S. 1136: Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-05-16 · Education · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-05-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · 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 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 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

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 Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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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.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act

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. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · 11 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] reported raising $616,935 (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.

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

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s1136.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s1136 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115