HR 949 — Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act

(a) Purpose; definitions (1) Purpose The purpose of this subpart is to provide a Federal Pell Grant to low-income students. (2) Definitions In this section— (A) the term “adjusted gross income” means— (i) in the case of a dependent student, for the second tax year preceding the academic year— (I) the adjusted gross income (as defined in section 62 of title 26) of the student’s parents; plus (II) for Federal Pell Grant determinations made for academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, the foreign income (as described in section 1087vv(b)(5) of this title) of the student’s parents; and (ii) in the case of an independent student, for the second tax year preceding the academic year— (I) the adjusted gross income (as defined in section 62 of title 26) of the student (and the student’s spouse, if applicable); plus (II) for Federal Pell Grant determinations made for academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, the foreign income (as described in section 1087vv(b)(5) of this title) of the student (and the student’s spouse, if applicable); (B) the term “family size” has the meaning given the term in section 1087vv(k) of this title; (C) the term “poverty line” means the poverty line (as determined under the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of section 9902(2) of title 42) applicable to the student’s family size and applicable to the second tax year preceding the academic year; (D) the term “single parent” means— (i) a parent of a dependent student who was a head of household (as defined in section 2(b) of title 26) or a surviving spouse (as defined in section 2(a) of title 26) or was an eligible individual for purposes of the credit under section 32 of such title, in the second tax year preceding the academic year; or (ii) an independent student who is a parent and was a head of household (as defined in section 2(b) of title 26) or a surviving spouse (as defined in section 2(a) of title 26) or was an eligible individual for purposes of the credit under section 32 of such title, in the second tax year preceding the academic year; (E) the term “total maximum Federal Pell Grant” means the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award per student for any academic year described under subsection (b)(5); and (F) the term “minimum Federal Pell Grant” means the minimum amount of a Federal Pell Grant that shall be awarded to a student for any academic year in which that student is attending full time, which shall be equal to 10 percent of the total maximum Federal Pell Grant for such academic year. (b) Amount and distribution of grants (1) Determination of amount of a Federal Pell Grant Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the amount of a Federal Pell Grant for a student shall be determined in accordance with the following: (A) A student shall be eligible for a total maximum Federal Pell Grant for an academic year in which the student is enrolled in an eligible program full time— (i) if the student (and the student’s spouse, if applicable), or, in the case of a dependent student, the dependent student’s parents (or single parent), is not required to file a Federal income tax return in the second year preceding the academic year; (ii) if the student or, in the case of a dependent student, the dependent student’s parent, is a single parent, and the adjusted gross income is greater than zero and equal to or less than 225 percent of the poverty line; or (iii) if the student or, in the case of a dependent student, the dependent student’s parent, is not a single parent, and the adjusted gross income is greater than zero and equal to or less than 175 percent of the poverty line. (B) A student who is not eligible for a total maximum Federal Pell Grant under subparagraph (A) for an academic year, shall be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant for an academic year in which the student is enrolled in an eligible program full time if such student’s student a...

(a) In general For the purpose of this chapter, the term “student aid index” means, with respect to a student, an index that reflects an evaluation of a student’s approximate financial resources to contribute toward the student’s postsecondary education for the academic year, as determined in accordance with this part. (b) Special rule for students eligible for the total maximum Pell Grant The Secretary shall consider an applicant to automatically have a student aid index equal to zero if the applicant is eligible for the total maximum Federal Pell Grant under section 1070a(b)(1)(A) of this title, except that, if the applicant has a calculated student aid index of less than zero the Secretary shall consider the negative number as the student aid index for the applicant. (c) Special rule for nonfilers Notwithstanding subsection (b), for an applicant (or, as applicable, an applicant and spouse, or an applicant’s parents) who is not required to file a Federal tax return for the second preceding tax year, the Secretary shall for the purposes of this subchapter consider the student aid index as equal to − $1,500 for the applicant.