FAFSA Deadline Act passes Congress near-unanimously
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WISH) — Indiana congresswoman Erin Houchin’s (R) bill to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid more accessible has passed Congress in a bipartisan vote.
The FASFA Deadline Act passed the House in a vote of 381-1, then passed the Senate unanimously Nov. 21.
The bill gives the U.S. Department of Education a hard deadline of Oct. 1 to release FAFSA.
Currently, the DoE has the flexibility to delay FAFSA’s release until Jan. 1. At the end of 2023, FAFSFA was delayed from its October release until January 2024, then the applications still had technical problems.
2023 was also the first year Indiana students were required to fill out FAFSA under a state requirement.
“The overwhelming bipartisan support this bill received reflects a shared commitment to improving the financial aid process for students and families. The FAFSA Deadline Act will bring clarity to a system that too often leaves families in the dark. I’m proud to lead this effort to ensure students have the tools they need to access higher education without unnecessary obstacles,” Rep. Houchin said in a press release.
The FASFA Deadline Act now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.