senate Votes (0)
No House votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

America's College Promise Act of 2017

This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to states and Indian tribes to waive tuition and fees at community colleges. To receive a grant, states and Indian tribes must agree to waive tuition and fees at all their community colleges and for all eligible students.

An eligible student is a student who: (1) qualifies for resident tuition, (2) enrolls in the college and attends at least half-time, (3) maintains satisfactory academic progress, and (4) enrolls in an academic program with credits that are fully transferable to any public institution of higher education in the state or enrolls in a training program that leads to credentials in an in-demand industry.

The bill appropriates $1.5 billion in FY2018, an increasing annual amount through FY2026, and $15.7 billion for FY2027 and each succeeding fiscal year for grants under this community college program.

This bill also requires ED to award grants to four-year historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to waive or reduce tuition and fees for up to 60 credits for low-income students.

HBCUs and MSIs that participate must: (1) enroll a student body that contains at least 35% low-income students; (2) maintain or adopt reforms and practices to improve completion rates and student outcomes; (3) set performance goals; and (4) execute an articulation agreement with community colleges, if accepting transfer students.

It appropriates $61 million for FY2018, an increasing annual amount through FY2026, and $1.6 billion for FY2027 and each succeeding fiscal year for grants under this HBCU/MSI program.

Text (1)
September 7, 2017
Actions (2)
09/07/2017
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
09/07/2017
Introduced in House
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:38:45 PM