A Democratic bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5004)
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
The S. 5559 bill, known as the Basic Assistance for Students In College Act of 2026 or the BASIC Act of 2026, aims to provide for the basic needs of students at institutions of higher education. It directs the Secretary of Education to award planning and implementation grants to eligible institutions to support student food, housing, and other fundamental necessities. The legislation also establishes data-sharing agreements between federal and state agencies to help identify and connect students with federally funded benefit programs. Additionally, the bill requires regular national reports on student basic needs insecurity to track progress and evaluate outcomes.
Yes· 3 of 23
- Scored +6
Would students be better off under this?
The entire Act is specifically designed to provide grants, resources, and benefit enrollment assistance to college students facing basic needs insecurity.
- Scored +5
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
College-aged young adults benefit directly from campus basic needs grants, food security initiatives, and streamlined benefit enrollment.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income students and Pell Grant recipients are primary beneficiaries of the basic needs grants and targeted benefit connections.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes $1,000,000,000 annually in appropriations for grants to support student basic needs.
- Scored -1
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
Mandated data-sharing agreements between the Department of Education and federal or state benefit agencies raise potential student privacy considerations, though use is restricted.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Grants for Student Basic Needs: Under Section 2, the bill provides planning and implementation grants to eligible institutions of higher education to help reduce student food and housing insecurity, and to meet other basic needs such as healthcare, childcare, and transportation. This is positive because it directly helps colleges build support systems for students struggling to afford everyday necessities.
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Data Sharing for Benefit Programs: Under Section 3, the legislation requires the Secretary of Education to enter into data-sharing agreements with agencies that handle federally funded benefit programs. This provision is positive because it actively notifies students who may be eligible for programs like SNAP, Medicaid, or housing assistance so they can easily enroll or renew their benefits.
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National Reporting and Transparency: Under Section 4, the Secretary of Education is required to produce public reports with nationally representative statistics on student basic needs insecurity, disaggregated by demographics such as race, income, and disability status. This ensures accountability and helps the public and lawmakers see where students need the most help.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Ongoing Funding Requirement Burden: Under Section 2, specifically subsection (c)(1)(B), an eligible institution must identify an ongoing non-Federal funding mechanism to support grant activities after the federal grant period expires in order to receive an implementation grant. This could negatively impact under-resourced community colleges or minority-serving institutions that struggle to secure non-federal matching funds.
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? — The entire Act is specifically designed to provide grants, resources, and benefit enrollment assistance to college students facing basic needs insecurity. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income students and Pell Grant recipients are primary beneficiaries of the basic needs grants and targeted benefit connections. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — College-aged young adults benefit directly from campus basic needs grants, food security initiatives, and streamlined benefit enrollment. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The legislation provides targeted prioritization and grant reservations for historically Black colleges and universities. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Support is directed toward minority-serving institutions, which disproportionately serve Hispanic and other minority students. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill explicitly includes Tribal Colleges and Universities in grant reservations and funding priorities. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill mandates tracking and addressing disability status in institutional research and basic needs strategies. Would women be better off under this? — Student parents, who are disproportionately women, benefit from provisions supporting affordable childcare and basic necessities. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-income families with students facing unexpected basic needs insecurity may also benefit from institutional support programs. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — National reporting specifically disaggregates data by military and veteran benefit status to help address their basic needs.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make child care cost less? — Grant funds can be used by higher education institutions to provide affordable childcare and priority access to campus childcare programs. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Connecting low-income college students to vital safety net programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance helps lift them out of poverty. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Grants prioritize minority-serving institutions and require disaggregated data reporting to address racial disparities in basic needs insecurity. Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill includes provisions for students with disabilities in research and institutional basic needs strategies. Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — Support for student parents and childcare needs helps narrow equity gaps for women in higher education.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — By helping students cover food, housing, and other basic needs, the legislation reduces the overall financial burden of attending college. Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill authorizes substantial federal grant funding for public institutions of higher education and community colleges to support student basic needs. Does this get reliable internet to more people? — Affordable technology and internet access are explicitly included as part of the basic needs supported by institutional grants. Does this give people more control over their personal data? — Mandated data-sharing agreements between the Department of Education and federal or state benefit agencies raise potential student privacy considerations, though use is restricted.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates regular public reports and evaluations with nationally representative statistics on student basic needs insecurity. Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation expands federal mandates and data-sharing requirements between the Department of Education and state benefit agencies.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The legislation supports student access to healthcare and mental well-being services through institutional grants and benefit program enrollment. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — Data-sharing agreements and outreach connect eligible college students with Medicaid and other health programs.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Investing in the basic needs and retention of college students can improve long-term educational attainment and workforce productivity. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes $1,000,000,000 annually in appropriations for grants to support student basic needs.
- 9/30/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/29/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5004)
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts