FEINGOLD FIGHTS THE HIGH COSTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Senator Supports Pell Grants, Study-Abroad Program for Low-Income
Students
September 15, 2000
Fountain City, WI --
U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today discussed his efforts to increase
funding for Pell Grants, and to establish a program to help
lower-income students study abroad.
" This spring, the U.S. Senate
gave some new life to the neglected ideal that every qualified
student deserves equal access to higher education when it passed the
Kennedy-Feingold amendment to increase the maximum Pell Grant by
$350," Feingold said. "That increase was ultimately
stripped out by a conference committee, but now there’s new
hope that a $350 increase -- which would be the largest in history
-- will make it to the President’s desk before the end of the
year."
Feingold also is working to craft
legislation to create a program, similar to
the Pell Grant program, which would give scholarships to qualified
low-income students to study abroad while attending a U.S. college
or university.
"International issues --
from commerce to intellectual property rights -- are becoming an
increasingly larger component of our children's education,"
Feingold said. "Fortunately, Wisconsin has been on the cutting
edge of promoting equal access to these opportunities through its
sister state relationships and promoting access to study abroad
opportunities. I hope to help more students to have the same access
to study abroad opportunities."
Feingold said he would continue to
push for measures that give all people access to higher education,
whatever their economic background. "The bottom line is that we
should be offering incentives to higher education in this country,
not roadblocks," Feingold said.
" I’ll keep pushing for the higher
education funding that the students of today need to build a
successful future for themselves, and brighter future for the
nation."
Feingold's 60th Listening Session of 2000, and
564th since he was first elected in 1992, was held at Fountain City High
School, beginning at
1:15 p.m. Feingold’s 61st Listening Session of 2000, and 565th since he
was first elected, was held at Pepin Village Hall beginning at 3:45 p.m.
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