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
legislationto 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.