S. 4269

119 S4269 IS: Restoring College Access and Affordability Act
 U.S. Senate
 2026-03-26
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 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 4269  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   March 26, 2026   Mr. Blumenthal  (for himself,  Mr. Luján ,  Mr. Booker ,  Mr. Merkley ,  Ms. Alsobrooks , and  Mr. Kaine ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Finance    A BILL
To repeal certain student loan provisions, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Restoring College Access and Affordability Act  .
2.
Loan limits
Section 81001 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
3.
Loan repayment
(a)
Loan repayment
Section 82001 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
(b)
Deferment; forbearance
Section 82002 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
(c)
Public service loan forgiveness
Section 82004 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
4.
Pell Grants
(a)
Eligibility
Section 83001 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
(b)
Federal Pell Grant exclusion relating to other grant aid
Section 83004 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
5.
Ineligibility based on low earning outcomes
Section 454(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087d(c) ) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)—
(A)
by striking  Notwithstanding section 481(b),  and inserting the following:
(A)
In General
Notwithstanding section 481(b),
 ;
(B)
by striking  an educational program  and inserting  a covered educational program ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(B)
Covered educational program
In this subsection, the term  covered educational program  means an eligible program under this title that is—
(i)
a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation (such as a program that awards a certificate or credential), or a program that awards an associate's degree;
(ii)
a program that awards an associate's degree or a baccalaureate degree; or
(iii)
a program that awards a graduate or professional degree, or graduate certificate.
 ;
(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking  An educational program at an institution is described in this paragraph if the program awards an undergraduate degree, graduate or professional degree, or graduate certificate, for which  and inserting  A covered educational program at an institution is described in this paragraph if the program is a program for which ;
(3)
in paragraph (3)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking  an educational program  and inserting  a covered educational program ;
(ii)
in clause (iii)(I), by striking  an educational program that awards a baccalaureate or lesser degree,  and inserting  a covered educational program described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (1)(B), ; and
(iii)
in clause (iii)(II), by striking  a graduate or professional program,  and inserting  a covered educational program described in clause (iii) of paragraph (1)(B), ; and
(B)
in subparagraph (B)—
(i)
in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking  an educational program  and inserting  a covered educational program ;
(ii)
in clause (i), in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking  that awards a baccalaureate or lesser degree  and inserting  that is a covered educational program described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (1)(B), ; and
(iii)
in clause (ii), in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking  that is a graduate or professional program  and inserting  that is a covered educational program described in clause (iii) of paragraph (1)(B), ;
(4)
in paragraph (4)—
(A)
by striking  an educational program  and inserting  a covered educational program ; and
(B)
by inserting  covered  before  educational programs ;
(5)
in paragraph (5)—
(A)
by striking  An educational program  and inserting  A covered educational program ; and
(B)
by striking  the educational program  and inserting  the covered educational program ;
(6)
in paragraph (6)(A)—
(A)
by striking  an educational program  and inserting  a covered educational program ; and
(B)
by striking  the educational program  and inserting  the covered educational program , each place the term appears; and
(7)
in paragraph (7), by striking  an educational program  and inserting  a covered educational program .
6.
Regulatory Relief
(a)
Delay of rule relating to borrower defense to repayment
Section 85001 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
(b)
Delay of rule relating to closed school discharges
Section 85002 of the Act titled  An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14  ( Public Law 119–21 ; 139 Stat. 72) is repealed and any law or regulation referred to in such section shall be applied as if such section and the amendments made by such section had not been enacted.
7.
Modification of excise tax on endowment income of private colleges and universities
(a)
In general
Subsection (a) of  section 4968  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking  the applicable percentage  and inserting  1.4 percent .
(b)
Conforming amendments
(1)
 Section 4968  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking subsection (b) and by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h) as subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g), respectively.
(2)
Subsection (e) of section 4968 of such Code is amended by striking  (c) and (d)  and inserting  (b) and (c) .
(3)
Paragraph (1) of section 4968(g) of such Code is amended by striking  (d) and (f)  and inserting  (c) and (e) .
(4)
Subsection (o) of section 6033 of such Code is amended—
(A)
by striking  4968(c)  both places it appears and inserting  4968(b) , and
(B)
by striking  4968(e)  in paragraph (2) thereof and inserting  4968(d) .
(c)
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.