As the US Congress lame duck session came down to the end there seems to be a problem with the $5.7 billion gap in financing Pell Grants in 2011. This is big news, not because the money is missing for Pell Grants. That was almost expected knowing our politicians, but the problem is where did the savings go from closing down other programs.
Early this year President Barack Obama increased the Pell Grants maximum award per one academic year to $5550 starting in 2011. The Congress was able to increase the award by producing savings. Those savings came from closing down other government college grants and programs. As it turns out the money from those savings could be gone and there is no funds for Pell Grants. This is purely an assumption we make, but it seems reasonable at this point.
The new Congress arrives in January. It is determined to cut spending. At this point it is unclear whether that expansion is sustainable. In case the next Congress does not cover the financial gap, millions of Pell Grant eligible students could see their award reduced. The reduction could be around 15 percent. This would mean the maximum award is going down by $845.
As you can you, there is a valid question that we all should be asking, where did the money go from closing down other grant programs. Our taxes did not go down? Money had to go somewhere. Let's wait and see what will happen in the new Congress.
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