Proposal to Shore Up Pell Grant Program Advances on Capitol Hill

By Michelle R. Davis

Washington

After a heated few weeks of debate about who cares more about college students, federal lawmakers have tentatively moved ahead with a plan to shore up the program that helps low-income students pay for higher education.

But the $1 billion added to a supplemental spending bill for fiscal 2002 to offset a shortfall in the Pell Grant program hasn't erased bitter feelings between Republicans and Democrats. And despite bipartisan agreement to allocate the extra money, details must be ironed out between proposals in the House and the Senate.

The $29.4 billion spending bill was expected to come up for a vote on the House floor late last week. The $1 billion included in the measure for Pell Grants could help erase a $1.3 billion shortfall in the program, which this year provides qualifying students with up to $4,000 for college. A faltering economy and an increased number of students seeking postsecondary education created the deficit. This year's budget of $10.3 billion fell short despite a 5.7 percent increase over last year's level. More than 4 million students currently use Pell Grants, according to...