Higher Education Aid. H.R. 4137 would reauthorize the Higher Education Act through fiscal 2012. It would increase the maximum authorized level of Pell Grants for low-income students from $5,800 per year to $6,000 for the 2009-10 academic year, and to $8,000 for the 2014-15 academic year. It would also create a $10,000 student-aid forgiveness program ($2,000 per year for five years) for graduates who work in high-need fields such as nursing and early childhood education.
The Senate passed the final version of this legislation (known as the conference report) on July 31, 2008 by a vote of 83-8 (Roll Call 194). We have assigned pluses to the nays because education aid is not authorized by the Constitution.
