Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026
U.S. Congress · HR7891 ·
Progression
Timing in context
Primary sponsor's contributions received (same period)
Adjacency in time is shown for context; it is not evidence of cause. Funded ≠ false — see the methodology.
What the bill says
Introduced 2026-03-12. Latest action: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 582.
Summary (plain-language)
Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026 This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to prioritize the review of institutions of higher education (IHEs) that disburse federal student aid without verifying the identity of a student whose Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) presents a reasonable suspicion of identity fraud. Specifically, the bill requires ED to identify each IHE that disburses, on or after October 1, 2026, federal financial aid for an award year to any student whose FAFSA presents a reasonable suspicion of identity fraud, as determined by ED's identity fraud detection system. However, the bill excludes from this identification any IHE that demonstrates to ED, for each student and before disbursing federal financial aid, that the IHE (1) verifies the student's identity in person or by live video, (2) notifies ED of the identify verification, and (3) maintains a record of such identity verification. ED may use identification information to inform program reviews, audits, investigations, and other oversight activities related to federal student aid. (On April 26, 2026, ED began implementing a real-time identity fraud detection process within the FAFSA form that places applicants into one of four risk categories. High-risk applicants must confirm their identity by presenting documentation during the online application process, including via a live camera process. Applicants who are rejected via this automated process must then have their identity verified in person by IHEs.)
Sponsors
- Glenn Thompson (primary)
- Virginia Foxx
Text versions
What analysts say
CBO cost estimates
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H.R. 7891, Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026
— 2026-05-13
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Education and Workforce on March 17, 2026
Full estimate published at cbo.gov; it will appear here once an archived or committee-report copy is available.
Committee reports
What politicians say
No linked claims or utterances yet — no one on record has cited this measure to justify a public argument.
Action History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-668. |
| 2026-05-26 | Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 582. |
| 2026-03-17 | Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held |
| 2026-03-17 | Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 33 - 0. |
| 2026-03-12 | Introduced in House |
| 2026-03-12 | Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. |