Bill Details

HR.777 - 119th Congress

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This bill would help some college students learn about food assistance when they fill out the federal student aid form. Each year, students who have a zero or negative student aid index would receive information from the Department of Education about whether they may qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, and how to apply. The information would be sent in both paper and electronic form and would include the contact information for the SNAP office in the student’s state. The goal is to make it easier for students who may be struggling to get access to food help.

  • The bill applies to students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and have a zero or negative student aid index.
  • These students would get clear information about possible SNAP eligibility and the application process.
  • The Department of Education would have to work with the Department of Agriculture and other needed state or federal agencies when creating the notices.
  • The new rule would begin 120 days after the bill becomes law.

Official Summaries

Closing the College Hunger Gap Act

This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to send information regarding potential eligibility for assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to certain college students.

Specifically, ED must send this information, in both written and electronic form, to a student who submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and has a negative or zero student aid index for the year. ED must also provide the student with contact information for the state agency that administers SNAP in the state in which the student resides.

ED must consult with the Department of Agriculture and other applicable federal or state agencies to design the written and electronic communications regarding potential SNAP eligibility and the SNAP application process.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 777 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 777

 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of 
Education to send to certain students who submit a Free Application for 
  Federal Student Aid information regarding potential eligibility for 
 assistance under the supplemental nutrition assistance program under 
      the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 28, 2025

 Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Ms. Adams, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Titus, 
    Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Crockett, Mr. Garcia of 
Illinois, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Chu, Ms. Sanchez, 
 Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Khanna, Mr. 
   Bishop, Ms. Brown, Ms. Plaskett, and Mrs. Ramirez) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of 
Education to send to certain students who submit a Free Application for 
  Federal Student Aid information regarding potential eligibility for 
 assistance under the supplemental nutrition assistance program under 
      the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Closing the College Hunger Gap 
Act''.

SEC. 2. INFORMATION ON SNAP ELIGIBILITY.

    (a) In General.--Section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1090) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Information on SNAP Eligibility.--
            ``(1) In general.--For each year for which a student 
        described in paragraph (2) submits a form described in 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall send to such student 
        information regarding potential eligibility for assistance 
        under, and application process for, the supplemental nutrition 
        assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act 
        of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) in written and electronic form. 
        Both the written and electronic communication shall include 
        contact information for the State agency responsible for 
        administering the supplemental nutrition assistance program in 
        the State in which the student resides.
            ``(2) Students.--A student is described in this paragraph 
        if the student has a negative or zero student aid index for the 
        year.''.
    (b) Consultation.--The Secretary of Education shall consult with 
the Secretary of Agriculture, and the head of any other applicable 
Federal or State agency, in designing the written and electronic 
communication regarding potential eligibility for assistance under, and 
application process for, the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et 
seq.) as described in section 483(e) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090(e)).

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendment made by this Act shall take effect 120 
days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>