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To:
Student Activists
From:
Ellynne Bannon, State PIRGs Higher Education Advocate
Date:
December 10, 2001
*** Call
Today: Urge Congress not to cut the Pell Maximum Grant***
Congress
is set to make a final decision on funding levels for the
Pell Grant in FY02 this week. Both the House and Senate appropriations
bills recommended a $4,000 Pell Grant maximum award, yet there
is pressure to cut the award because of the shortfall. Call
your representatives today and urge them not to cut the $4,000
Pell Grant maximum.
Last month
the Bush administration sent a letter to Senate leadership
informing them that thousands more Pell-eligible students
than expected are attending college this year. While this
is good news-- because it means that an increasing number
of poor students see a college education as possible, it means
that the Pell Grant program is facing a $1.7 billion shortfall.
To solve
this problem, the administration has proposed reducing next
year's planned increase in the Pell Grant maximum from $4,000
to its current level of $3,750. As members are about to make
final spending decisions the administration continues to advocate
for a cut in the maximum award. Cutting the maximum Pell Grant
award is the wrong approach. While Congress has worked to
restore the value of the Pell grant, the current economic
climate may put us even further behind. Decreasing the maximum
award threatens to halt the significant progress we have made
in recent years to restore the buying power of the Pell Grant
program. The shortfall must be addressed to ensure that students
receive the $4,000 maximum award that they have been promised.
Urge your Senators and Representatives to fully fund the $4,000
maximum award.
Action:
Call your Representatives and Senators and tell him/her not
to cut the maximum Pell Grant award.
Call your
Senators and Members of Congress by using the student aid
hotline: 1 (800) 574-4AID.
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