20 USC 1015f – State commitment to affordable college education
(a) Maintenance of effort required
A State shall provide—
(1) for public institutions of higher education in such State for any academic year beginning on or after July 1, 2008, an amount which is equal to or greater than the average amount provided for non-capital and non-direct research and development expenses or costs by such State to such institutions of higher education during the five most recent preceding academic years for which satisfactory data are available; and
(2) for private institutions of higher education in such State for any academic year beginning on or after July 1, 2008, an amount which is equal to or greater than the average amount provided for student financial aid for paying costs associated with postsecondary education by such State to such institutions during the five most recent preceding academic years for which satisfactory data are available.
(b) Adjustments for biennial appropriations
Terms Used In 20 USC 1015f
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7
The Secretary shall take into consideration any adjustments to the calculations under subsection (a) that may be required to accurately reflect funding levels for postsecondary education in States with biennial appropriation cycles.
(c) Waiver
The Secretary shall waive the requirements of subsection (a), if the Secretary determines that such a waiver would be equitable due to exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, such as a natural disaster or a precipitous and unforseen 1 decline in the financial resources of a State or State educational agency, as appropriate.
(d) Violation of maintenance of effort
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall withhold from any State that violates subsection (a) and does not receive a waiver pursuant to subsection (c) any amount that would otherwise be available to the State under section 1141 of this title until such State has made significant efforts to correct such violation.