Contact:

Ben Wakana (Shea-Porter), 202-295-7608

Staci Cox (Moore), 202-225-4572

Tiffany Haas (Payne), 202-225-3436

 

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Representatives Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Gwen Moore (WI-4), and Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10) led 142 bipartisan Members of Congress in urging the House Appropriations Committee to protect funding for TRIO, a nationwide network of programs that help students, veterans, and working adults access higher education, navigate their courses, and graduate.

 

“TRIO represents a sound investment in our entire nation,” the members wrote. “We hope that you will continue to give TRIO programs a high priority in the FY 2015 appropriations cycle.”

 

TRIO programs are designed to help low-income individuals, first-generation college students, veterans, and individuals with disabilities progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to college. Across the country, TRIO serves almost 760,000 students through programs such as Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Educational Opportunity Centers. 

 

Under sequestration, 31,000 low-income, first-generation students lost access to the academic tutoring, college and career counseling, and mentoring services provided by TRIO. The FY 2014 omnibus appropriations legislation restored most of the lost funding to TRIO. 

 

In July 2013, Shea-Porter, Moore, and 19 Representatives sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee requesting that Federal TRIO Programs be protected from further cuts under sequestration in Fiscal Year 2014.

 

Full text of Shea-Porter, Moore, and Payne’s letter, along with the full list of 142 signatures, can be viewed here.