Who it affects
- Students applying for or receiving Pell Grants
- Students who are neither U.S. citizens nor nationals
In committeeEducation
Citizenship requirements for Pell Grants
S. 5451 · Senate bill · Introduced Sept. 22, 2026
This bill would limit Pell Grants to students who are U.S. citizens or nationals and meet other eligibility requirements.
At a glance
Where it stands
In committee
How South Carolina voted
No recorded votes yet.
See each vote ↓Lobbying and money
No lobbying reported yet
Lobbyists report every three months, about 20 days after each quarter ends. We have January 2025 through September 2026 reports. Newer reports will be added once filed and published.
What it would do
- Pell Grant recipients would have to be U.S. citizens or nationals.
- Students who are neither would not qualify for Pell Grants.
- Students would also have to meet four existing student aid eligibility requirements.
Written with AI from the official bill text, because no CRS summary is available. Read the bill text ↗
How South Carolina voted
No recorded roll-call vote on this bill yet.
Groups that lobbied on it and gave to SC's members
PAC, lobbyist campaign and qualifying employee money this election, shown separately and never added together. Lobbying reports name the bills a group worked on, not which side it took.
No lobbying reported yet. Lobbyists report every three months, about 20 days after each quarter ends. We have January 2025 through September 2026 reports. Newer reports will be added once filed and published.
Official record
Official title, sponsor and status
- Official title
- A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require that recipients of Pell Grants be citizens or nationals of the United States.
- Sponsor
- Sen. Banks, Jim (R-IN)
- Introduced
- Sept. 22, 2026
- Cosponsors
- 0
- Committees
- Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Latest action
- Sept. 22, 2026 · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Official summary from the Congressional Research Service
Congress hasn't published an official summary.
Summary on Congress.gov ↗Everyone who lobbied on this bill (0 groups)
No lobbying report we have loaded names this bill. That doesn't mean no lobbying took place.
Lobbyists report every three months, about 20 days after each quarter ends. We have January 2025 through September 2026 reports. Newer reports will be added once filed and published. Reports for October through December 2026 are due January 20, 2027.