Political Quotes

“Mr. President, 1972 was a watershed year for expanding educational opportunities in this country. The Education Amendments of 1972 included title IX--now known as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act--guaranteeing educational opportunities for women and girls in federally supported educational institutions. But 1972 also saw, within the Education Amendments, the creation of the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant. Today we know it as the Pell Grant. It was named in honor and in recognition of the extraordinary vision and service of my colleague, my predecessor from Rhode Island, Claiborne Pell. He authored this provision. Forty years later, we can see how these two key changes to our educational laws have transformed our Nation and transformed the aspirations of millions of Americans. It is also a good time to reflect on the challenges that remain and to renew our commitment to fulfilling the promise of opportunity represented in the Education Amendments of 1972. Senator Pell's vision was that no student with the talent, drive, and desire should be denied the opportunity for a post-secondary education solely because of a lack of financial resources. Pell grants have opened the doors to a college education for millions of Americans. In the 1973-1974 academic year--the first year students received grants--176,000 Pell grants were awarded. In the school year that began in the fall of 2010, that number grew to over 9.6 million.…”