PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Pell Grants Protected, Student Aid in Peril!
  1. Signatures
    2,082 out of 2,500
    Petitioning
    1. The President of the United States (+ 18 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The President of the United States
      • The U.S. Senate
      • The U.S. House of Representatives
      • Rep. John Boehner (OH-08)
      • Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-01)
      • Rep. John Kline (MN-02)
      • Rep. Denny Rehberg (MT-01)
      • Sen. Richard Shelby (AL)
      • Sen. Jeff Sessions (AL)
      • Sen. Daniel Inouye (HI)
      • Sen. Tom Harkin (IA)
      • Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY)
      • Sen. Thad Cochran (MS)
      • Sen. Kent Conrad (ND)
      • Rep. Hal Rogers (KY-05)
      • Sen. Harry Reid (NV)
      • Rep. George Miller (CA-07)
      • Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-08)
      • Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03)
  2. Created By
    StudentPIRGs
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

Congress recently came together during the debt ceiling deal to invest $17 billion into the Pell Grant program, but at a cost of additional debt to some students.  Pell Grants were the ONLY program mentioned in the entire debt deal and the bipartisan effort to protect the program is worthy of note.

However, Congress now begins work on the yearly budget and appropriations process and the future of student aid programs remains unclear.  

As it stands, House Budget Chairman Ryan's budget is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Preying upon genuine concern for our fiscal future, this budget takes direct aim at student aid programs that help job-seekers get the skills, training, and credentials they need to re-enter the recovering workforce.

Higher education drives economic growth. Eighty percent of the fastest growing jobs in the country demand training above a high school level. Our workforce needs 22 million more degrees by 2018, but we will fall short by three million degrees if we cannot increase graduation rates. Meanwhile, 43 states have already cut funding to higher education, pushing even more of the cost on to students and their families.

If this Congress is serious about job recovery, reducing access to college is the wrong approach. We should be investing in student aid and looking for ways to increase the funding, not cut it, to enable more qualified students to stay in school, graduate, and enter the workforce with the skills that our economy demands.

With more than 13 million Americans unemployed and looking for work, our leaders must be doing all they can to help job-seekers get the skills, training, and credentials they need to re-enter the workforce. Chairman Ryan's FY12 budget must be rejected, along with any budget that cuts student aid. 

See the letter 31 organizations sent urging Congress to fund Pell Grants at $5,550..

You can find more information about the Student PIRG higher education project at http://www.uspirg.org/higher-education

Also join our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/studentpirgs and at http://www.facebook.com/savestudentaid 

 

 

 

 

 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Thanks for Protecting the Pell Grant!

Hello,

Thank you for protecting Pell Grants in the initial debt ceiling deal! It is rare to see true bipartisan support in our country but if any program is deserving of it, Pell is that program.

Please continue to support student aid in the budget process and as the 'super' committee works to find spending reductions.

Education drives economic growth. Eighty percent of the fastest growing jobs in America demand training above a high school level. Current estimates show America needs 22 million more degrees by 2018, however we are on pace to be 3 million short because of high college costs.

In the current economy, 43 states have already cut funding to higher education, pushing more costs onto students themselves. Rising costs will prevent over three million college qualified students from low and moderate-income backgrounds from getting a degree this decade. Pell Grant funding must be maintained in order to deliver the skilled workers our economy demands.

Please support student aid in the budget process and as the 'super' committee looks for spending reductions.

[Your name]

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