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May
14, 2002
The
Honorable C.W. Young, Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
2407 Rayburn House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515 |
The
Honorable David Obey,
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
2314 Rayburn House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
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Dear
Mr. Chairman and Representative Obey,
The United
States Student Association and the State PIRGs' Higher Education
Project thank you for your leadership and commitment to advancing
a Supplemental Appropriations bill that includes $1 billion
in funding to help cover the FY2002 Pell Grant shortfall.
We believe that this is an important step in making college
a reality for the millions of Americans.
As college
costs rise, state budgets shrink and federal grant aid fails
to keep pace, many students and families struggle to finance
a higher education. Increasingly students are turning to loans
as a primary means to finance their college education. According
to new data from the Department of Education the typical Pell
Grant borrower graduates with nearly $19,000 in federal student
loan debt. In addition, nearly half of all full-time students
are working a number of hours that hurt their grades and overall
academic achievement in order to cover college costs.
Pell Grants
are the cornerstone of federal financial grant aid system.
Today more than four million students depend on the Pell Grant
program to attend college.
We support
your efforts to cover the $1.3 billion Pell Grant shortfall
and again we thank you for your commitment to the students
who depend on Pell Grants to continue their education. Your
leadership on student aid issues will make a college education
more affordable for millions of Americans.
Sincerely,
Corey
Barbour
U.S. Student Association Legislative Director
Ellynne
Bannon
State PIRGs Higher Education Advocate
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