| Show GOP Leaders Seek To Increase Pell Grant I r r By Christine Tatum College Press Exchange I t CHICAGO Some student student stu stu- t dent activists have been riled since President Clinton unveiled his proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed budget for fiscal 2000 a few months ago but with the crisis in they haven't been too surprised surprised surprised sur sur- that their concerns with the maximum Pell Grant award haven't been atop too many Washington agendas But they're fighting lighting with new t fervor now and they've got the House of Representatives Committee Commit- Commit t tee on Education and the Workforce backing them r The Th e committee w which h. h IC h. h is In in charge of the Education Departments Department's Departments Department's Departments Department's Depart Depart- ments ment's budget approved a resolution resolution resolution tion April 21 calling on Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant by and to spend more money on existing student-aid student programs before funding any new education initiatives The bipartisan measure approved 36 10 came only a day after David Longanecker outgoing assistant secretary for education said Republican- Republican led efforts to increase the maximum Pell Pen to were well but unlikely to help low- low income students as much as promoters promoters promoters pro pro- of the idea might suspect urged lawmakers to stick with Clinton's proposed increase of Increasing the maximum Pell to the level stu- stu those people who are going to qualify qualify qualify for the tax breaks in the first from households households households house house- place Its It's for students holds with the lowest lowest incomes To say that the Pell shouldn't be bc increased for the lowest lowest lowest low low- est income students because that would cost middle-income middle students is just ridiculous We Ve need to make sure those lowest-income lowest students are benefiting all they can from the Pell because they sure arent aren't going to get any tax credits The measure has created a curious curious curious curi curi- ous alliance between student groups and the GOP they've traditionally loathed No one thinks dents and GOP Gap 7 I 7 this is s 's as funny as leaders are The The 1 Pell Isn isn't t for t those i h ose peOple i I e we do pushing for 41 4 said But hey would qualify WhO are gOIng tO qua qualify 1 1 fy for lOr t the h e taX were we're not going to toan toan toan an additional additional t i 1 X 4 1 t 4 look a 8 horse gift horse ft-horse stu- stu breaks in the first p place I ace It Its s for tor stu- stu in the mouth The legislative dents for the vi 41 1 award but it dents fro from in households With WIt h t the h e I lOW lOW- OW- OW support has also would also cost cost created division t r i 1 the federal go gov- gov v- v vest eSt lowest Incomes To lO Say that t the h e among more It A lobbyists than 1 i billion Pell M shouldn't t be increased for t the 1 h e who vho feel reel that this year and some educational result in shrink- shrink lOWeSt 1 income Income StUdentS 1 1 beCaUSe that t programs may be being being being ing tuition tax funded at the i 11 i A A breaks for most WOUld COSt middle-inCOme middle StUdentS is IS expense of others grant i i namely namey those L Longa- Longa nga- nga JUSt dust rl ridiculous d. d l 9 l targeted at ele- ele necker said and high its Jamie legislative director for the school students ing how the The Student Aid White House United States Student Stul Association Alliance a con- con 1 just doesn t get it said Jamie legislative director for the United States Stud Student Student Stu Stu- d dent nt Association The Pell isn't for ot or more than 50 higher-education higher associations associations associations endorsed the committees committee's resolution resolution resolution res res- res- res praising GOP leaders for forI I backing core student-aid student programs but The Committee for Education Funding a coalition of more than 90 pro-education pro groups opposed it In a letter to lawmakers the 1 CEF noted the importance of supporting supporting sup- sup porting Clinton budget proposals 1 that include money to help states s shire hire d new school grade-school teachers and reduce class sizes The Republican plan according to Education Secretary Richard W. W Riley ignores the importance of preparing students for college Although Democratic leaders say the GOP is playing political games to lure young voters and spiff up an image that hasn't traditionally traditionally traditionally 1 been linked with support for higher education Republican j leaders said they simply wanted to get their support for important stu stu- stu- stu dent-aid dent programs on the record According to the committees committee's resolution the three campus-based campus student aid programs most deserving deserving deserving ing of support are the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program Program Program Pro Pro- gram the Work-Study Work Program and the Perkins Loan Program Dont misread the resolution said Rep Howard P. P Buck McKeon McKeon McKeon McK- McK eon a California Republican who serves on the committee It doesn't say only fund Pell and the campus- campus based programs it doesn't say we should cut the size class-size teacher program and it doesn't propose pr propose pose cut cut- 4 ling ting existing programs This resolution resolution resolution tion simply establishes the committees committee's committees committee's committees committee's commit commit- tees tee's funding priorities |
