James Moylan (R-GU)
Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act
A Republican bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 351–72
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965. It requires public institutions of higher education that receive assistance under the Act to charge certain residents of U.S. territories the same tuition and fees as residents of the state where the institution is located. This applies to residents of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands who are nationals of the United States.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +9
Would students be better off under this?
Directly benefits students from Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, and USVI by lowering tuition.
- Scored +8
Does this make college cost less?
Mandates in-state tuition rates for residents of specific U.S. territories at public institutions.
- Scored +7
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Significantly reduces the cost of higher education for eligible young adults from U.S. territories.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
Limits the ability of state public institutions to set their own out-of-state tuition rates for territorial residents.
What Congress actually voted on
One recorded vote has been taken on this bill.
- The House: a fast-track vote, needing two-thirds to pass The House sets aside its normal procedure to move quickly: no amendments, little debate, and a two-thirds bar instead of a simple majority. It is used for measures expected to be uncontroversial, so a bill that fails here failed despite broad expectations that it would not. Passed 351 yes · 72 no
03/04/2026 · Roll call 82 · recorded as “On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Lower Tuition Costs: Residents of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands who are U.S. nationals can pay in-state tuition rates at participating public institutions. This is found in Section 2(a), which adds Section 135A(a) and (b).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — Directly benefits students from Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, and USVI by lowering tuition. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Significantly reduces the cost of higher education for eligible young adults from U.S. territories. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Lower tuition costs make higher education more accessible for low-income students from territories. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Reduces the financial burden of college for middle-class families in the specified territories. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Provides cost savings on tuition regardless of income for eligible residents.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — Mandates in-state tuition rates for residents of specific U.S. territories at public institutions.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Increases federal oversight by requiring public institutions to adjust tuition policies to receive federal assistance. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Limits the ability of state public institutions to set their own out-of-state tuition rates for territorial residents.
- 3/9/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 3/4/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 351 - 72 (Roll no. 82).
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 351 - 72 (Roll no. 82).
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2390-2391)
- 3/3/2026
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6472.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2366-2367; text: CR H2366)
- Mr. Walberg moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2/11/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-495.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 421.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/11/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 32 - 1.
- 12/4/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Salud CarbajalDemocrat · California
Pablo HernándezDemocrat · Puerto Rico
Kimberlyn King-HindsRepublican · Northern Mariana Islands
Stacey PlaskettDemocrat · Virgin Islands
Aumua Amata RadewagenRepublican · American Samoa