WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is calling on the Department of Education (ED) to provide clear guidance to students, families and universities who will soon navigate the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The redesigned FAFSA—made possible through bipartisan legislation Congress passed in 2020—will streamline the federal financial aid process and help 1.5 million more students, including over 13,500 Iowans, access the maximum Pell Grant award. While ED announced earlier this month it would release the FAFSA by December 31, 2023, it neglected to specify a date and warned of processing delays in the coming months, escalating uncertainty for students and their families.
Grassley and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Monday urged ED to swiftly release the new FAFSA and equip applicants with the information they need, paying particular attention to farm family income distinctions. Today, Grassley took to the Senate floor to amplify the bipartisan push and remind the department to focus on implementing the simplified FAFSA process, rather than transferring student loan debt to the taxpayer. To improve education affordability, Grassley has introduced several proactive bills targeting the causes of high college costs.
Read the Kaine-Grassley letter HERE and Grassley's transcribed floor remarks HERE.
-30-