H.R. 4594: Making College Affordable and Accessible Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-02-23 · Education · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-02-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. 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

Making College Affordable and Accessible Act of 2016

Plain summary

Making College Affordable and Accessible Act of 2016 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to: (1) extend the authorization of appropriations for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education through FY2022, and (2) authorize the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to institutions of higher education to carry out credit-based academic transition programs established through partnerships between high schools and such institutions that utilize dual or concurrent enrollment programs or early college high school programs that enable students to earn college credits while in high school. ED shall give priority in awarding grants to institutions that serve students from low-income families, students from rural communities, or students who are the first in their family to receive postsecondary education. Institutions shall use grant funds to: provide teachers, principals, and other school leaders with professional development activities that enhance or enable the provision of the appropriate coursework through such programs; and support activities including curriculum design, establishment of a course articulation process, outreach programs to provide elementary school and secondary school students information about and academic preparation for the transition programs, helping students meet eligibility criteria for the postsecondary courses, and coordinating secondary and postsecondary support services and academic calendars. Institutions may use grant funds for costs associated with carrying out such transition programs, including the costs of: (1) tuition and fees, books, and required instructional materials; and (2) transportation to and from such programs.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Making College Affordable and Accessible Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mark Pocan (D-WI), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI)

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.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr4594.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr4594 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114