[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 110 (Thursday, June 26, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H2984]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CUTS TO PELL GRANTS
(Mr. DeSAULNIER asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, on May 22, House Republicans passed
their budget bill, which would make major cuts to the Pell Grant
program in order to finance tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. This will
be one of the largest transfers of multigenerational wealth in the
history of the country.
Pell grants are awarded to help low-income students afford the cost
of higher education so that they can focus on their coursework.
Republican changes would force students with disabilities, students
with jobs, and primary caregivers to increase their course load or risk
losing their Pell grant awards.
Over 5,000 students in the district I represent in northern
California receive Pell grants. A study by the Center for Economic and
Policy Research found that the average income in a community rises by
2\1/2\ percent for every 1 percent increase in Pell grants.
We should focus on making education more accessible and doubling the
maximum Pell grant, not cutting off support for students who need it
the most for people who need support the least.
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