Posts Tagged ‘pell grants’

Video: Bankers Stealing for Students

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

The battle to make college more affordable has come down to a critical few weeks in the Senate.  The banks and student loan companies already have spent millions of dollars on lobbying, PR firms, and advertisements in their attempt to stop reform and hang on to $87 billion in subsidies that could be going to help students.

Now Campus Progress is taking action.  We’ve raised money to put this :30 second spot on cable TV and on Hulu in key states across the country:

We don’t have the kind of money student loan companies have, so we’re going to need your help spreading the ad on Facebook, Twitter, and email if we’re going to get the word out. Click here to help us spread the word.

Want to do some Pell Raising on Your Campus?

Friday, September 25th, 2009

header copy


Campus Progress is working with partners like the US Students Association and the PIRGs to mobilize students across the country for the Raising Pell Week of Action, October 6th – 8th.

Students are taking action to ensure that their Senators support President Obama’s plan to stop funding government subsidies to banks, and instead increase the Federal Pell Grant.

Take a stand and organize an event on your campus. If you are interested in participating in the week of action to your campus, fill out our event request form, or contact us atorganize@campusprogress.org.

To learn more about the issue, visit Students Over Banks. (more…)

Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act Passes House Education Committee with Bipartisan Support

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

In a 30-17 vote, the House Education and Labor Committee passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA, HR 3221) today, making it likely that it will reach the full House within the week.

The bill would represent the largest investment in student aid in US history. By cutting wasteful subsidies to student loan companies, this legislation would save $87 billion over ten years that would be reinvested in increasing student aid, investing in college access and completion programs, supporting community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and minority serving institutions, and other programs that would increase educational opportunities for low and middle income families. It would also commit $10 billion to reducing the deficit.

There were several important changes to the bill, including: (more…)

Legislation Based on Obama Proposal to be Introduced This Week

Monday, July 13th, 2009
Pell Grant Purchasing Power Graph

Pell Grant Purchasing Power Graph

According to an article in the New York Times, the House Committee on Education and Labor will be introducing legislation this week along the lines of President Obama’s proposal to cut wasteful subsidies to student loan companies and use the $87 billion in savings to make college more affordable for low and middle income students.

Loan companies circulated at least 13 different plans on Capitol Hill, lobbied furiously against the President’s proposal, and finally (almost) uniting around a single “Frankenstein” counter-proposal. It now looks like these efforts have failed to influence the shape of the legislation that will be considered in the House Education and Labor Committee. (more…)