S. 250: Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2009

111th Congress · introduced 2009-01-14 · Taxation · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2009-01-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2009

Plain summary

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to replace the hope scholarship and lifetime learning tax credits with a higher education opportunity tax credit. Allows a higher education opportunity tax credit for the lesser of: (1) the sum of 100% of qualified tuition and related expenses (including a certain allowance for books) up to $2,000, 50% for such expenses between $2,000 and $4,000, and 25% of such expenses between $4,000 and $8,000; or (2) the excess (if any) of $16,000 over aggregate credits from prior taxable years. Reduces credit amounts for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross incomes over $70,000 ($140,000 in the case of a joint return). Limits such credit to three eligible students per taxpayer in any taxable year. Denies such tax credit to certain part time students and students convicted of a felony drug offense. Repeals the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2009

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s250.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s250 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111