APLU Statement on Congressional Deal on FY2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill

APLU President Mark Becker today issued the following statement on bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill.

“In coming to an agreement on a Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill, Congress is avoiding a continuing resolution that would have meant flat funding and instead is poised to pass a bill that will make key investments in higher education and the U.S. research enterprise. Doing so will bolster college access, affordability, and completion while supporting new discoveries and innovations that save lives and drive economic growth. We urge both chambers of Congress to quickly pass this bill and send it to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“The $500 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award, the largest single year increase since 2009-10, will enhance college affordability for millions of low-income students who rely on the grants to pay for college and ultimately earn a degree that is key to upward economic mobility and the strength of the nation. We are pleased with the $45 million allocated to a Postsecondary Student Success Fund that represents the federal government’s largest investment in supporting innovative practices on campuses to ensure students remain on track and earn their diploma to maximize the limitless opportunities that come with a college degree. This is a program that has the potential to upscale the evidence-based practices we know work in best supporting the success of students. Importantly, the bill also includes a $50 million new program within the Department of Education to support research infrastructure at HBCUs and MSIs.

“The bill also makes critical increased investments in federal research at agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health. The more than $1 billion increase for NSF includes the first round of funding to begin the implementation of the historic CHIPS and Science Act that was enacted earlier this year to vault game-changing discoveries made in the lab into life-changing innovations in the marketplace.

“While the investments announced today represent key progress in long-standing efforts to bolster U.S. economic competitiveness, they must be grown and sustained across the coming years to have their intended impact. U.S. economic leadership remains fiercely contested on a global stage, and we must redouble investments in our future to maintain our competitive edge.”