District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999
Public Law 106-98 · H.R. 974 · 106th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 12, 1999 · Education
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA-11)
Cosponsors (13): Rep. Eleanor Norton, Rep. Constance Morella,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 - Directs the Mayor of the District of Columbia to award grants to eligible public institutions of higher education in Maryland or Virginia (or outside such States if specified conditions are met) that enroll eligible District of Columbia students to pay the difference between in-State and out-of-State tuition and fees on behalf of such students. Limits a student to an award of not more than $10,000 per year, and a total of not more than $50,000. Requires the Mayor to prorate award payments for eligible part-time students.
Provides a formula for the ratable reduction of such payments if the funds appropriated under this Act for any fiscal year are insufficient to meet such limitations. Allows the Mayor to adjust the reduction based on: (1) the financial need of the eligible students to avoid undue hardship to them; or (2) undue administrative burdens on the Mayor. Authorizes the Mayor, also, to prioritize the making or amount of tuition and fee payments based on the income and need of eligible students.
Authorizes the Mayor, if it would be more efficient, to enter into a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with another public or private entity to administer the program. Requires the Secretary of Education to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement that describes the manner in which the Mayor shall consult with the Secretary with respect to program administration and any technical or other assistance the Secretary shall provide. Requires the Mayor to report annually to Congress on the number of eligible students attending each eligible institution and the amount of the grant awards (including any ratable reductions) paid to those institutions on behalf of such students, and the progress in obtaining recognized academic credentials of the cohort of eligible students for each year.
Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) monitor the effect of the program on educational opportunities for eligible students; (2) analyze whether eligible students had difficulty gaining admission to eligible institutions because of any preference afforded in-State residents by eligible institutions; (3) analyze the extent to which there are an insufficient number of eligible institutions to which District students can gain admission, including admission aided by assistance under this Act, due to caps on the number of out-of-State students the institution will enroll, significant barriers imposed by academic entrance requirements, and absence of admission programs benefitting minority students; and (4) assess the impact of the program assisted under this Act on enrollment of the University of the District of Columbia (University). Requires reports to Congress and the Mayor.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 and for each of the five succeeding fiscal years.
(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary of Education to provide financial assistance to the University for each fiscal year to enable it to carry out activities authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.
(Sec. 5) Requires the Mayor to award grants, on behalf of an eligible student, to: (1) an eligible private, nonprofit, associate or baccalaureate degree-granting institution whose main campus is located in the District, in the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, or Fairfax, or the counties of Arlington or Fairfax, Virginia, or in the counties of Montgomery or Prince George's, Maryland; or (2) a private historically Black college or university whose main campus is located in Maryland or Virginia.
Limits a student to an award of not more than $2,500 per year and a total of not more than $12,500. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary of Education to arrange for the assignment of an individual to serve as an adviser to the Mayor with respect to the programs assisted under this Act.
Limits fiscal year administrative expenses for public and private school programs under this Act to seven percent of funds made available.
Subjects each of such programs to audit and other review by the Inspector General of the Department of Education in the same manner as programs are audited and reviewed under the Inspector General Act of 1978.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Oversight and Accountability Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: District of Columbia Subcommittee
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 28 actions.
- Nov 12, 1999Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-98.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 3, 1999PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 1, 1999Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Davis (VA) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on agreeing to the Senate amendment to H.R. 974.
- Oct 19, 1999FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 2317 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 9, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Aug 3, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 24, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 21, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- May 27, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- May 24, 1999FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Davis (VA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Ways and Means Committee
- May 19, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Apr 15, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Reported by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Mar 18, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Mar 4, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.