[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 41 (Thursday, March 9, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H1959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FLEXIBLE PELL GRANTS FOR 21ST CENTURY STUDENTS

  (Ms. STEFANIK asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, the Pell Grant Program is the backbone of 
all Federal student aid. These grants provide access and opportunity to 
thousands of students across the country.
  When I speak with North Country students and teachers in my district, 
I hear about the positive impacts of Pell grants. In my district, an 
average of 52 percent of students attending SUNY institutions are 
offered Pell grants.
  Today's learners are different than previous generations, and their 
advancement toward completion is stifled by a Federal aid system built 
upon traditional spring and fall semesters. To support our students, I 
have introduced the Flexible Pell Grants for 21st Century Students Act, 
important legislation to expand access to Pell grants year-round. This 
change will allow students to accelerate toward completion and achieve 
their goals with less debt.
  We must do more to bring flexibility to higher education, and I 
encourage all of my colleagues to support this important bill.

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