PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 2451: Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 2451: Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-05-16 · Education · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-05-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

Plain summary

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act This bill amends the title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the Federal Pell Grant Program. Specifically, it: converts the Pell Grant program into a mandatory spending program; increases the maximum Pell Grant award for academic year 2019-2020 and adjusts it in subsequent award years to account for inflation; allows federal financial aid for higher education to be given to dreamer students (students who entered the country when they were under the age of 16 and who meet certain educational criteria) and students convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drug; requires the Department of Education (ED) to carry out a program that awards Federal Pell Grants to students in job training programs; requires ED to award Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants under the Pell Grant program to assist veterans' dependents with the costs of attending institutions of higher education; increases, in academic year 2018-2019, the income protection allowance levels for students who are dependent, independent without non-spouse dependents (e.g., children), and independent with non-spouse dependents to reduce such students' income available (and increase need for financial assistance) to cover postsecondary educational expenses; increases the income threshold for an automatic zero expected family contribution from $23,000 to $34,000; and increases from 12 to 15 the total number of semesters a student may receive a Federal Pell Grant.

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

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53] · 81 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Adam Smith (D-WA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Al Green (D-TX), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Mark Takano (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Mark Pocan (D-WI), John Garamendi (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and 21 more.

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 (1)
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

Record fed-us-cong115-hr2451 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115