[House Report 109-553]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
109th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 109-553
======================================================================
TO AMEND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE ACCESS ACT OF 1999 TO
REAUTHORIZE FOR 5 ADDITIONAL YEARS THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL
TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE ACT
_______
July 11, 2006.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, from the Committee on Government Reform,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4855]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Government Reform, to whom was referred the
bill (H.R. 4855) to amend the District of Columbia College
Access Act of 1999 to reauthorize for 5 additional years the
public and private school tuition assistance programs
established under the Act, having considered the same, report
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill
do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Committee Statement and Views.................................... 2
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Section-by-Section............................................... 3
Explanation of Amendments........................................ 3
Committee Consideration.......................................... 3
Rollcall Votes................................................... 3
Application of Law to the Legislative Branch..................... 3
Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the
Committee...................................................... 4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 4
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 4
Federal Advisory Committee Act................................... 4
Unfunded Mandate Statement....................................... 4
Committee Estimate............................................... 4
Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 5
Committee Statement and Views
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
H.R. 4855 amends the District of Columbia College Access
Act of 1999 to reauthorize the District of Columbia Tuition
Assistance Grant Program (TAG) for five additional years.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
In 1999, Congress passed P.L. 106-98, the District of
Columbia College Access Act, authorizing the establishment of a
Tuition Assistance Grant Program in the Nation's Capital. The
Program provides limited financial assistance to D.C. high
school graduates pursuing higher education opportunities in
other states. The original legislation authorized funding for
the Program for five years (FY00-FY05). In 2004, Congress
reauthorized the College Access Act for an additional two
years, through fiscal year 2007 (see P.L. 108-457).
The original purpose of the District of Columbia College
Access Act was twofold. First, the legislation was intended to
address the District of Columbia's lack of a state university
system by providing D.C. high school graduates with access to
higher education opportunities available to residents of other
States. The District of Columbia is not a state and does not
have a state education system to provide affordable higher
education opportunities for its high school graduates. As bill
sponsor Chairman Tom Davis said when the legislation passed the
House in November 1999: ``College bound seniors in each of the
50 states have a vast network of state-supported institutions
to attend. This bill seeks to level the playing field for D.C.
residents.'' The second purpose of the legislation was to deter
tax-paying families in the District from moving to surrounding
states in order to take advantage of in-state higher education
options available to residents in other states, thus depriving
the District of much needed tax revenue. TAG has been a key
component of the District's revitalization efforts, and it is
critical that this support is continued.
TAG covers the difference between in-state and out-of-state
tuition rates, up to $10,000 per year, for District of Columbia
high school graduates that attend public colleges and
universities in other states. Additionally, the TAG provides
$2,500 annually in tuition assistance to D.C. high school
graduates who attend private colleges and universities in the
counties surrounding the District. Finally, an amendment to the
legislation in 2001 authorized TAP to provide $2,500 annually
to D.C. high school graduates who attend private Historically
Black Colleges and Universities throughout the country.
In conjunction with TAG, the private sector established a
similar program, the District of Columbia College Access
Program, by providing additional financial assistance to D.C.
high school graduates pursuing college degrees. Additionally,
the private sector program has placed college counselors in
public high schools in the District to educate and counsel high
school students on the options available to them after
graduation. A consortium of 17 private sector companies and
foundations fund the non-profit DCCAP organization and provide
the money for the scholarships for the D.C. high school
graduates.
As evidenced by the 4,700 students currently enrolled in
the program to attend colleges and universities across the
country, as well as the proposed increase to $35 million for
the program in the President's fiscal year 2007 budget, the
District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program is
undeniably a successful federal program.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On March 2, 2006, Chairman Tom Davis and Congresswoman
Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced H.R. 4855, to amend the
District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 to reauthorize
the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program for five additional
years. The bill was referred to the House Committee on
Government Reform. On March 9, 2006, the Committee met in open
session and ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 4855, by
voice vote, a quorum being present.
Section-by-Section
Section 1. 5-year reauthorization of tuition assistance programs.
This section would reauthorize the Tuition Assistance Grant
Program for an additional five years, through fiscal year 2012.
This section would amend sections 3(i) and 5(f) of the District
of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 by striking ``each of
the 7 succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting ``each of the 12
succeeding fiscal years''.
Explanation of Amendments
No amendments were adopted in committee.
Committee Consideration
On March 9, 2006, the Committee met in open session and
ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 4855, by voice vote,
a quorum being present.
Rollcall Votes
No rollcall votes were held.
Application of Law to the Legislative Branch
Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104-1 requires a
description of the application of this bill to the legislative
branch where the bill relates to the terms and conditions of
employment or access to public services and accommodations.
This bill provides limited financial assistance to D.C. high
school graduates pursuing higher education opportunities in
colleges and universities in otherStates. Legislative branch
employees and their families, to the extent that they are otherwise
eligible for the benefits provided by this legislation, have equal
access to its benefits.
Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee reports that the
findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on
oversight activities under 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the
descriptive portions of this report.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee's performance
goals and objectives are reflected in the descriptive portions
of this report.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Under clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the Committee must include a statement
citing the specific powers granted to Congress to enact the law
proposed by H.R. 4855. Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the
Constitution of the United States provides Congress the power
to enact this law.
Federal Advisory Committee Act
The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish
or authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within
the definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b).
