The bill will authorize a Pell Grant maximum of $6,000, will eliminate the loan auction pilot program recently passed in the reconciliation bill, and will adopt a single definition of “institution of higher education” that will lump nonprofit and for-profit colleges together. House Democrats have not introduced a draft HEA yet.

The Senate, in July of this year, had unanimously approved their version of the HEA, reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA) after unanimously adopting one modified amendment aimed at preventing institutions from using federal funds to pay for lobbying efforts. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Senate education committee Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) worked together to modify Coburn’s amendment that prohibits institutions from using federal student aid funds or federal earmark funds to pay for lobbying efforts.

According to Senator Kennedy, the modified amendment will penalize institutions for using federal funds for lobbying without hampering their ability to conduct appropriate communications with policymakers and federal agencies. This legislation received unanimous bipartisan support in the Committee.