PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Congressional Research Service
Version 17 · Reported to House with amendment(s) · Jul 17, 2014
Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act of 2014 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to select up to 20 institutions of higher education (IHEs) or systems or consortia of IHEs to: (1) carry out, on a voluntary basis, competency-based education demonstration projects; and (2) receive waivers of certain statutory and regulatory requirements that would otherwise prevent such an entity from participating in federal student aid programs or inhibit the operation of competency-based education.
Defines "competency-based education" as an educational process or program that measures students' knowledge, skills, and experience through assessments instead of, or in addition to, measuring their credit or clock hours.
Includes in the waivers: (1) limitations on the provision of instruction through correspondence courses, (2) requirements that schools provide a minimum number of weeks of instruction, and (3) requirements that students enroll for at least a minimum number of credit or clock hours.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires each demonstration project to enroll a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 3,000 students.
Requires the Secretary to prioritize proposed demonstration projects that show promise in reducing the time or cost required to complete a degree, certificate, or credential.
Prohibits the Secretary from selecting an IHE or a system or consortium of IHEs to conduct a competency-based education demonstration project if such entity had, for one of the two preceding fiscal years: (1) a cohort default rate of 30% or greater, and (2) more than 50% of its students borrowing title IV loans.
Requires each entity carrying out a demonstration project to provide the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences with certain disaggregated information regarding the students participating in the project, including the average number of competencies a student acquires while participating in the project and the time it takes the student to acquire such competencies.
Requires the Director, annually, to: (1) evaluate each competency-based education demonstration project, and (2) submit a report to Congress that includes information on the evaluations and recommendations for enhancing those projects.
Directs the Secretary, on a continuing basis, to: (1) oversee, and provide technical assistance to, the demonstration projects; and (2) consult with accrediting entities and state regulatory authorities for additional ways to improve the delivery of competency-based education.
Makes $1 million of the amount authorized to be appropriated for Department of Education salaries and expenses available to carry out this Act and its amendments.
People & committees
Rep. Salmon, Matt [R-AZ-5] · R–AZ
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 414 - 0 (Roll no. 441).
House roll call 441 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 414 - 0 (Roll no. 441).
House roll call 441 · Individual votesSubsequent to the announcement by the Chair that H.R. 3136 had passed by voice vote, Mr. Kline asked unanimous consent that it be in order to put the question of passage to a recorded vote. Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by voice vote.
On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 194 - 221 (Roll no. 440).
House roll call 440 · Individual votesThe previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H6701)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Tierney motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to add a new section allowing the Secretary of Education to provide rebates equal to the rates that new borrowers had available to them from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014. Those rebates are equal to the amount that would be saved from the lower interest rates.
Mr. Tierney moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. (consideration: CR H6700-6702; text:CR H6700)
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H6690-6691)
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H6700)
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 3136.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Grayson amendment No. 11.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Gowdy amendment No. 10.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Polis amendment No. 9.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Gowdy amendment No. 8, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Polis demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the amendment until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Gowdy amendment No. 8.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Duffy amendment No. 7.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Langevin amendment No. 6.
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6695-6702)
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 3136 as unfinished business.
On motion that the Committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
Mr. Kline moved that the Committee rise.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Byrne amendment No. 5.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Polis amendment No. 4.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Walberg amendment No. 3.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Polis amendment No. 2.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 677, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Part A Kline amendment No. 1.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 3136.
The Speaker designated the Honorable Mark E. Amodei to act as Chairman of the Committee.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 677 and Rule XVIII.
The resolution provides a structured rule for H.R. 3136 and H.R. 4984. Both bills are debatable for one hour. The resolution provides for certain amendments to be in order. One motion to recommit with or without instructions is allowed for each bill.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 677. (consideration: CR H6686-6695)
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 677 Reported to House. The rules provides a structured rule for H.R. 3136 and H.R. 4984. Both bills are debatable for one hour with or without instructions.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 395.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 113-529.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 113-529.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Mar 23, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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