Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 5 Democratic cosponsors · See all 6 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 known as the Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act of 2026. It changes grant requirements in the Higher Education Act of 1965 for certain students with disabilities. Specifically, it allows students with disabilities who take an approved reduced course load to be treated as full-time students. This applies when calculating costs for Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and TEACH Grants. The bill ensures that these students are not unfairly penalized in their grant calculations for taking fewer classes. It also states the specific effective date for these changes to take place.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +9
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The legislation directly prevents students with disabilities from being financially penalized for accommodation-based reduced course loads.
- Scored +8
Would students be better off under this?
Students with disabilities carrying reduced course loads are guaranteed full-time status treatment for major federal grant programs.
- Scored +8
Does this make college cost less?
The bill protects students with disabilities from having their federal grants reduced due to taking a reduced course load.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2 (Federal Pell Grants): This section helps students with disabilities who have an approved reduced course load by treating them as full-time students. This is positive because it ensures their cost of attendance and grant amounts are calculated fairly without being reduced just because they are taking fewer credits.
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Section 3 (Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants): This provision applies the same full-time status protection to supplemental grants for students with disabilities with approved reduced course loads. It is a positive step because it prevents these students from losing out on supplemental financial help due to a disability accommodation.
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Section 4 (TEACH Grants): This part protects teacher candidates with disabilities who require a reduced course load. It ensures their grant amounts are determined by treating their reduced course load as full-time enrollment, which supports future educators with disabilities so they can finish their training without financial penalty.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any specific sections or provisions that outline 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 people with disabilities be better off under this? — The legislation directly prevents students with disabilities from being financially penalized for accommodation-based reduced course loads. Would students be better off under this? — Students with disabilities carrying reduced course loads are guaranteed full-time status treatment for major federal grant programs. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income students with disabilities receive full consideration for Pell and supplemental grants despite carrying fewer credits. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — College-aged young adults with disabilities benefit from fair calculation of federal grants under reduced course loads.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill protects students with disabilities from having their federal grants reduced due to taking a reduced course load.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill ensures students with disabilities taking approved reduced course loads are treated as full-time for federal grant calculations.
- 9/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 6 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.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont