Ernst-Supported FAFSA Bill Becomes Law

WASHINGTON – The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Deadline Act, which U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) cosponsored, has become law. This legislation requires the Department of Education to ensure that the FAFSA form is available by Oct. 1 every year, so Iowa families have certainty about the cost of higher education.

Due to incomplete planning measures, the Biden Department of Education released last year’s version three months late, drastically condensing the timeline for families to submit for aid. To ensure more Iowa families are not left out, Ernst conducted critical oversight, demanded answers on behalf of agricultural communities, and worked to get input directly from impacted Iowans.

“After Biden's FAFSA fumble left students out in the cold, we are holding bureaucrats accountable to a firm deadline,” Ernst said. “Now that the FAFSA Deadline Act is law, no family should have to worry about bureaucratic blunders derailing their academic ambitions. Planning for college is stressful enough, and I’ll continue working to ensure Americans have access to this federal aid tool by Oct. 1, so they have the certainty they deserve.”

Background:

The FAFSA form is typically accessible to students on Oct. 1 of each year to allow ample time to submit financial information before state and school-specific deadlines for aid eligibility. Ernst has been a strong critic of Biden’s Department on Education after their botched FAFSA rollout. 

In addition to supporting the FAFSA Deadline Act, Ernst introduced the Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act to reverse recent changes to the FAFSA process that could reduce or even eliminate access to need-based student aid for farm families and small business owners.

She has also introduced the Student Transparency for Understanding Decisions in Education Net Terms (STUDENT) Act to give prospective students an estimate of the total amount of interest they would pay on a loan.

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