,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dfhj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #ae1 #bjai,mr4 ,doggett 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,davis of ,california1 ,mrs4 ,beatty1 ,mr4 ,blumenauer1 ,ms4 ,brownley of ,california1 ,mr4 ,crdenas1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 ,ms4 ,judy ,chu of ,california1 ,ms4 ,clarke of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,cohen1 ,ms4 ,dean1 ,ms4 ,de,gette1 ,ms4 ,de,lauro1 ,mr4 ,de,saulnier1 ,mr4 ,engel1 ,mr4 ,espaillat1 ,mr4 ,foster1 ,mr4 ,gallego1 ,mr4 ,garamendi1 ,ms4 ,garcia of ,texas1 ,mr4 ,green of ,texas1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,ms4 ,haaland1 ,mr4 ,hastings1 ,mrs4 ,hayes1 ,mr4 ,higgins of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,himes1 ,ms4 ,jackson ,lee1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,georgia1 ,ms4 ,kaptur1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 ,mr4 ,krishnamoorthi1 ,mr4 ,larson of ,connecticut1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4 ,levin of ,michigan1 ,mr4 ,lewis1 ,mr4 ,sean ,patrick ,maloney of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,meeks1 ,ms4 ,moore1 ,mr4 ,moulton1 ,mr4 ,nadler1 ,mrs4 ,napolitano1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,price of ,north ,carolina1 ,mr4 ,raskin1 ,mr4 ,ruppersberger1 ,mr4 ,ryan1 ,ms4 ,snchez1 ,mr4 ,sarbanes1 ,ms4 ,schakowsky1 ,ms4 ,sewell of ,alabama1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,ms4 ,speier1 ,mr4 ,swalwell of ,california1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,california1 ,ms4 ,titus1 ,mr4 ,tonko1 ,mr4 ,welch1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 ,ms4 ,roybal-,allard1 and ,mr4 ,kennedy7 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 simplify the financial aid application process1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,equitable ,student ,aid ,access ,act4 #b4 ,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 or 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 program4 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 #c4 ,using data from second preceding year ,section #dhj7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgvv7a77#a77;,b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking may in both places it appears and inserting shall2 and 7#b7 by striking sharing of data between and inserting sharing of data1 to the extent such data is available1 between4 #d4 ,financial aid offers ,section #dhe of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajib7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7n7 ,financial aid offers 7#a7 ,requirements for offers 7,a7 ,secretarial requirements ,not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of the ,equitable ,student ,aid ,access ,act1 the ,secretary shall1 based on the consumer testing conducted under subparagraph 7,e71 publish requirements for financial aid offers that shall-- 7i7 include a requirement that financial aid offers shall serve as the primary source for ,federal1 ,state1 and institutional financial aid information provided by an institution of higher education participating in any program under this title to each prospective student accepted for admission and each enrolled student at such institution2 7ii7 include a requirement that such offers include a standardized quick reference box described in subparagraph 7,d72 7iii7 establish standardized terms and definitions1 including for the elements listed in subparagraph 7,c71 that shall be included in each such offer2 7iv7 establish formatting requirements with respect to the organization of the elements listed in subparagraph 7,c71 which shall include a requirement that prohibits such offers from displaying loans in a manner that indicates or implies that such loans reduce the amount owed to the institution or reduce the net price2 and 7v7 specify the simple1 plain-language1 and consumer-friendly information to be included in each such offer with respect to the financial aid being offered to a student1 which shall include-- 7,i7 an explanation of differences among each such type of financial aid1 including clear explanations that-- 7aa7 grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid2 7bb7 loans 7including loans made under part ,d and private education loans 7as defined in section #adj of the ,truth in ,lending ,act77 must be repaid with interest2 and 7cc7 payments under ,federal-work study programs under part ,c are contingent on finding qualified employment and are typically disbursed incrementally in paychecks2 7,,ii7 information encouraging students to consider loans made under part ,d before such private education loans2 7,,iii7 information clarifying that students may-- 7aa7 decline to accept a loan made under part ,d2 or 7bb7 accept an amount of such loan that is less than the amount of such loan included in the financial aid offer2 and 7,,iv7 in a case in which the institution offers a student such a loan in an amount that is less than the maximum amount for which the student is eligible1 an explanation that the student is eligible for additional loans under part ,d4 7,b7 ,institutional requirements ,beginning with the award year that begins not less than #a year after the ,secretary publishes requirements under subparagraph 7,a71 each institution of higher education described in subparagraph 7,a77i7 shall provide a financial aid offer to each student described in such subparagraph prior to each academic year that-- 7i7 shall comply with the requirements published by the ,secretary under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 may be supplemented by the institution with additional1 non-contradictory information related to financial aid as long as such supplementary information uses the standardized terms and definitions described in subparagraph 7,a77iii74 7,c7 ,elements ,a financial aid offer provided by an institution of higher education shall include the following elements with respect to the academic year for which the offer is being provided3 7i7 ,the cost of attendance1 which shall include separately calculated subtotals of-- 7,i7 an itemized list of estimated direct costs owed to the institution2 and 7,,ii7 an itemized list of anticipated student expenses not covered under subclause 7,i74 7ii7 ,federal1 ,state1 and institutional financial aid available to the student1 which shall include separately calculated subtotals of-- 7,i7 grants and scholarships2 7,,ii7 loans made under part ,d 7excluding ,federal ,direct ,parent ,,plus ,loans72 and 7,,iii7 ,federal-work study programs under part ,c and other on-campus employment4 7iii7 ,other options that may be available to students to cover the cost of attendance 7including ,federal ,direct ,parent ,,plus ,loans1 tuition payment plans1 savings1 and earnings from other employment74 7iv7 ,the net price1 which shall be determined by calculating the difference between-- 7,i7 the cost of attendance described in clause 7i72 and 7,,ii7 the grants and scholarships described in clause 7ii77,i74 7v7 ,next step instructions1 including-- 7,i7 the process and deadlines for accepting the financial aid2 and 7,,ii7 information about where to find additional information on the financial aid offered4 7vi7 ,any other information determined necessary by the ,secretary based on the consumer testing conducted under subparagraph 7,e71 which may include the following3 7,i7 ,an estimate of the net direct cost1 which shall be determined by calculating the difference between-- 7aa7 the direct costs owed to the institution described in clause 7i77,i72 and 7bb7 the grants and scholarships described in clause 7ii77,i74 7,,ii7 ,information on average student debt1 loan repayment and default rates1 loan repayment options1 and graduation rates4 7,,iii7 ,in the case of a prospective student1 the process and deadlines for enrolling at the institution4 7,,iv7 ,information regarding the enrollment period covered by the aid offer1 and whether the cost and aid estimates are based on full-time or part-time enrollment4 7,v7 ,information developed in consultation with the ,internal ,revenue ,service regarding any education-related tax benefits for which a student may qualify1 including ,american ,opportunity and ,lifetime ,learning tax credits1 deductions1 exclusions1 and any other such benefits4 7,d7 ,standardized quick reference box ,a financial aid offer provided by an institution of higher education shall include a standardized quick reference box to enable students to quickly and easily compare key information on college costs and financial aid-- 7i7 that shall be included in an identical fashion for each student receiving a financial aid offer from the institution on the first page of such offer2 7ii7 the contents and structure of which shall be developed through consumer testing conducted under paragraph 7,e72 and 7iii7 that shall include not more than #h elements1 which1 at a minimum1 shall include-- 7,i7 the cost of attendance2 7,,ii7 grants and scholarships2 and 7,,iii7 net price 7as calculated under subparagraph 7,c77iv774 7,e7 ,consumer testing ,the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 conduct consumer testing that shall serve as the basis in determining the requirements for financial aid offers published under subparagraph 7,a71 which shall include students 7including low-income students1 ,english learners1 first generation college students1 veteran students1 graduate students1 and undergraduate students 7including prospective students and returning students771 students' families 7including low-income families1 families of ,english learners1 and families with first generation college students71 institutions of higher education 7including representatives from two- and four-year institutions1 public and private institutions1 and minority-serving institutions71 secondary school and postsecondary counselors1 financial aid administrators1 nonprofit college access organizations1 and nonprofit consumer groups2 and 7ii7 not later than #fj days after the publication of the requirements under subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 issue a report on the findings of the consumer testing under this subparagraph2 and 7,,ii7 specify ways in which the findings are reflected in such requirements4 7#b7 ,definitions ,in this subsection-- 7,a7 the term cost of attendance has the meaning given the term in section #dgb2 7,b7 the term ,english learner has the meaning given the term in section #haja7bj7 of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja7bj771 except that such term does not include individuals described in subparagraph 7,b7 of such section2 7,c7 the term first generation college student has the meaning given the term in section #djb;,a7h72 7,d7 the term low-income student has the meaning given the term in section #dai,n7b77#g72 and 7,e7 the term minority-serving institution means an institution of higher education described in section #cga7;a74 4 #e4 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this ,act shall apply with respect to award years 7as that term is defined in section #dha7;a77#a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhh7;a77#a777 beginning after the date of the enactment of this ,act4