Kendrick Meek: “we have two different educational experiences beyond high school now. We have our 2-year institutions that are community…”

“we have two different educational experiences beyond high school now. We have our 2-year institutions that are community colleges that many working people have to use to be able to receive a higher education, not because they could not get into a 4-year institution. Many times they have to stay home, Mr. Speaker, to help pay bills. They cannot afford, because of a lack of income or a sick family member, to move away. So they do their first 2 years at community colleges. Then we have another group of individuals that graduate from high school, moving on to a 4-year institution, and they also have to foot their own way through college, or a parent has to pick up an additional job or ask other family members to participate in helping to pay for one's educational experience. And while the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez) is here, I want to make sure that we share with the American people what is going on in this Congress now. Many times people ask, Okay, Democrats, what do you stand for? I mean, it is one thing to describe the problem. It is another thing to make sure that we can talk about and act upon solutions. And I will tell my colleagues that as it relates to doubling the maximum Pell grant award to $11,600 by 2010, I must say that this is a commitment that should be fulfilled because right now we have the typical student that nearly doubled themselves in debt.…”