Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolution

Floor Speech

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Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, on March 27 Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in response to the ongoing public health and economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act included a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which provided nearly $14 billion in funding to ensure institutions of higher education could make the transition to distance learning, provide students with essential supports and resources, and cover the enormous costs they've incurred during this time. Unfortunately, the Administration has not followed Congress' intent to provide these colleges and universities with the increased flexibility they need to meet the needs of their students.

This is why I'm introducing the Coronavirus Relief Flexibility for Students and Institutions Act, which would fix several implementation issues with the higher education funds in the CARES Act by providing institutions of higher education and students with the flexibility Congress intended. This bill would make an additional 7.5 million students eligible for emergency financial aid by expanding eligibility beyond just those who have filled out a FAFSA and are eligible under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Additionally, it would allow institutions of higher education to use CARES Act funds to cover revenue losses incurred as a result of COVID-19, rather than limiting the funding to the U.S. Department of Education's narrow interpretation that funds can only be used for new expenses associated with the transition of instruction to distance learning. It would also ensure that colleges hardest hit by COVID-19 are receiving the support they need by requiring an application to demonstrate such needs, rather than providing all colleges with $500,000 in taxpayer funds regardless of size.

In this difficult time, colleges desperately need the flexibility to best serve their students. This bill will help ensure that Secretary DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education follow Congress' intent to stabilize our institutions of higher education that are hurting from COVID-19 and provide emergency financial aid for the students who need it, not just those that who have met bureaucratic requirements. I hope the Senate passes this bill quickly to ensure that institutions have the flexibility and supports they need to continue providing high quality and equitable access to education for all students as we continue to weather this pandemic. ______

By Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Mr. Lee, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, and Mr. Scott of Florida):

S. 3949. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit kindergarten through grade 12 educational expenses to be paid from a 529 account during the Coronavirus Emergency Period; to the Committee on Finance.

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