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To:
Student Activists
From:
Ellynne Bannon, State PIRGs Higher Education Advocate
Date:
December 19, 2001
****
Call to thank your Members of Congress for passing a $4,000
maximum Pell Grant award ****
Last night
Congress passed the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill
for FY02 and included a $4,000 maximum Pell Grant award. The
$4,000 award is a $250 increase over FY01, and is $150 more
than the President's request.
During
the last few weeks Members of Congress heard from students
across the country in support of the $4,000 maximum award
level. Thanks to your calls and emails Congress made the final
decision to increase the maximum award to $4,000.
Congress
also approved increased funding for other important higher
education programs:
** $725 million for Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(SEOG)-a $34 million increase over FY01.
** $67 million for Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships
(LEAP), an increase of $7 million.
While
the Pell shortfall still remains-and is expected to increase
over the next year-the $4,000 maximum is the right step in
making college more affordable. The increase also signals
Congress' commitment to increasing the maximum award and ensuring
access to higher education for all Americans.
Action:
Please take the time to call your representatives and thank
them for supporting the $4,000 maximum Pell Grant award and
for their commitment to make college more affordable.
You can
contact your members of Congress via the Student Aid Alliance
Hotline, (800) 574-4AID.
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