Chuck Grassley: “I want to recognize the 40th anniversary of a day we call National TRIO Day. On February 24, 1986, a congressional…”

“I want to recognize the 40th anniversary of a day we call National TRIO Day. On February 24, 1986, a congressional resolution declared that February 28 should be designated ``National TRIO Day.'' At the same time, I come here to recognize the achievements of the TRIO programs. Although there are now six distinct TRIO programs, the name TRIO originates from the Higher Education Act of 1968. That Act consolidated a ``trio'' of programs under one overall program. Today, these six programs include Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Centers, the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, and sixth, the Staff Development Training Program. I am a longtime supporter of TRIO programs, and I am a member of the TRIO caucus in the U.S. Senate. As a caucus member, I understand these programs provide critical support to low-income, first-generation college students and prospective students. In 2025, 54 TRIO programs in Iowa served over 18,000 Iowans from sixth grade to graduate programs. As we mark 40 years of National TRIO Day, I commend the educators; I commend the counselors; and I commend the staff--all who have dedicated their careers to students' success. At the same time, I celebrate the generations of students whose lives have been transformed through TRIO.”