TICAS Statement on Trump Administration’s FY20 Budget for Higher Education

“Today’s budget proposal would raise would costs and increase student debt. The Administration would make students pay $207 billion more on their student loans, a dangerously wrong-headed proposal. Overall, to cut the Department of Education’s annual funding by 12 percent, the Administration would cut Pell grant funding, eliminate SEOG scholarships, and halve work-study funding. These deep cuts overshadow otherwise worthwhile changes, such as automatically enrolling distressed borrowers in income-driven repayment, automating the annual income recertification process, and modernizing student loan servicing. As college remains more crucial for economic opportunity than ever before and costs continue to rise, these proposals move in the exact opposite direction that students and our economy need.”