In Support Of Increasing Pell Grants

IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING PELL GRANTS -- (House of Representatives - January 17, 2007)

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of increasing Pell Grants, which we have done over the past 12 years, contrary to what we heard earlier. This action would have the greatest impact on helping lower-income students afford a college education.

Later today, the House will consider legislation that is intended to increase college access by temporarily reducing subsidized student loan interest rates, a helpful measure. But I suggest to my colleagues that an average 18-year-old student will not base whether they can go to college on whether their percentage of interest rate is 6.8 today or 6.14 for the 2007 year. What would make a difference is the amount of aid, either grants or loans, that is immediately available to help them afford school. To make college accessible, we should focus on what we can do now for students, not when they graduate.

Regardless of how you feel today, we need to work together on a bipartisan basis to increase Pell Grants to ensure that they are sufficient to help students to afford a higher education. This would be a very effective way to help students from low- and middle-income families afford college.

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