,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dbde ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #i1 #bjai,mrs4 ,mc,bath 7for herself and ,mr4 ,garca of ,illinois7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife to reduce the complexity and length of the ,free ,application for ,federal ,student ,aid 7,,fafsa74 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,hope 7,heightening ,opportunities for ,pathways to ,education7 for ,,fafsa ,act4 #b4 ,expected family contribution 7a7 ,data elements ,section #dgd7;b7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgnn7b77 is amended in paragraph 7#d71 by inserting before the net the following3 only in the case of a pathway three applicant14 7b7 ,dependent students ,section #dge of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgoo7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#c71 by inserting before the student the following3 only in the case of a pathway three applicant12 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#a77;,b71 by inserting before the parents' the following3 only in the case of a pathway three applicant12 and 7#c7 in subsection 7b77#c71 by striking award period and inserting award year4 7c7 ,independent students without dependents other than a spouse ,section #dgf7;a77#a77;,b7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgpp7a77#a77;,b77 is amended by inserting before the family's contribution the following3 only in the case of a pathway three applicant14 7d7 ,independent students with dependents other than a spouse ,section #dgg7;a77#a77;,b7 of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgqq7a77#a77;,b77 is amended by inserting before the family's contribution the following3 only in the case of a pathway three applicant14 #c4 ,zero expected family contribution ,section #dgi of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgss7 is amended to read as follows3 #dgi4 ,zero expected family contribution 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall consider an applicant to have an expected family contribution equal to zero if-- 7#a7 in the case of a dependent student-- 7,a7 7i7 the student's parents are not required to file-- 7,i7 a ,federal income tax return2 or 7,,ii7 with respect to ,internal ,revenue ,service ,form #ajdj1 any of the following forms3 ,schedule ,a1 ,schedule ,b1 ,schedule ,c1 ,schedule ,c-,,ez1 ,schedule ,d1 ,schedule ,e1 ,schedule ,f1 ,schedule ,h1 ,schedule ,j1 and ,schedule ,,se2 and 7ii7 the sum of the adjusted gross income of the parents is less than or equal to #cd1jjj2 or 7,b7 the student's parents1 or the student1 received a benefit at some time during the previous #bd-month period under a means-tested ,federal benefit program2 7#b7 in the case of an independent student without regard to whether the student has dependents other than a spouse-- 7,a7 7i7 the student 7and the student's spouse1 if any7 certifies-- 7,i7 that the student 7and the student's spouse1 if any7-- 7aa7 is not required to file a ,federal income tax return2 or 7bb7 with respect to ,internal ,revenue ,service ,form #ajdj1 any of the following forms3 ,schedule ,a1 ,schedule ,b1 ,schedule ,c1 ,schedule ,c-,,ez1 ,schedule ,d1 ,schedule ,e1 ,schedule ,f1 ,schedule ,h1 ,schedule ,j1 and ,schedule ,,se2 and 7ii7 the sum of the adjusted gross income of the student and spouse 7if appropriate7 is less than or equal to #cd1jjj2 or 7,b7 the student received a benefit at some time during the previous #bd-month period under a means-tested ,federal benefit program2 or 7#c7 the applicant is a pathway one applicant under section #dhc7;a77#ac74 7b7 ,earned income credit ,an individual is not required to qualify or file for the earned income credit in order to be eligible under this section4 7c7 ,adjustments ,the ,secretary shall annually adjust the income level necessary to qualify an applicant for the zero expected family contribution4 ,the income level shall be annually increased by the estimated percentage change in the ,consumer ,price ,index1 as defined in section #dgh7;f71 for the most recent calendar year ending prior to the beginning of an award year1 and rounded up to the nearest #a1jjj4 7d7 ,means-,tested ,federal benefit program defined ,for purposes of this paragraph1 a means-tested ,federal benefit program means a mandatory spending program of the ,federal ,government1 other than a program under this title1 in which eligibility for the program's benefits1 or the amount of such benefits1 are determined on the basis of income or resources of the individual or family seeking the benefit1 and may include such programs as-- 7#a7 the supplemental security income program under title ,,xvi of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acha et seq472 7#b7 the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq471 a nutrition assistance program carried out under section #ai of such ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjbh71 and a supplemental nutrition assistance program carried out under section #ahda7;c7 of title #dh of the ,united ,states ,code2 7#c7 the program of block grants for ,states for temporary assistance for needy families established under part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fja et seq472 7#d7 the special supplemental nutrition program for women1 infants1 and children established by section #ag of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aghf72 7#e7 the ,state ,medicaid program under title ,,xix of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq472 and 7#f7 any other program identified by the ,secretary4 4 #d4 ,,fafsa pathways ,section #dhc7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajij7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#ac7 ,,fafsa pathways 7,a7 ,memorandum of understanding ,not later than the first day of the first award year beginning after the first ,october after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall seek to enter into a ,memorandum of ,understanding with the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 and the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 under which any information exchanged under an income and eligibility verification system established pursuant to section #aacg of the ,social ,security ,act by ,state agencies administering a program listed in paragraph 7#a71 7#d71 or 7#e7 of subsection 7b7 of such section which may be of use in establishing or verifying eligibility or benefit amounts under such program shall be made available to the ,secretary of ,education to assist in determining whether the applicant 7or1 in the case of a dependent applicant1 whether the applicant or the applicant's parents7 received a benefit at some time during the previous #bd-month period under a means-tested ,federal benefit program1 but subject to the requirements of ,federal law4 7,b7 ,requirement for all applicants and the ,secretary ,for any award year for which an applicant applies for financial assistance under this title-- 7i7 the applicant shall provide on the form described in this subsection whether the applicant received 7or1 in the case of a dependent applicant1 whether the applicant or the parents of the applicant received7 a benefit at some time during the previous #bd-month period under a means-tested ,federal benefit program2 and 7ii7 the ,secretary1 to the extent practicable and pursuant to the ,memorandum of ,understanding entered into under subparagraph 7,a71 and without any further action by the applicant1 shall verify the applicant's 7or1 in the case of a dependent applicant1 the applicant's or the applicant's parents7 receipt of such benefit4 7,c7 ,pathway one applicants 7i7 ,in general ,with respect to an applicant who received 7or1 in the case of a dependent applicant1 an applicant who received or whose parents received7 a benefit at some time during the previous #bd-month period under a means-tested ,federal benefit program1 the applicant shall not be required to provide any further income or asset information on the form under this subsection4 7ii7 ,designation ,for purposes of this section and part ,f1 an applicant described in clause 7i7 shall be referred to as a pathway one applicant4 7,d7 ,pathway two applicants 7i7 ,in general ,with respect to an applicant who is not a pathway one applicant and is described in clause 7ii71 the ,secretary1 to the extent practicable1 shall use the data retrieval tool under section #dhd7q7 to obtain any information for the applicant beyond the information described in subparagraph 7,a7 for purposes of the form under this subsection4 7ii7 ,requirements ,an applicant described in this clause is an applicant who certifies that-- 7,i7 the applicant is not required to file or1 in the case of a dependent applicant1 no parent of the applicant is required to file-- 7aa7 a ,federal income tax return2 or 7bb7 with respect to ,internal ,revenue ,service ,form #ajdj1 any of the following forms3 ,schedule ,a1 ,schedule ,b1 ,schedule ,c1 ,schedule ,c-,,ez1 ,schedule ,d1 ,schedule ,e1 ,schedule ,f1 ,schedule ,h1 ,schedule ,j1 and ,schedule ,,se2 and 7,,ii7 the sum of the adjusted gross income of the applicant or1 in the case of a dependent applicant1 the parents of the applicant1 is less than or equal to #fj1jjj4 7iii7 ,designation ,for purposes of this section and part ,f1 an applicant described in clause 7i7 shall be referred to as a pathway two applicant4 7,e7 ,pathway three applicants 7i7 ,in general ,with respect to an applicant who is not a pathway one applicant or a pathway two applicant1 the ,secretary1 to the extent practicable1 shall use the data retrieval tool under section #dhd7q7 to obtain any information for the applicant beyond the information described in subparagraph 7,a7 for purposes of the form under this subsection4 7ii7 ,designation ,for purposes of this section and part ,f1 an applicant described in clause 7i7 shall be referred to as a pathway three applicant4 7,f7 ,means-tested ,federal benefit program defined ,for purposes of this paragraph1 the term means-tested ,federal benefit program has the meaning given the term in section #dgi7;d74 4