Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced
Summary
Would convert the Federal Pell Grant into a mandatory, inflation‑adjusted, expanded program with larger, predictable awards. It would raise maximum Pell awards to $10,000 in award year 2026–27, climb to $14,000 by 2030–31, and set a $15,000 baseline in 2031–32 indexed to the Consumer Price Index. It would also expand eligibility and add program supports for historically underserved students.
Show full summary
- Students and families would get bigger, steadier grants and more time to finish college. Maximum awards would grow toward a $15,000 baseline and total eligibility would be restored to 18 semesters.
- Undocumented "Dreamer" students who meet specified education or service conditions would become eligible, with the Secretary able to waive age limits for hardship.
- Colleges would follow new, standardized satisfactory academic progress rules and programs would reserve 10% of the maximum Pell for Student Support Services and 10% for a Scholarship Component, while funding would move to ongoing mandatory Treasury funding.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Bigger Pell grants and eligibility
This bill would make Pell funding mandatory and raise Pell award sizes. It would set the maximum Pell to $10,000 in 2026–2027 and step up to $14,000 by 2030–2031, then set a $15,000 baseline for 2031–2032 and index thereafter by the CPI (rounded to $50). If your Student Aid Index (SAI) is negative, your Pell award could exceed the maximum by that negative amount, and the bill would treat SAI as -$1,500 for applicants (or spouse/parents) who got a means‑tested federal benefit in the prior two years. The bill would also restore Pell eligibility to 18 semesters, count certain non‑loan periods toward discharge rules, and remove a prior scoring restriction. These changes would take effect July 1, 2026 and apply to award year 2026–2027 and later.
Pell aid for Dreamer students
This bill would let certain noncitizen 'Dreamer' students qualify for Title IV aid, including Pell, if they meet listed education, service, or deferred‑action requirements. Covered paths include graduating high school or being on track, completing two years of postsecondary study, earning a credential, or serving in the uniformed services with honorable discharge, among others. The Education Secretary could waive the age rule for hardship. These changes would take effect July 1, 2026 and apply to award year 2026–2027 and later.
New academic progress rules for Pell
This bill would replace current satisfactory academic progress rules with detailed new ones. Schools would have to use fair, consistent SAP policies, evaluate progress each time, and explain incompletes, withdrawals, repeats, and transfer credits (accepted transfer credits count as both attempted and completed). For programs over two years, students would need at least a C by the end of the second academic year. The rules would add warning, probation, and appeals processes and let some students reset eligibility after two years away. These changes would take effect July 1, 2026 and apply to award year 2026–2027 and later.
Pell support and scholarship shares
This bill would set Student Support Services funding at 10% of the total maximum Pell Grant. It would also specify that the Scholarship Component be less than 10% of the total maximum Pell Grant. The bill would replace a 10% allocation figure in one statutory subsection with 5%, which could reduce some allocation shares depending on how those rules are applied. These rules would take effect July 1, 2026 and apply to award year 2026–2027 and later.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov