Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act

EDU S.740 - Affordable College Textbook Act - A bill to expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students and improve textbook price information. S.383 - JOBS Act of 2025 - A bill to extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain short-term programs. H.R.1132 - TRAIN Act - To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to award grants to community colleges for high-quality workforce development programs. H.R. 1 - An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14 - The bills Title VIII covered several higher education provisions; ACCT worked with lawmakers to reject several which would have negatively impacted community colleges and their students. The bill also authorized Workforce Pell - a top priority for ACCT. S. 2862 - Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act - A bill to amend the Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program under the Higher Education Act of 1965. This proposal would authorize the program for the next five years, increasing authorized funding to $500 million per year. H.R.5458 - Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act - A bill to amend the Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program under the Higher Education Act of 1965. This proposal would authorize the program for the next five years, increasing authorized funding to $500 million per year. S.2855 - Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act - A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a competitive grant program to support community colleges and area career and technical education centers in developing immersive technology education and training services programs for workforce development, and for other purposes. S.2511 - College Transparency Act - A bill to establish a postsecondary student data system. The proposal would allow for more data-informed decisions by students, prospective students and families, and institutions. H.R.4806 - College Transparency Act - To establish a postsecondary student data system. This bill aims to establish a secure and privacy-protected postsecondary student-level data system which would allow the accurate evaluation of student enrollment patterns, progression, completion, and post completion outcomes; assist with transparency, institutional improvement, and analysis of Federal aid programs; provide accurate, complete, and customizable information for students and families; and reduce reporting burdens on postsecondary institutions. H.R. 3985 - Helping Student Parents Succeed Act - A bill directing institutions of higher education to develop policies around and communicate on (including the institution's website) for expectant and parenting students that specifically include: leave of absence and making up missed work related to pregnancy, birth, or adoption; and available resources for expectant and parenting students. H.R. 3994 - Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act - A bill that requires colleges and universities to collect and report comprehensive data on parenting students, including their enrollment, retention, and completion rates. This bill includes a provision in which the Department of Education's Commissioner of Education Statistics, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, is to establish a standardized definition of "parenting student." In addition, the Department of Education is to provide technical assistance to both states and institutions. H.R. 6968 - Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act - A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a competitive grant program to support community colleges and area career and technical education centers in developing immersive technology education and training services programs for workforce development, and for other purposes. S. 1558 - Understanding the True Cost of College Act - A bill to create a universal financial aid offer form and standardize terms used to describe financial aid to allow students to more easily compare financial aid packages between schools. This move aims to prevent troubling findings by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that over 90% of college financial aid offer letters currently understate the price students would pay. H.Res.1209/S.Res.686 "Recognizing the significance of Community College Month in April as a celebration of more than 1,000 institutions throughout the United States supporting access to higher education, workforce training, and more, broadly sustaining and advancing the Nations economic prosperity." H.R. 7158/S. ____ Expanding AI Voices Act - A bill that would create a competitive grant run out of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop or expand research programs in AI and related fields; recruit faculty and have professional development on AI; build education pathways and workforce development pathways in AI; among other purposes. In considering awardees, NSF would consider applicants resource constraints, geographic diversity of the institutions, and the institutions ability to expand AI research, education, and workforce development opportunities for students. H.R. 9300/S.4778 Postsecondary Student Success Act - This bill would provide long-term authorization for the Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) program to dedicate "federal funding for evidence-based programs that help students stay enrolled in college, complete their degrees, and prepare for successful careers." H.R. 9414/S.4859 Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act - This bill would double the maximum Pell grant amount from $7,395 to $15,000 to restore the purchasing power of the program and then index the award for inflation to maintain the purchasing power of Pell; shift the Pell program from annual discretionary funding to guaranteed mandatory funding; extend the Pell Grant lifetime eligibility from 12 to 18 semesters; among other provisions. S. 4435 Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act - The goal of this bill is to equip students and families with transparent information on the cost of higher education opportunities they are considering before accepting an offer. A provision in this bill requires colleges and universities to submit to the Department of Education either the model template developed by the Department for presenting their financial aid offers or to develop their own, with the components and standardized language as would be required by this bill. S. 4578 Gateway to Careers Act- A bill that aims to provide grants for partnerships between technical and community colleges and state workforce development boards, industry associations, and community-based organizations. The goal of these partnerships is to connect employers to employees who would have access to robust workforce preparation programming supported by this bill.

