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119-hr-1666119th CongressWALLET

Pell Grant Sustainability Act

Sponsored By: Representative Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

Introduced

Summary

Indexing the maximum Federal Pell Grant to inflation to preserve its buying power and help the grant keep pace with rising college costs. The bill sets a $1,060 base for award year 2024–2025 and then increases that base each year by the Consumer Price Index, ties the total maximum award to the amount in the last enacted appropriation for the award year, requires rounding to the nearest $5, and removes the current 2034 sunset so the CPI adjustment continues indefinitely.

Show full summary
  • Students and families: Helps lower-income students afford college by preserving Pell's purchasing power. The base component is $1,060 for 2024–25 and then rises annually with inflation.
  • Colleges and affordability: By indexing awards to inflation the maximum grant is designed to track student costs more closely so grants maintain value over time.
  • Federal program rules and administration: Replaces time-limited language with an ongoing CPI-based adjustment, ties the annual maximum to the most recent enacted appropriation, and keeps the rounding rule at the nearest $5.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Pell Grant max would rise with inflation

If enacted, the maximum Pell Grant would follow a new formula. It would equal the amount set in the latest appropriation plus a base amount. The base is $1,060 in award year 2024–2025 and would grow each year by the change in consumer prices. The total would be rounded to the nearest $5. The bill would also remove a 2034 end date, so these rules would continue after 2034.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

IL • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]

    KY • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]

    ME • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 3/3/2025

  • Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 3/3/2025

  • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 3/21/2025

  • Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 3/25/2025

  • Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/25/2025

  • Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/25/2025

  • Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 3/27/2025

  • Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/8/2025

  • Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 7/15/2025

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 10/17/2025

  • Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 11/10/2025

  • Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 2/10/2026

  • Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/16/2026

  • Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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