Sponsors (7)
The bill reduces federal grant aid to people convicted of certain offenses—shifting limited funds toward others and lowering government grant outlays—but does so by converting or cutting off aid in ways that substantially increase costs and barriers to education and reentry for those convicted.
Students without convictions for assault on officers or rioting face reduced competition for limited Title IV funds, improving their chances of receiving grants, loans, or work-study.
Taxpayers may experience lower federal grant outlays because aid to individuals convicted of the listed offenses would be eliminated or converted to loans.
Students convicted of assault on officers or rioting lose eligibility for Pell and other Title IV grants, loans, and work-study, blocking or severely limiting their access to college funding.
Aid that would have been grants is converted into unsubsidized loans that accrue interest from the award date and are barred from forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge, substantially increasing borrowing costs and eliminating debt-relief options for affected students.
People with the listed convictions face increased repayment obligations and loss of relief options, which raises financial barriers to reentry and rehabilitation and could increase recidivism risk.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
People convicted of assaulting a police officer or rioting lose Title IV aid and grants tied to the program of offense are converted into nonforgivable unsubsidized loans that accrue interest from the award date.
Introduced March 21, 2025 by August Pfluger · Last progress March 21, 2025
Denies federal student aid to people convicted of assaulting a police officer or of rioting and requires repayment or conversion of aid they already received. Grants for the program of study in which the offense occurred are converted into Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans that accrue interest from the original award date and cannot be forgiven, canceled, discharged, or reduced under HEA or other federal programs.