This bill would change the Higher Education Act to require the Secretary of Education to use an identity fraud detection system to review every Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filed on or after October 1, 2026. If the system finds a "reasonable suspicion of identity fraud," the Secretary must notify the applicant and each school listed on the FAFSA. The Secretary must also describe the system to the authorizing committees and report annually on its effectiveness.
Institutions that receive such a notice could not disburse federal student aid to the applicant unless the institution verifies the applicant's identity using in-person or live, synchronous audiovisual methods, tells the Secretary the identity was verified, and keeps a record of the verification. The Secretary must publish guidelines for how schools should carry out these identity checks by October 1, 2026.
No publicly available information on costs or budgetary effects is included in the bill text or provided metadata.
No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata describes supporters' arguments or stated reasons beyond the bill's requirements and sponsor list.
No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata describes opponents' arguments or stated concerns.