Unfunded Mandate Statement
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act (as amended by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded
Mandate Reform Act, P.L. 104-4) requires a statement whether
the provisions of the report include unfunded mandates. In
compliance with this requirement the Committee has received a
letter from the Congressional Budget Office included herein.
Committee Estimate
Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the
Committee of the costs that would be incurred in carrying out
H.R. 4855. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides
that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has
included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the
bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act.
Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received
the following cost estimate for H.R. 1317 from the Director of
Congressional Budget Office:
H.R. 4855--A bill to amend the District of Columbia College Access Act
of 1999 to reauthorize for 5 additional years the public and
private school tuition assistance programs established under
the Act
Summary: H.R. 4855 would amend the District of Columbia
College Access Act of 1999 and reauthorize the District of
Columbia tuition assistance grant (DCTAG) program for students
who are residents of Washington, D.C. Current law authorizes
the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary through
fiscal year 2007, and H.R. 4855 would extend this authorization
through fiscal year 2012. CBO estimates that the necessary
appropriations would total $232 million over the 2008-2012
period. Outlays would match this total over the same period.
The bill would have no significant impact on direct spending or
revenues.
H.R. 4855 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 4855 is presented in the following
table. The cost of this legislation falls within budget
function 500 (education, training, employment, and social
services).
ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF H.R. 4855
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-----------------------------------------------
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Spending Under Current Law:
Estimated Authorization Level............................... 34 0 0 0 0 0
Estimated Outlays........................................... 34 0 0 0 0 0
Proposed Changes:
Estimated Authorization Level............................... 0 41 45 48 49 50
Estimated Outlays........................................... 0 41 45 48 49 50
Spending Under H.R. 4855:
Estimated Authorization Level............................... 34 41 45 48 49 50
Estimated Outlays........................................... 34 41 45 48 49 50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R.
4855 will be enacted during 2006 and that the estimated amounts
will be appropriated for each year.
Current law
Under current law, DCTAG provides financial assistance to
D.C. residents who attend public colleges outside of the
District of Columbia, private postsecondary institutions in the
District of Columbia or in one of the surrounding jurisdictions
in Maryland or Virginia, or any historically black college or
university. The private-school tuition grants are restricted to
nonprofit institutions. Students who attend public schools
receive assistance equal to the difference between the tuition
paid by residents of the state in which the institution is
located and the tuition charged to nonresident students, with
an annual limit of $10,000 and a lifetime limit of $50,000.
Private-school students receive a $2,500 maximum annual grant,
with a lifetime limit of $12,500.
According to data from the District of Columbia's State
Education Office (SEO), the cost of DCTAG has grown
substantially since the program's inception (academic year
2000-2001). For the 2004-2005 academic year, the most recent
year for which data are available, just over 3,700 students
attending public institutions received a total of $26 million.
Both the number of participants and the size of the average
award have increased over time. Growth has been particularly
high for students attending public schools.
Current law authorizes the appropriation of such sums as
may be necessary through fiscal year 2007. The Congress
appropriated $33 million for this program in fiscal year 2006,
although the SEO anticipates that costs will exceed this total.
Because costs for DCTAG were lower than the appropriated sums
during the early years of the program, however, the SEO has
been able to use carryover funds to supplement appropriated
funds in recent years to make grants. SEO also spends about 3
percent of its funds on operating costs. CBO estimates that
with approximately $4 million in unspent funds remaining at the
end of 2006, total spending for the program would be $38
million in 2007, assuming appropriations in the vicinity of the
requested amount.
Proposed extension
H.R. 4855 would authorize the appropriation of such sums as
are necessary for DCTAG through 2012. CBO estimates that the
necessary appropriations and resulting outlays would total $232
million over the 2008-2012 period. Based on population and high
school graduation projections from the Census Bureau and the
National Center for Education Statistics, respectively, CBO
estimates that the number of participants would continue to
grow, but at a slower rate than in the early years of the
program. In addition, some of the early growth was likely
attributable to recruitment efforts, which would be expected to
have a smaller effect as DCTAG matures. CBO estimates that a
total of about 5,900 students annually would participate in the
program by 2012. Based on data from the SEO and the College
Board, CBO also estimates that the average cost per grant would
continue to rise as the cost of tuition and fees at both public
and private schools rise, although a growing share of the
grants would be limited by the annual caps. On that basis, CBO
estimates that the average cost per grant would reach $9,500
for public schools and about $2,350 for private schools by
2012.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4855
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Justin Humphrey;
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa Ramirez-
Branum; Impact on the Private Sector: Fatimot Ladipo.
Estimate approved by: Robert A. Sunshine, Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICIAL CODE
* * * * * * *
TITLE 38--EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
* * * * * * *
Subtitle IX--College Access Assistance
CHAPTER 27--COLLEGE ACCESS ASSISTANCE
* * * * * * *
Sec. 38-2702. Public school program
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to
be appropriated to the District of Columbia to carry out this
section $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and (subject to
Sec. 38-2706) such sums as may be necessary for [each of the 7
succeeding fiscal years] each of the 12 succeeding fiscal
years. Such funds shall remain available until expended.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 38-2704. Private school program
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to
be appropriated to the District of Columbia to carry out this
section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and (subject to
Sec. 38-2706) such sums as may be necessary for [each of the 7
succeeding fiscal years] each of the 12 succeeding fiscal
years. Such funds shall remain available until expended.
* * * * * * *