A Democratic bill with 29 Democratic cosponsors · See all 30 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026. It aims to improve and fully fund the Federal Pell Grant program for college students. The bill gradually increases the maximum Pell Grant award amount each year until it reaches $15,000, and adjusts it for inflation after that. It also expands who can get these grants, including certain non-citizen students and people who receive means-tested benefits. Additionally, the legislation extends the total number of semesters a student can receive a Pell Grant and changes rules around academic progress.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +10
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill increases maximum grant amounts and provides special aid index rules for recipients of means-tested benefits.
- Scored +10
Would students be better off under this?
The bill increases grant amounts, extends eligibility duration, and reduces academic progress penalties.
- Scored +10
Does this make college cost less?
The bill significantly increases the maximum Pell Grant amount, protects it against inflation, and expands eligibility to Dreamer students.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill transitions Pell Grants to a mandatory funding model, which creates a permanent and growing federal spending obligation.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Higher maximum grant amounts: Section 4 increases the maximum Pell Grant award amount year by year, starting at $10,000 for the 2026-2027 award year and reaching $15,000 for the 2031-2032 award year, with yearly inflation adjustments following that. This gives students significantly more money to help pay for college.
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Extra help for benefit recipients: Section 5 sets the student aid index to -$1,500 for applicants who have received benefits from a means-tested Federal benefit program within the previous two years. This allows these individuals to qualify for increased Pell Grant awards that exceed the standard maximum amount.
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Inclusion of Dreamer students: Section 6 allows Dreamer students who meet specific education, military service, or deferred action criteria to be eligible for federal student financial aid. This opens up financial support for individuals who were previously excluded due to citizenship status.
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More semesters of eligibility: Section 7 increases the total number of semesters a student can receive a Federal Pell Grant from 12 semesters to 18 semesters. This gives students more time to finish their education while still receiving financial help.
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Fairer academic progress rules: Section 8 updates satisfactory academic progress policies and allows students who have been out of school for two years to reset their financial aid eligibility up to two times. This prevents past academic struggles from permanently blocking students from getting financial aid when they try to return to school.
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Restoring grants for scholarship recipients: Section 9 removes a restriction that previously made students whose non-federal grants and scholarships equaled or exceeded their cost of attendance ineligible for a Federal Pell Grant. This ensures students can keep both their scholarships and their Pell Grants.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
Based on the text provided, there are no specific sections or provisions identified that would cause negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
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 households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill increases maximum grant amounts and provides special aid index rules for recipients of means-tested benefits. Would students be better off under this? — The bill increases grant amounts, extends eligibility duration, and reduces academic progress penalties. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The expansion of eligibility to Dreamer students provides direct benefits to the Hispanic community. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The increase in grant amounts and duration provides greater financial stability for college-aged students. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill expands support for a demographic that relies heavily on the Pell Grant program. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill expands federal aid eligibility to include Dreamer students.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill significantly increases the maximum Pell Grant amount, protects it against inflation, and expands eligibility to Dreamer students.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill provides financial aid eligibility for Dreamer students, supporting their integration into higher education.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill transitions Pell Grants to a mandatory funding model, which creates a permanent and growing federal spending obligation.
- 9/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 6/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 25 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Andy KimDemocrat · New Jersey
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Patty MurrayDemocrat · Washington
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Jon OssoffDemocrat · Georgia
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Jeanne ShaheenDemocrat · New Hampshire
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Raphael WarnockDemocrat · Georgia
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts