[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 24 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       STRAIGHT TALK ON EDUCATION

  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of 
order for 5 minutes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I had the honor and privilege 
of being selected as chairman of the 21st Century Competitiveness 
Subcommittee on the Education and Workforce Committee, which has 
jurisdiction over higher education.
  I am here to give the American people some straight talk about higher 
education. Some have said we might have cut financial aid for college 
students. The truth is we have expanded access to college for our 
neediest students through the record growth of the Pell grant program.
  Pell grants are the foundation of Federal student aid. As someone who 
attended college with the help of Pell grants and as chairman of the 
Pell Grant Caucus, I know how important they are for our Nation's low-
income students.
  Since I was elected to Congress in 2000, Pell grant funding has 
increased by 74 percent, from $7.6 billion to $13.2 billion today. The 
maximum grant has gone from $3,300 in 2000 to $4,050 today, the highest 
level in the program's history. The number of students receiving Pell 
grants has increased from 3.9 million in 2000 to 5.5 million today. We 
have paid down the Pell grant shortfall and secured this great program 
for many years to come.
  Mr. Speaker, the straight talk is that Pell grants are helping more 
students go to college than ever before. My colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle realize that a first-class education is a child's passport 
out of poverty.
  As chairman of the 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee, I will 
fight to make sure that all children, rich or poor, have the 
opportunity to go to college and realize their American Dream.
  I look forward very much to working with my Democratic and Republican 
colleagues in a bipartisan manner to make higher education better for 
all of our students in the future.

                          ____________________