House Committee Nixes Pell Grant Increase
WASHINGTON — Members of the House of Appropriations Committee turned down calls last month by Democratic members to increase the maximum Pell Grant to $3,800.
The Republican-controlled committee instead approved another plan that would increase Pell Grants by 6 percent, or $200, to $3,500 in the 2001 fiscal year. Pell Grants support low-income students.
Rep. John E. Porter, R-Ill., chairman of the appropriations committee, said though Pell Grants are top priorities, House leaders gave his subcommittee about $5.5 billion less to work with than the Senate appropriators got. Porter also called for colleges and universities to control their tuition costs, which he says have grown steadily since Congress has increased the size of Pell Grants.
Meanwhile, the committee also approved $1.01 billion for College Work Study, $691 million for Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and $100 million for Perkins loans.
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