APLU Statement on Congressional Proposal to Double Pell Grants

Washington, DC – APLU President Peter McPherson today released the following statement regarding the introduction of a bill in the House and Senate that would double the maximum Pell Grant award and expand the program’s eligibility to Dreamers.

“We applaud the House and Senate reintroduction of the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act (PGPEA). This bill sets an important legislative pathway to double the maximum federal Pell Grant award to $13,000, which would make the dream of an affordable higher education a reality for millions of disadvantaged current and prospective students. A higher education has long been the most effective way to ensure upward economic mobility. The Pell Grant program has been central in our nation’s efforts to ensure students from low-income households have the opportunity to go to college, earn a degree, and experience unlimited, lifelong opportunities for success.

“This bill also proposes critical updates to the Pell Grant program, including fully funding the program through mandatory spending, reinstating the mandatory inflation adjustment for grants, and extending eligibility to Dreamers. These are essential policies that will support higher education access and success for low-income students and make critical progress in achieving equity goals.

“APLU looks forward to working with Congress to strengthen the bill’s provisions during the legislative process, helping to achieve the goals of promoting student success and completion while ensuring that institutions have appropriate flexibility to set institutional aid policies to meet the needs of their students.