Fafsa Deadline Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1568, I call up the bill (H.R. 8932) to establish an earlier application processing cycle for the FAFSA, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
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Ms. FOXX. 8932.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act, and I start by highlighting the critical role the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, plays in the lives of many American students and families. For them, FAFSA isn't just a form, it is a path to postsecondary education.
In recent years, bipartisan efforts were made to simplify this complex, daunting process. The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed in 2020, was intended to make applying for financial aid more accessible and less overwhelming. That is what this country needs, an effective, user-friendly system that lowers barriers to education and increases access for students of all backgrounds.
Unfortunately, we are here because the Biden-Harris administration is failing to provide this vital tool to the very students and families it was designed to help. Instead of the smooth rollout we planned, the Biden-Harris administration's execution of the new simplified FAFSA has led to widespread frustration, delays, and costly errors.
Imagine being a high school senior working hard to qualify for scholarships and planning your future, only to be met with glitches, incomplete forms, and endless processing errors. That was the reality for too many students.
Last year, the Department of Education delayed the FAFSA release until late December, 3 full months after its recommended October 1 release date, due to administrative incompetence.
The soft launch that followed was chaotic, resulting in millions of errors and little clarity regarding the form's actual functionality. Delays in the Department's failure to communicate effectively left families in a state of uncertainty, scrambling to understand what aid they would receive, or even if they would receive aid at all.
As we sit here, the FAFSA is delayed for a second straight year, and some capabilities are still unavailable, forcing students, schools, and State agencies to wait again.
The FAFSA Deadline Act introduced by Representative Erin Houchin is the answer. This legislation seeks to hold the Department of Education accountable by requiring the FAFSA to be available by October 1 each year, and it does so with broad, bipartisan support. The bill passed through committee 34-6, sending a clear signal that both sides of the aisle believe families deserve better.
In short, today's conversation is about restoring the promise of FAFSA, fulfilling our obligation to students, and making sure the Department's failure is not a new normal.
It is our job to ensure that the Department of Education rolls out FAFSA each year with clear timelines and accurate data so American families can rely on this process.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the FAFSA Deadline Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague from Virginia said, several organizations have announced public support for the FAFSA Deadline Act. Here are some of the things that they are saying.
The American Council for Education said: ``Given the issues institutions of higher education faced during the 2024-2025 FAFSA processing cycle, it is critically important to avoid future problems. For this academic year, overall first-year enrollment is down by 5 percent, at least in part due to issues with the 2024-2025 FAFSA. In addition, universal access to the 2025-2026 FAFSA is already delayed, and some campus officials have expressed concerns about whether the FAFSA will be fully available by December 1.
Mr. Speaker, the FAFSA is a cornerstone of America's commitment to educational opportunity. When we fail to uphold this promise, we jeopardize the dreams and hard work of students who look to postsecondary education as a pathway to a better future.
The FAFSA Deadline Act is a necessary measure to protect that future by enforcing deadlines, ensuring transparency, and making certain that families receive the aid they depend on to make college accessible.
This is about delivering the basic functionality students deserve and safeguarding their ambitions against bureaucratic failure.
Students have enough on their plates as they prepare for college. It is up to us to make sure that the Federal Government isn't adding to that burden.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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