H.R. 8618

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8618 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8618

To increase the total maximum Federal Pell Grant and extend flexibility 
for eligibility.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 30, 2026

Mr. Menefee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To increase the total maximum Federal Pell Grant and extend flexibility 
for eligibility.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``College Affordability and 
Accessibility Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF A FEDERAL PELL GRANT.

(a) Award Year 2026-2027 and Subsequent Award Years.--
(1) Amendment to award amount.--Section 401(b)(5)(A) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(b)(5)(A)), is 
amended to read as follows:
``(A)(i) Award years 2026-2027 and 2027- 2028.--For 
award years 2026-2027 and 2027- 2028, the total maximum 
Federal Pell Grant award per student shall be equal to 
$14,800, reduced by the amount specified as the maximum 
Federal Pell Grant in the last enacted appropriation 
Act applicable to that award year.
``(ii) Subsequent award years.--For award 
year 2028-2029, and each subsequent award year, 
the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award per 
student shall be equal to the amount that is 
equal to $14,800, increased by a percentage 
equal to the annual adjustment percentage for 
the award year for which the amount under this 
subparagraph is being determined, then reduced 
by the amount specified as the maximum Federal 
Pell Grant in the last enacted appropriation 
Act applicable to that award year.''.
(2) Definition.--Section 401(a)(2) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(a)(2)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' after 
the semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period and 
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) the term `annual adjustment percentage' as 
applied to an award year, is equal to the estimated 
percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (as 
determined by the Secretary, using the definition in 
section 478(f)), for the most recent calendar year 
ending prior to the beginning of that award year.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on July 1, 2026, and shall apply with respect to each award 
year (as defined in section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1088)) beginning on or after such date.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION IN THE PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS.

Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) 
is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(8)(A), by inserting ``or as a 
postbaccalaureate student in accordance with sub-section 
(d)(1),'' after ``as an undergraduate,'';
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) The period during which a student may receive Federal 
Pell Grants shall be the period required for the completion of 
the first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study being 
pursued by that student at the institution at which the student 
is in attendance except that--
``(A) any period during which the student is 
enrolled in a noncredit or remedial course of study, as 
described in paragraph (2), shall not be counted for 
the purpose of this paragraph; and
``(B) the period during which a student may receive 
Federal Pell Grants shall also include the period 
required for the completion of the first 
postbaccalaureate course of study at an eligible 
institution that is an institution of higher education 
as defined in section 101, in a case in which--
``(i) the student received a Federal Pell 
Grant during the period required for the 
completion of the student's first undergraduate 
baccalaureate course of study for at least 1 
but fewer than 16 semesters, or the equivalent 
of at least 1 but fewer than 16 semesters, as 
determined under paragraph (5);
``(ii) the student would otherwise be 
eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, but for the 
completion of such baccalaureate course of 
study; and
``(iii) the period during which the student 
receives Federal Pell Grants does not exceed 
the student's duration limits under paragraph 
(5);''; and
(B) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ``12'' each 
place it appears and inserting ``16''.
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