Bill Summary
The "Putting American Students First Act" amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish specific immigration and residency requirements for individuals eligible to participate in Federal TRIO programs. TRIO programs are designed to support low-income, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities in achieving higher education.
Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Eligibility Criteria**: To participate in these programs, individuals must be U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, or certain categories of aliens who have established residency in the U.S. and intend to apply for permanent residency. The bill specifies various categories of eligible individuals, including citizens from Freely Associated States and those with CNMI Resident status.
2. **Non-Waivable Requirements**: The bill explicitly prohibits any waivers for the residency requirements, ensuring that only those who meet these criteria can access TRIO program benefits.
3. **Technical Amendments**: The legislation also makes conforming amendments to various sections of the Higher Education Act to reflect these changes.
Overall, the bill aims to prioritize American citizens and lawful residents in accessing educational support programs while tightening eligibility for non-citizens.
Possible Impacts
The "Putting American Students First Act" introduces specific immigration and residency requirements for individuals participating in Federal TRIO programs. Here are three examples of how this legislation could affect people:
1. **Limiting Access to Educational Support**: By requiring participants in TRIO programs to be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or certain eligible aliens, the legislation may restrict access to educational support services for non-citizens, including undocumented students or those on temporary visas. This could hinder their ability to receive tutoring, mentoring, and financial assistance, potentially impacting their educational outcomes and career opportunities.
2. **Increased Barriers for Immigrant Students**: Students who are not U.S. nationals or do not fall under the specified categories (such as those from Freely Associated States or with CNMI Resident status) may face increased barriers to accessing resources that support their educational journeys. This could lead to a decrease in enrollment or participation in higher education among immigrant populations, exacerbating existing inequalities in educational attainment.
3. **Impact on Families and Communities**: The legislation could have broader implications for families and communities with mixed immigration status. If students who are eligible for educational support through TRIO programs are denied access due to their immigration status, this may place additional stress on families and communities that rely on educational attainment as a path to economic mobility. Moreover, it may discourage families from pursuing higher education altogether, fearing that their children will not receive the necessary support to succeed.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3913 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3913
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish immigration and
residency requirements for individuals served by Federal TRIO programs,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2025
Mrs. Houchin (for herself and Ms. Foxx) 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 establish immigration and
residency requirements for individuals served by Federal TRIO programs,
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 ``Putting American Students First
Act''.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL TRIO PROGRAMS.
(a) Eligibility.--Section 402A of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1070a-11) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (h) as
subsections (g) through (i), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) Citizenship and Residency Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to participate in a
program that receives assistance under this chapter, an
individual shall be--
``(A) a national of the United States (as defined
in paragraph (22) of section 101(a) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)));
``(B) an alien (as defined in paragraph (3) of such
section) lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as
defined in paragraph (20) of such section);
``(C) an alien (as defined in paragraph (3) of such
section) who is physically present in the United States
(as defined in paragraph (38) of such section) for
other than a temporary purpose and who is able to
provide evidence from the Secretary of Homeland
Security of the alien's intent to become lawfully
admitted for permanent residence (as defined in
paragraph (20) of such section);
``(D) a citizen of one of the Freely Associated
States lawfully residing in the United States in
accordance with the Compact of Free Association set
forth in section 201 of the Compact of Free Association
Act of 1985 (48 U.S.C. 1901 note; Public Law 99-239) or
the Compact of Free Association set forth in section
201 of Public Law 99-658 (48 U.S.C. 1931 note);
``(E) an alien having CNMI Resident status under
section 6(e)(6) of the Joint Resolution entitled `A
Joint Resolution to approve the Covenant To Establish a
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
Political Union with the United States of America, and
for other purposes', approved March 24, 1976 (48 U.S.C.
1806); or
``(F) a lawful resident of one of the Freely
Associated States.
``(2) Waiver prohibited.--The requirement under paragraph
(1) may not be waived under--
``(A) any provision of section 523 of Departments
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law
118-47);
``(B) any of the authorities provided by any of the
laws referred to in subsection (b) of such section 523;
or
``(C) any other authority provided in any law--
``(i) to carry out, or participate in, a
Performance Partnership Pilot (as defined in
section 526(1) of the Departments of Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Education, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (42
U.S.C. 12301 note)); or
``(ii) that allows additional time to
operate, or participate in, a Performance
Partnership Pilot site selected on or before
the date of the enactment of such law.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) is further amended--
(1) in section 318(b) (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)), by striking
``section 402A(h)'' each place it appears and inserting
``section 402A(i)'';
(2) in section 371(c) (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)), by striking
``section 402A(h)'' each place it appears and inserting
``section 402A(i)'';
(3) in section 402E(g) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-15(g)), by striking
``section 402A(g)'' and inserting ``section 402A(h)''; and
(4) in section 402H (20 U.S.C. 1070a-18), by striking
``section 402A(f)(4)'' each place it appears and inserting
``section 402A(g)(4)''.
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