Jim Clyburn: “for 6 years now, Washington Republicans have done absolutely nothing to help college students better afford college.…”

“for 6 years now, Washington Republicans have done absolutely nothing to help college students better afford college. President Bush promised to increase Pell Grants during his first presidential election in 2000, but has refused to live up to that promise. The maximum Pell Grant has been frozen for 4 straight years, and now only covers 32 percent of tuition costs. Inaction was not the problem earlier this year when the Republican Congress raided student aid programs. Our Republican colleagues raided $12 billion from college education programs, forcing the Education Department to raise interest rates on college loans to over 8 percent. Democrats reject these Republican actions. At a time when college students are confronting skyrocketing tuition costs, we think this Congress should be coming up with creative solutions to help college students better afford their education. Today, we should pass an improved Labor-HHS appropriation bill that restores the massive cuts in college tuition assistance imposed on this Congress and expand the size and availability of Pell Grants.”