Senate Republicans Offer Their Opening Pitch for Latest Coronavirus Aid Package – NASFAA
Senate Republicans on Monday unveiled their opening marker for the next coronavirus aid package, which formally starts the negotiation process for what could be the final measure aimed at abating the novel virus’ impact before the presidential election.
The proposal — dubbed the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act — would provide an Education Stabilization Fund with $105 billion for programs housed under the Department of Education (ED), with just over $29 billion directed to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which would provide grants directly to institutions of higher education, based largely on the enrollment of full-time equivalent Pell Grant recipients.
The majority of those funds, 85%, would be distributed to institutions based 90% on the enrollment of full-time Pell Grant recipients who were not exclusively enrolled in distance education at the onset of the pandemic, and 10% on full-time non-Pell Grant recipients who were not exclusively enrolled in distance education.
Unlike the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which required that institutions use at least half of their allocation on student emergency grants, the HEALS Act does not specify an amount that must be distributed directly to students.