Nita Lowey: “My amendment would add $300 to the maximum Pell grant for a total maximum award of $3,800. As we are all aware, the cost…”

“My amendment would add $300 to the maximum Pell grant for a total maximum award of $3,800. As we are all aware, the cost of a college education has been increasing faster than the rate of inflation, putting college out of reach for many Americans. The Federal Government has had a role in helping students gain access to college since the GI bill in 1944. Financial aid has evolved over time into a safety net of programs that have made college possible for generations of Americans, including many of the staffers who work in this House, and perhaps some of the Members, too. The Pell grant program is the cornerstone of that safety net, providing grant aid to nearly 4 million needy students. It is one of the few sources of grant aid still available to help cut down on the crushing college debt burden assumed by so many students and their families today. The Pell funding in this bill is simply inadequate to meet the costs of higher education today.”