[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 8 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 8

 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the maximum amount of a 
                          Federal Pell Grant.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 24, 2005

Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Feingold, and Mr. Coleman) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the maximum amount of a 
                          Federal Pell Grant.

Whereas public investment in higher education yields a return of several dollars 
        for each dollar invested;
Whereas higher education promotes economic opportunity and recipients of 
        bachelor's degrees earn 73 percent more in lifetime earnings than those 
        with only a secondary school diploma and are also significantly less 
        likely to be unemployed;
Whereas access to a college education has become a hallmark of American society, 
        and is vital to upholding our belief in equality of opportunity;
Whereas for a generation, the Federal Pell Grant has served as an established 
        and effective means of providing access to higher education;
Whereas when viewed in constant dollars, the value of today's Pell Grant maximum 
        award has actually declined by 16 percent since the mid 1970s;
Whereas grant aid as a portion of student aid has fallen significantly in the 
        past 30 years;
Whereas in 1975, grant aid constituted approximately 80 percent of total student 
        aid awarded to college students and loans constituted only 17 percent, 
        now this has reversed with grants making up only 38 percent, and loans 
        covering 56 percent of total student aid; and
Whereas the increasing reliance on borrowing to finance a higher education is 
        particularly burdensome on low-income families and has negative 
        consequences for the enrollment of these students.
Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the maximum Federal Pell Grant for which a student 
        should be eligible during award year 2005-2006 should be 
        $4,500; and
            (2) the authorized levels for the Federal Pell Grant 
        maximum amount found in section 401 of the Higher Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) should be set high enough to 
        accommodate a Federal Pell Grant amount of $9,000 by award year 
        2010-2011.
                                 <all>