House committee advances bill to mandate FAFSA release by Oct. 1

The proposed legislation received largely bipartisan support, but some worry the hard deadline could backfire if not part of a more comprehensive plan.

The House’s education committee Wednesday advanced a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Education to release the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by Oct. 1 each year. 

Rep. Erin Houchin, a Republican from Indiana who introduced the new bill, called the rollout of the updated FAFSA a “complete failure” and said it created unnecessary hardship for students’ families and colleges.

The Republican-controlled Committee on Education and the Workforce voted 34-6 to send the legislation to the full House of Representatives. 

The proposal received conditional support from some Democratic lawmakers, who called for increased investment in the Education Department to allow it to fulfill its mandate.