Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

Floor Speech

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Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Chu amendment, and for the 19,000 students in Hawaii who rely on Pell grants to pay for college.

That's 22 percent of the student body at Maui College. 30 percent at the University of * Hawaii at Hilo. 17 percent at UH Manoa. 18 percent at UH West Oahu. 22 percent at Chaminade. 13 percent at Hawaii Pacific University.

The underlying bill turns a blind eye to these 19,000 students in Hawaii, and 9 million students nationwide. H.R. 1 would slash Pell grants by more than 15 percent, the largest cut in the program's history.

Investing in education is an investment in our future. Employees with a bachelor's degree earn more than $20,000 per year more than those without a degree, and in turn contribute more to the economy in taxes and spending. For low-income families struggling to make ends meet, Pell grants are a lifeline to help students pay for college.

Meanwhile, Pell grants have not kept pace with rising tuition costs. In 1979, Pell grants helped low-income students at four-year public colleges pay for 77 percent of their tuition, fees, room, and board. Today, the grant covers less than half that--just 34 percent of college expenses.

In this difficult economy, slashing investments in education like Pell is exactly the wrong move to make. The Chu amendment would restore full funding to the Pell grant program, and I urge my colleagues to adopt it.

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