New Data Show Thousands of Students In Every Congressional District Rely on Pell Grants to Pay for College

Press Release

Thousands of students in every Congressional district will use a Pell Grant to help pay for college in the upcoming school year, according to new data released today. Under the Democratic majority, the Pell Grant increased to its highest level ever. Beginning in 2014, the grant will keep up with rising costs-of-living being indexed to the Consumer Price Index. In U.S. Rep. George Miller's (D-CA) district, 17,197 are expected to receive a Pell Grant in the 2011-2012 school year.

Under the Republican budget, the maximum Pell Grant award would be cut to $3,040 for the 2012-2013 school year, the lowest since 1998. For students, this could mean a cut in their aid of more than $2,500, making college far less affordable.

"The Republicans say their budget proposal is a path to prosperity. Without Pell, there is no pathway at all for millions of college students," said Miller, senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee. "This comes down to a values decision. Instead of showing real leadership by helping needy college students, the Republicans have decided to give tax breaks to big oil companies. Their values and their budget is unbalanced and unfair."

"The very strength of our nation is at stake here. We should find a way to keep our commitment to Pell grants strong, so that millions of students can continue to take their futures in their own hands. Everyone agrees that we need to get our fiscal house in order, reduce the deficit and cut programs that do not work," said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), senior Democrat on the Labor, Education, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. "I believe our choice is clear -- we should start by ending the $40 billion in oil company subsidies we give out every year. But my Republican colleagues have chosen to continue support for all these subsidies and tax giveaways, both in the 2011 budget and Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin's "Roadmap to Ruin.' And Mr. Ryan has signaled the majority's desire to cut Pell funding, the foundation of our student aid system, in the future."

In DeLauro's district, 16,216 are expected to receive a Pell Grant in the upcoming school year.

To view a breakdown of the Pell Grant recipients in each district for the 2011-2012 school year, click here.

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