Jack Fields: “Today we have the opportunity, once and for all, to make incarcerated prisoners ineligible to receive Pell grants--the…”

“Today we have the opportunity, once and for all, to make incarcerated prisoners ineligible to receive Pell grants--the grant program designed to help low- and middle-income students meet the costs of attending college. We can do that by voting for the Gordon-Holden-Fields amendment to the crime bill. Today, incarcerated prisoners are applying for, and obtaining Pell grants. Every dollar in Pell grant funds obtained by prisoners means that fewer law-abiding students who need help in meeting their college costs are eligible for that assistance. It also means that law-abiding students who meet eligibility criteria receive smaller annual grants than they might otherwise obtain. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government spends up to $100 million a year on education and training programs specifically targeted at prisoners-- and that's more than enough, as far as I'm concerned. This amendment mandates that incarcerated prisoners be ineligible to receive Pell grants. Now. Period. No more studies, no more delays. It is a straightforward, simple amendment.”