December, 22 2010, 10:05am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Rich Williams
Higher Education Advocate
Office: 202-546-9707
rwilliams@pirg.org
Congress Acts to Stave Off Student Aid Cuts
Statement of U.S. PIRG Higher
Education Advocate Rich Williams on last night's vote in the House
of Representatives, 193- 165 to pass a budget extension, or continuing
resolution, which fully funds the nation's
premier student aid program, the Pell grant.
WASHINGTON
Statement of U.S. PIRG Higher
Education Advocate Rich Williams on last night's vote in the House
of Representatives, 193- 165 to pass a budget extension, or continuing
resolution, which fully funds the nation's
premier student aid program, the Pell grant.
"Congress did the right thing by maintaining current levels of funding
for the nearly 9 million students currently receiving the Pell Grant. Without
the additional $5.7 billion in aid to ensure the Pell grant maximum remains
at $5,550, students with the most financial need would have seen a $845
reduction in their aid next year.
"At a time when our nation's recovering workforce will soon need
as many trained professionals as possible, a cut in student aid would have
had dire consequences for job training and higher education.
"The continuing resolution only funds the Pell Grant program through
March 4, when education groups expect to rally once again to maintain current
funding levels."
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, we take on the special interests on issues, such as product safety,political corruption, prescription drugs and voting rights,where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress.
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A campaign finance watchdog on Wednesday filed a Federal Election Commission complaint accusing former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, affiliated political groups, and an accounting firm of violating U.S. law in a scheme "seemingly designed to obscure the true recipients of a noteworthy portion of Trump's legal bills."
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