Feingold Fights the High Costs of Higher Education Highlights Support for Increased Pell Grants, Cracks Down on Scholarship Scams January 18, 2000 Elroy, WI -- U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today emphasized the need to support federal student loan and grant programs. He discussed his work to increase the maximum Pell Grant award, and his efforts to combat the scholarship scams that prey on students trying to defray the high costs of higher education. "Making higher education more accessible and easing the debt burden on students have got to be higher congressional priorities," Feingold said. "Pell Grants give students up-front, direct support to continue their education, so I’m pleased that the final budget deal included a $200 increase in the individual maximum Pell Grant. I was proud to push for a Pell Grant increase as a member of the Budget Committee and to be a part of this victory for increased student financial aid." Feingold has also worked to stop the rapid spread of scholarship scams, where students who are promised "free money" to use toward their tuition are being tricked into paying so-called processing fees that are never returned, for a scholarship that is never received. To crack down on these scholarship scams, Feingold became an original cosponsor of the College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act of 1999. This bill, which unanimously passed the Senate late last year, encourages the Justice Department to pursue and prosecute more scam artists, and provide an additional ten years imprisonment and add additional fines in fraud cases which involve offering of education services. "The bottom line is that we should be offering incentives to higher education in this country, not roadblocks," Feingold said. "As this Congress continues, 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 15th Listening Session of 2000, and 519th since he was first elected in 1992, was held at Royal High and Middle School, beginning at 9 a.m. Feingold’s 16th session of the year and 520th since he was first elected took place at Melrose Mindoro High School beginning at 11:30 a.m.

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