The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, gave no boost to the Federal Pell Grant in 2008. The bill that was passed out of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee funds student aid programs beginning on October 1 and keeps the maximum Pell Grant award at $4,310, which is $390 less than the bill approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee earlier this month.

Congressional leaders tried to assure disappointed education advocates that there was still a chance for increases in the Pell Grant through another deficit-reduction bill in the Senate. Other programs would also be funded at last year's level, with just a few programs receiving slight increases. The Federal Work Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and the Perkins Loan programs would be funded at last year’s levels. The TRIO program on the other hand would receive a $30 million dollar increase and the GEAR UP program would receive a $10 million increase.

The full Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to review the bill tomorrow.

Other Media Coverage

• ‘Tight’ Bill, Modest Gains (Inside Higher Ed)
• Pell Grant Would Be Flat and NIH Budget Would Rise Slightly Under Senate Spending Plan for 2008 (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Advocates Stunned By Proposed Pell Grant Freeze (Diverse Issues in Higher Education)

By Justin Draeger
NASFAA Assistant Director for Communications

Posted 06/20/07 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web Site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.