APLU Statement on Trump Administration’s FY 2019 Budget Proposal

Washington, DC – Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) President Peter McPherson today released the following statement regarding the Trump administration’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget proposal.

“At a time when we should be increasing support for programs that make college more affordable for students, this budget would eliminate the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, GEAR UP, and Title VI International Education among other programs. It also drastically cuts Work-Study. We are, however, grateful that the budget proposal maintains current support for Pell Grants and doesn’t raid the program’s surplus that will support students in future years. However, we urge the White House to support an inflation adjustment to the maximum Pell Grant award.

“And at a time when Congress is looking to finalize a Fiscal Year 2018 package that could provide much-needed boosts to research at NIH, NSF, and other agencies, the president’s budget proposal wouldn’t just hold those investments flat; it would cut them. This misguided approach would cede the development of new medical treatments and cures along with the creation of new technologies to other countries whose economies stand to benefit from those innovations instead of ours

“As we did this past year, APLU looks forward to working closely with Congress to address the deficiencies in the president’s budget proposal so that higher education and research programs receive the funding needed for our nation to thrive.”