The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA; P.L. 89-329, as amended) authorizes programs and activities that make federal financial assistance available to individuals who are pursuing a postsecondary education and to institutions of higher education (IHEs). It also authorizes a number of other activities and functions related to postsecondary education. The HEA was last comprehensively reauthorized by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA; P.L. 110-315). The HEOA extended the authorization of the appropriation of funds for most HEA programs through FY2014, while the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) provided an extension of that authority for an additional year, through FY2015. Many HEA programs have continued beyond FY2015 with funding provided under a variety of appropriations legislation and continuing resolutions. This report focuses on changes H.R. 4508 would make to the HEA's programs. It begins with an overview identifying and discussing a number of key themes in H.R. 4508. This discussion highlights major changes proposed in the bill. It may be sufficient to meet the needs of readers seeking a general understanding of the primary proposals included in H.R. 4508. The next section of the report examines in more detail the major features of H.R. 4508 and how they relate to current law. The Appendix contains two tables that present information on the proposed authorization of appropriations or budget authority for new programs and for programs currently specified in the HEA and related laws (e.g., the Education of the Deaf Act). The report focuses on the larger changes proposed in H.R. 4508.