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119-s-5411119th CongressWALLET

Emergency Grant Aid for College Students Act

Sponsored By: Senator Smith, Tina [D-MN]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create an Emergency Financial Aid Grant Program to fund colleges so they can give quick grants to enrolled students facing financial crises. It also bars the Department of Education from using other federal agencies to run or support the program.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Emergency cash grants for students

If enacted, the Education Department would fund colleges so they can give emergency cash grants to enrolled students. Each student could receive up to the maximum Federal Pell Grant for that academic year, and no award could push total aid above the school's cost of attendance. These grants would not count as income or assets for federal student aid or other public benefits and would be excluded from federal taxable income. The program would be authorized "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

College application and reporting rules

If enacted, colleges would apply each year to get program funds and must describe how they will run emergency grants. The Education Department would do outreach at least 60 days before application deadlines. Schools would have to acknowledge and fund approved awards no later than 10 business days after approval and offer at least one appeal opportunity. Grantee colleges would submit annual reports with grant amounts, counts by subgroup, denial and appeal data, processing times, types of emergencies, and student outcomes.

Priority for community and rural colleges

If enacted, the Education Secretary could give funding priority to certain colleges. Priority could go to community colleges (including 2-year Tribal colleges and qualifying branch campuses), institutions described in HEA section 371(a), rural campuses, schools where at least 33 percent of students are Pell-eligible, and under‑resourced open‑admissions schools. The bill would define "eligible entity" and "eligible student" so any enrolled student at those schools could receive grants under the program.

Ban on interagency help and non‑discrimination

If enacted, the Education Department would be barred from using other federal agencies' services, data, or agreements to run this program. The prohibition would cover existing and new arrangements for administration, data sharing, oversight, and technical assistance. The bill would also state that no one may be denied emergency grants based on citizenship, alienage, or immigration status.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Smith, Tina [D-MN]

MN • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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