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WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) spoke on the House Floor in support of H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act. The bill will ensure the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available every year on October 1 so students have access to critical financial information when planning their futures.

The FAFSA was created to help make postsecondary education accessible and affordable for students and their families. However, under the Biden-Harris administration, delays and confusion in the FAFSA process have hindered access to financial aid, leaving many students unable to pursue postsecondary education.

Chairwoman Foxx's remarks (as prepared for delivery):

“I rise in strong support of H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act, and I’d like to start by highlighting the critical role the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, plays in the lives of many American students and families. For them, FAFSA isn’t just a form—it’s a path to postsecondary education.

“In recent years, bipartisan efforts were made to simplify this complex, daunting process. The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed in 2020, was intended to make applying for financial aid more accessible and less overwhelming. And that’s what this country needs: an effective, user-friendly system that lowers barriers to education and increases access for students of all backgrounds.

“Unfortunately, we are here because the Biden-Harris administration is failing to provide this vital tool to the very students and families it was designed to help. Instead of the smooth rollout we planned, the Biden-Harris administration’s execution of the new, simplified FAFSA has led to widespread frustration, delays, and costly errors. Imagine being a high school senior, working hard to qualify for scholarships and planning your future, only to be met with glitches, incomplete forms, and endless processing errors. That was the reality for too many students.

“Last year, the Department of Education delayed the FAFSA release until late December—three full months after its recommended October 1 release date—due to technical and administrative missteps. The soft launch that followed was chaotic, resulting in millions of errors and little clarity regarding the form's actual functionality. Delays and the Department’s failure to communicate effectively left families in a state of uncertainty, scrambling to understand what aid they would receive—or even if they would receive aid at all.

“As we sit here, the FAFSA is delayed for a second straight year and some capabilities are still unavailable, forcing students, schools, and state agencies to wait again.

“The FAFSA Deadline Act, introduced by Representative Erin Houchin (R-IN), is the answer. This legislation seeks to hold the Department of Education accountable by requiring the FAFSA to be available by October 1 each year. And it does so with broad, bipartisan support. The bill passed through Committee 34-6, sending a clear signal that both sides of the aisle believe families deserve better.

“In short, today’s conversation is about restoring the promise of FAFSA, fulfilling our obligation to students, and making sure the Department’s failure is not the new normal. It’s our job to ensure that the Department of Education rolls out the FAFSA each year with clear timelines and accurate data so American families can rely on this process.”