Speak Up: Tell the Senate
to save Pell Grants
Once
again, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to balance the federal
budget on the backs of low-income Americans.
A
few weeks ago, the House passed legislation to cut off funding for
regulations that would protect low-income students from those for-profit
college companies that prey on them. However, thanks to the efforts
of thousands of activists, these provisions weren’t included in the final
Fiscal Year 2011 budget.
Now,
the House is attempting to deliver another blow to low-income
students: On Friday, it passed a 2012 budget that would slash the
Pell Grant program by as much as 60 percent. Beginning this fall, the
maximum grant could plummet from $5,550 per year to as low as $2,100.
Once again,
low-income students and their allies must fight back.
The Pell Grant cut must be stopped in the Senate.
Senators
need to hear how Pell Grants keep the dream of a college education—and all
that it offers—alive for low-income Americans.
Whether
you or someone you know has benefited from a Pell Grant, or you simply
support keeping college opportunity open to all, we
invite you to sign our online petition and share your story.
In
letters to the House last week, advocates like you articulated what Pell
Grants mean to them. One woman said her Pell-funded degree inspired her
young daughter’s dreams of attending college. Another man, who now
works at a major software company, wants his tax dollars to go to
hard-working students who deserve the same chance at the American dream
that he had.
Speak
Up! Sign
our petition and tell the Senate why it can’t sacrifice Pell to balance the
budget. We’ll share your message with key Senators and others engaged
in the debate about the future of Pell.
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