Bill streamlines college student aid
WASHINGTON — A bill intended to make it easier for families to apply for college financial aid has been reintroduced in Congress.
Students who wish to enroll in fall classes are encouraged in January to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, a 10-page form with more than a hundred questions about a family's financial health.
But the timing often is a problem as FAFSA requires the most recent family income tax information, which might not be readily available that early in the year, according to student loan advocates.
The bill introduced July 23 by Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., and three other lawmakers would allow students to use family income tax data from two years prior, which could allow them to file applications earlier and give college administrators more time to parcel out financial aid, according to sponsors.
The bill aims to further simplify the process by allowing family wage and tax information stored by the Internal Revenue Service to be electronically transferred onto the online FAFSA application.
The bill was introduced in the last Congress by Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind. Heck, who sits on the House Education and Workforce Committee, took over the bill this year after Bucshon left the panel. Other sponsors are Reps. Jared Polis, D-Col., David Roe, R-Tenn., and Mark Pocan, D-Wis.
Heck spokesman Greg Lemon said the reform also was discussed at a roundtable the lawmaker held in April with state education leaders and Southern Nevada college officials to go over possible amendments as Congress seeks to rewrite the federal Higher Education Act this year.
Contact Review-Journal Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@reviewjournal.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC
