H.R. 10661 explained · 119th Congress · Pending in Congress
Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026
Cosponsors: 1 (1 D, 0 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-14
Introduced: 2026-10-01
Latest action (2026-10-01): Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
What H.R. 10661 does, in plain terms
Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026 This bill requires the Department of Education to issue guidance and recommendations for institutions of higher education to remove criminal and juvenile justice questions from their admission applications.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.
Constitution Index
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What should pass
“VFA SI Solution”
SI-generated · passed automated checks (Constitution citation, source verification, independent SI critic) · not individually reviewed by a person · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
Fair Start College Access and Campus Safety Act
Generated by VFA SI Solutions
Help more people with criminal or juvenile records apply to college by reducing the barrier of record-related questions on admission applications.
Bipartisan rationale: VFA assesses this draft honors Democratic and progressive priorities by expanding fair access to college for applicants with criminal or juvenile records and by supporting second chances through practical grants. VFA assesses it honors Republican and conservative priorities by rejecting a federal mandate on admission forms, keeping admissions and safety decisions with colleges and states, capping spending with no new tax, and requiring a five-year sunset with annual review.
Possible legislative path: In the House, support may come from members focused on education access and second chances, while opposition may come from members concerned about federal reach into admissions; in the Senate, a voluntary and capped approach may draw broader support, with debate centered on safety and federalism.
Source limits: The full bill text, current law, eligibility rules, appeal rights, cost effects, and statutory conflicts were not included in the official summary. The proposed grants, caps, safeguards, and reports would be new. Readers should verify the current bill status and full text at Congress.gov before relying on this draft.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 Amendment X Amendment V
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