HR 3574 would expand the use of 529 college savings plans to cover transportation and parking costs at eligible colleges and universities. Specifically, it allows families to withdraw funds from these plans to pay for reasonable transportation expenses (including parking) up to the amount the school includes in its official cost of attendance for transportation. This change directly affects students and families using 529 plans who incur these costs while attending participating institutions. The bill amends the tax code to add transportation and parking to the list of eligible expenses, without increasing the maximum amount that can be covered.
HR 7394, the Mental Health Career Promotion Act, creates a federal grant program to help schools and community colleges connect students with mental health careers. It provides $50 million annually (2027-2031) for partnerships between schools, community colleges, and mental health providers to run programs like career presentations, internships, and professional shadowing for students in grades 9-12 or community college. These programs must be culturally appropriate and evaluated using standardized outcomes, with grantees reporting annually on effectiveness. The bill directly affects educational institutions and mental health organizations working to build pipelines for careers like counselors, social workers, and addiction specialists.
The College for All Act of 2025 would eliminate tuition and required fees for eligible students at public community colleges and 4-year institutions through a federal-state partnership. The federal government would cover 100% of costs in the first year (2026-2027), gradually decreasing to 80% by 2030-2031, while states would start with 0% and increase to 20% by 2030-2031. Eligible students would include those with family income below $150,000 for single parents or $300,000 for married parents, regardless of immigration status. The bill also includes requirements to maintain instruction funding, improve transfer pathways between community colleges and 4-year institutions, and provide additional support for students after tuition elimination.
The HBCU Empowerment and Reform Act amends the definition of "historically Black college or university" (HBCU) in the Higher Education Act of 1965 by changing the establishment date cutoff from "prior to 1964" to "prior to November 8, 1965." This adjustment would include institutions founded between January 1, 1964, and November 7, 1965, in the HBCU category for federal programs. It directly affects those institutions' eligibility for HBCU-specific funding, grants, and support under federal law. The bill focuses solely on this technical definition update without additional policy provisions.
HR 2980 establishes a new Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program under the Department of Energy to support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers studying cybersecurity for energy infrastructure. The program provides competitive grants for scholarships, fellowships, and research at colleges and universities, including hands-on training at national labs and utility companies. It specifically aims to increase participation from historically Black colleges, Tribal Colleges, and minority-serving institutions. The bill directly affects advanced students and researchers in cybersecurity and energy fields, focusing on building workforce capacity through education and practical experience.
The American Apprenticeship Act (HR 1783) provides federal grants to states to fund pre-apprenticeship programs that prepare individuals for registered apprenticeships in industries with low apprenticeship participation (less than 10% of available roles). States must apply with detailed plans for partnering with employers, aligning with existing workforce laws, and prioritizing underserved groups like minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities. Grants cover tuition, materials, and related instruction costs for these preparatory programs, with federal funding covering 20-50% of costs, and $15 million authorized annually for 2026-2031. The bill directly affects state workforce agencies, community organizations running pre-apprenticeship programs, and workers entering targeted sectors like healthcare and advanced manufacturing.
HR 4594, the Military Learning for Credit Act of 2025, allows veterans using GI Bill benefits (Chapters 30, 33, 34, or 35) to cover costs for certain exams that grant college credit. It specifically permits using educational assistance for DSST, CLEP, National Career Readiness Certificate exams, and portfolio assessments of military training, with a $500 per exam cap. Veterans’ GI Bill entitlement is charged based on the exam cost relative to their monthly benefit rate, but this does not reduce benefits from the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program. The bill directly affects veterans seeking to convert military experience into college credits through approved programs.
This bill requires the U.S. Department of Education to proactively notify eligible college students about potential access to SNAP (food stamp) benefits. It targets students with a negative or zero student aid index (SAI) who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Department must send annual written and electronic notices explaining SNAP eligibility and providing state contact information for applying. The bill also mandates consultation between the Education and Agriculture Departments to design these notifications. This is a policy change focused on improving access to nutrition assistance for low-income students already enrolled in college.
This bill requires schools receiving federal funding to increase the number of Title IX Coordinators based on student population (one per 75,000 students in grades 7+ and one per 150,000 students in grades 6 and below), ensuring these coordinators have no conflicting responsibilities. It mandates annual anonymous surveys to assess students' and staff's experiences with sex-based harassment, including off-campus and online incidents, and requires trauma-informed prevention education for students and staff. The bill includes $50 million annually for five years to support schools in implementing these requirements, with priority for underserved areas and schools facing financial burdens. Schools must also monitor complaints, identify patterns of discrimination, and provide clear reporting procedures for sex-based harassment incidents. The legislation aims to improve school responses to harassment through standardized reporting, prevention, and support mechanisms.
This bill requires colleges and universities receiving federal funds to prominently display a link to file discrimination complaints (based on race, color, or national origin) on their main website homepage. It mandates annual posting of a public awareness campaign about Title VI rights in high-traffic campus locations and on institutional websites. Schools must also submit annual reports to the Education Department’s Inspector General detailing discrimination complaints received, their analysis, and actions taken. The bill aims to improve student awareness of civil rights protections and increase accountability by tracking complaints, requiring transparency through congressional briefings, and auditing high-complaint institutions.
