[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FULL FUNDING FOR PELL GRANTS

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                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 13, 2001

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Pell 
Grant Full Funding Act.
  It is time we live up to our promise of providing students from low-
income families access to higher education.
  Although we promise eligible students a maximum Pell Grant award of 
$5,100 for the 2001 school year, we only appropriated funding for a 
$3,750 maximum award.
  How can we renege on a promise to help fund a student's education? We 
must not impose artificial limits. If we really mean what we say about 
all students having access to a higher education, we should interpret 
the Pell Grant Program as an obligation which Congress is according 
based on strict eligibility standards. We do this with Medicare. We 
determine if a person is eligible and then we provide that individual 
with resources for hospitalization, for doctors care, and so forth. We 
do not tell the person they are eligible and then deny them the medical 
care when they show up at the hospital. We must not deny students 
funding for education when they show up at colleges. Obligating 
ourselves to fund what students are entitled to is the only way we are 
going to meet our fundamental responsibility to provide access to 
higher education for all students.
  The Pell Grant Full Funding Act that does just that. It will create a 
contractual obligation on the United States to reimburse institutions 
that award Pell Grants to its eligible students in the full amount they 
are entitled to. Simply put, my bill guarantees that eligible students 
will receive the amount they are entitled to, making it easier to get a 
higher education.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to cosponsor this 
important legislation.

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