[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 4259 Introduced in House (IH)]
104th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4259
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize Presidential
Honors Scholarships to be awarded to all secondary school students in
the top 5 percent of their graduating class, to promote and recognize
high academic achievement in secondary school, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 27, 1996
Mr. McHale (for himself, Mr. Bonior, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Fazio
of California, Mr. Evans, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Ms. Woolsey, Mr.
Romero-Barcelo, Mr. Holden, Mr. Tejeda, Mr. Andrews, and Ms. Harman)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Economic and Educational Opportunities
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize Presidential
Honors Scholarships to be awarded to all secondary school students in
the top 5 percent of their graduating class, to promote and recognize
high academic achievement in secondary school, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Presidential Honors Scholarship Act
of 1996''.
SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL HONORS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
Part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001 et seq.) is amended by inserting after subpart 6 the following new
subpart:
``Subpart 7--Presidential Honors Scholarship Program
``SEC. 420A. PRESIDENTIAL HONORS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this subpart to establish a
Presidential Honors Scholarship Program to encourage high academic
achievement in public and private secondary schools and to recognize
and reward the achievement of their outstanding graduates.
``(b) Program Authority.--The Secretary is authorized, in
accordance with this subpart, to carry out a program of recognizing
high academic achievement in public and private secondary schools by
awarding scholarships to all students in the top 5 percent of their
graduating class, and thereby encouraging students to excel in their
secondary studies and pursue postsecondary education.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated $130,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and such sums as may be
necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years, to carry out the
purposes of this subpart. Funds shall remain available for obligation
until the end of the fourth fiscal year immediately succeeding the
fiscal year for which such funds were appropriated.
``(d) Terms of Scholarships.--
``(1) Amount of scholarship.--(A) The amount of a
scholarship awarded under this subpart shall be $1,000.
``(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if funds available
in a fiscal year are insufficient to fully fund all
scholarships under this subpart, the amount paid to each
student shall be reduced proportionately.
``(C) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a
scholarship awarded under this part--
``(i) shall not be counted in determining the
student's need for grant, loan, or work assistance
under this title; and
``(ii) may, alone or in combination with other
grant, loan, or work assistance received under this
title, exceed the student's cost of attendance, as
defined in section 472.
``(2) Period of scholarships.--A student who satisfies the
requirements of subsection (f) may receive a scholarship under
this subpart for a period of not more than 1 academic year of
postsecondary education or training on at least a half-time
basis, as determined by the institution.
``(3) Scholarship proceeds.--
``(A) Use and availability.--Scholarship proceeds
shall be used for the scholarship recipient's first
year of postsecondary education or training, and shall
remain available for such use for not more than 3
academic years following his or her graduation from
secondary school.
``(B) Disbursal.--Scholarship proceeds shall be
disbursed on behalf of students who receive
scholarships under this subpart to the institutions of
higher education at which the students are enrolled. No
scholarship proceeds shall be disbursed on behalf of a
student until the student is enrolled at an institution
of higher education on at least a half-time basis, as
determined by such institution.
``(4) Use at any institution permitted.--A scholarship
awarded under this subpart may be used to attend any
institution of higher education, as defined in section 481.
``(e) Selection of Scholars.--
``(1) In general.--Scholarships shall be awarded to all
students who rank in the top 5 percent of the graduating class
of each secondary school that participates in the program under
this subpart. Ranking procedures shall be established by each
such school, but may not include any nonacademic or
extracurricular factors.
``(2) Annual announcement of scholarships.--Each
participating school shall announce the availability of
scholarships under this subpart, and its selection procedures,
to all students in the school, and their parents, at the
beginning of each academic year.
``(3) Records.--Each participating school shall maintain
records of its selection procedures, the names of the students
selected, and such other related information as the Secretary
may require.
``(f) Student Eligibility.--In order to receive a scholarship under
this subpart, a student must--
``(1) rank in the top 5 percent of the graduating class at
the secondary school that he or she attends, as established by
such school in accordance with subsection (e); and
``(2) meet the requirements of section 484.
``(g) Recognition of Scholarship Receipt.--
``(1) Designation of scholarship recipients.--Students
awarded scholarships under this subpart shall be known as
`Presidential Honors Scholars'.
``(2) Certificates; ceremonies.--The Secretary shall
provide each student awarded a scholarship under this subpart a
certificate from the President that indicates that the
recipient is a Presidential Honors Scholar. The certificates
shall be provided through the secondary schools that selected
such students. Such schools may present these certificates in
appropriate ceremonies.
``(h) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall, from time to time, conduct
an evaluation of the program authorized by this subpart.
``(i) Secretarial Authority.--In order to carry out the purposes of
this subpart, the Secretary may, from time to time, establish policies,
procedures, and requirements, set deadlines, and require
information.''.
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