Press Release/Statement | March 19, 2013

Senate Budget Makes College Affordability a Priority; House Budget Slashes Pell Grants and Student Loans

The Senate’s fiscal year 2014 budget resolution, which the full Senate is expected to vote on this week, invests in our nation’s families and economy by focusing on college affordability. Crucially, it ensures funding for Pell Grants and takes important steps to keep federal student loans affordable, recognizing that it is getting harder for students of all backgrounds to graduate without debt. The House budget resolution, which the full House begins debating today and will vote on this week, stands in stark contrast. It cuts Pell Grants while doing nothing to protect students from higher borrowing costs. With the country producing fewer college graduates than the economy needs and so many Americans struggling to keep up with college costs and student loan payments, it’s clearly time to make college more affordable, not less.

Read the statement