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HR 6239 114th Congress House

HIGHER ED Act

Official title: To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve Federal Pell Grants and loans, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 28, 2016 See on congress.gov
Education
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 18, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
Sep 28, 2016
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sep 28, 2016
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 18, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Helping Improve Grants for Higher Education & Repayment of Expensive Debt Act or the HIGHER ED Act

This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to:

  • modify the Federal Pell Grant program to increase the maximum award and restore year-round grants,
  • make graduate and professional students eligible to receive subsidized Stafford Loans under the Federal Direct Loan program,
  • direct the Department of Education to refinance outstanding federal student loans for Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan program borrowers,
  • include a part-time job as a faculty member within the definition of "public service job" for purposes of the public service loan forgiveness program, and
  • establish additional terms and conditions applicable to the income-based and income-contingent repayment plans.

Additionally, the bill amends the federal bankruptcy code to permit a borrower to discharge in bankruptcy a nonprofit, government, or private student loan, or an obligation to repay an educational benefit, scholarship, or stipend.

 Related & companion bills 4
  • HR 3451 Related bill Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2015
  • HR 4223 Related bill POST GRAD Act
  • HR 5310 Related bill Middle Class CHANCE Act
  • S 1556 Related bill Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2015
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 6239: HIGHER ED Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-6239/
MLA
"H.R. 6239: HIGHER ED Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-6239/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 6239, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-6239/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 6239: HIGHER ED Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-6239/)
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