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Legislative Lobbying Report April 1 - June 30, 2026 Senate S. 9 by Tuberville (R-AL) Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 S.163 by Cassidy (R-LA) Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025 S. 317 by Lankford (R-OK) Charitable Act S. 936 by Cotton (R-AR) WEST Act of 2025 S. 994 by Durbin (D-IL) Preventing Risky Operations from Threatening the Education and Career Trajectories of (PROTECT) Students Act S. 3589 by Banks (R-IN) RISE Act S. 1296 by Tillis (R-NC) DETERRENT Act S.3627 by Moody (R-FL) Pregnant Students Rights Act S. 4668 by Cruz (R-TX) Protect College Sports Act of 2026 S. 4784 by Wicker (R-MS) National Defense Authorization Act of 2027 S. 4435 by Cassidy (R-LA) Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act House H.R. 28 by Steube (R-FL) Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 H.R. 801 by Moore (R-UT) Charitable Act H. R. 1048 by Baumgartner (R-WA) DETERRENT Act of 2025 H.R. 1905 by Buchanan (R-FL) Protecting American Students Act H.R. 2516 by Owens (R-UT) Accreditation for College Excellence (ACE) Act of 2025 H.R.3939 by Bonamici (D-OR) RISE Act H.R. 4054 by Fine (R-FL) Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act H.R.4312 by Bilirakis (R-FL) SCORE Act H.R. 6358 by Frankel (D-FL) - Veteran Education Empowerment Act H.R.6359 by Hinson (R-IA) Pregnant Students Rights Act H.R.6498 by Guthrie (R-KY) Student Financial Clarity Act of 2025 H.R.6502 by McClain (R-MI) College Financial Aid Clarity Act of 2025 H.R. 6574 by Kennedy (D-NY) - Loan Equity for Advanced Professionals Act H.R. 6718 by Lawler (R-NY) - To amend the definition of professional degree in the Higher Education Act of 1965. H.R.7567 by Thompson (R-PA) Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 H. R. 8800 by Rogers (R-AL) National Defense Authorization Act of 2027 H.R. 9137 by Baumgartner (R-WA) Protect College Sports Act of 2026 H. R. 9260 by Aderholt (R-AL) Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2027

H.R.1048/ S.1296 Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act H.R. 6498 Student Financial Clarity Act H.R. 6502 College Financial Aid Clarity Act H.R. 6686 No Cost Educational Resources Act H.R. 6574 Loan Equity for Advanced Professionals Act H.R.6862 Protecting Health Care Workforce Pipelines Act H.R. 7891 Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026 H.R. 7892 No Aid for Ghost Students Act of 2026 H.R. 7893 FAFSA Verification Efficiency Act S. 1558 Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2025 S. 3589 Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act of 2025 S. 880 Fair College Admissions for Students Act S. 2859 Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 S. 4097 State-Based Education Loan Awareness Act H.R. 7810 Lowering Student Loans Act of 2025 S. 4415 TEACH Improvement Act of 2026 Informed Student Borrowers Act of 2026 H.R. 6739 Clarity in Professional Degree Act H.R. 6718 Professional Student Degree Act S. 4915 AI Labeling Act of 2026 H.R. 9414 Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act H.R. 2003 Affordable Loans for Students Act S. 4435 Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act

Client expense: $37,531 · Firm income: Not reported

H.R. 4806, S. 2511, College Transparency Act, all titles; Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act generally; H.R. 7891, S. 5431, Student Aid Fraud and Oversight and Accountability Act, all titles; H.R. 7892, S. 4428, No Aid for Ghost Student Act, all titles; H.R. 7893, H.R. FAFSA Verification Efficiency Act, all titles; H.R. 6498, Student Financial Clarity Act, all titles; H.R. 6502, College Financial Clarity Act, all titles; H.R. 3153, s. 1558, Understanding the True Cost of College Act, all titles; S. 4435, Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act, all titles. Senate; H.R. 9414, S. 4859, "Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act."

Client expense: $40,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Section 117 Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures: Support for transparency and research security. Support for ED to provide clearer guidance, engage more directly with institutions, and reconsider plans to expand public disclosure through its new foreign funding reporting portal. Oppose several proposed reporting requirements that exceed statutory authority and create significant compliance burdens. Opposed S. 4114, which would have higher education institutions responsible for a portion of student borrowers' unpaid federal student loans. Discussed issues around various bills focusing on financial aid offers to students. Expressed support for the flexibility provided under S. 4435/S. 1558 compared to the more prescriptive versions in the House (H.Rs. 3153, 6502, 6498)

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE