Byrd Presses to Make College More Affordable

Byrd Presses to Make College More Affordable

As parents and students fill out financial aid applications for the next school year, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., is working to expand Pell Grants for the first time in five years.

"A college degree should be part of the American dream, not a financial nightmare. That is why I want to make sure that any student with the ability and the desire to attend college has access to the money needed to help pay the tuition bills," Byrd said.

Legislation that Byrd authored, being considered by the Senate this week, would invest $13.6 billion in federal Pell Grants -- an increase of $615.4 million that will increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $260, to $4,310. This increase is key to many students and their families, as the Pell Grant is considered to be the core of any student's college financial aid package.

"The cost of a college education, from housing to books to tuition, has skyrocketed in recent years. Families are making tough choices in their budgets in order to ensure that the tuition bills can be paid," Byrd stated.

The national College Board reports that, in the past five years, tuition and fees for in-state students at public colleges have risen 35 percent after being adjusted for inflation.

Byrd, who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked with his counterpart in the House, Congressman Dave Obey of Wisconsin, to write legislation that funds the operations of the federal government's domestic programs. As part of that effort, they worked to provide a boost to the Pell Grant program.

"Education is the passport to progress, and a college degree is a key to success. I urge West Virginia's students to continue to work hard in the classroom. In the meantime, I shall keep working in the Senate to unlock the doors of our colleges and universities to any student with the talent and the drive to open them," Byrd said.

If approved by the Senate this week, the funding legislation would next go to the White House to be signed into law.

http://byrd.senate.gov/newsroom/news_feb/pell_grants.html