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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 15 May 2019

Trump faces backlash over plan to dip into Pell reserves

Monday, he said the $18 for the grants, which often billion budget hole. In that
million had officially been happens during economic case, lawmakers saved
added to his budget pro- downturn. It’s meant to the program by infusing it
posal. avoid another crisis like one with other federal funding
Congress has been build- during the Great Reces- and by raising eligibility re-
ing a surplus for the pro- sion, when the number of quirements, cutting access
gram to guard against a Pell recipients jumped by for tens of thousands of
sudden surge in demand 1.2 million and left a $10 students.q

In this May 3, 2017, file photo Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
speaks during a school choice event in the Roosevelt Room of
the White House in Washington.
Associated Press
By COLLIN BINKLEY Education, which repre-
AP Education Writer sents more than 1,700 col-
Education advocates say a lege presidents. “This really
Trump administration plan is an expression of priorities
to use federal Pell Grant by the administration.”
money to fund space ex- All told, the White House
ploration would jeopardize wants to steer $3.9 billion
aid for future college stu- away from the Pell pro-
dents and could trigger a gram’s surplus, which is
budgeting crisis within just projected to reach almost
a few years. $8 billion going into 2020.
The plan aims to redirect Along with the latest pro-
$1.9 billion from a Pell posal, the administration’s
Grant surplus to jumpstart initial budget plan sought
other projects, primarily a to take $2 billion from the
NASA initiative to put astro- windfall to support other
nauts back on the moon. programs.
In announcing the plan The proposal comes as
Monday, administration the Education Depart-
officials said it would keep ment looks to expand
the Pell program, the larg- the program. Secretary
est source of federal aid Betsy DeVos has said Pell
for low-income students, Grants should cover short-
on sound fiscal footing and term certificate programs,
would not harm students. and her office is explor-
But a chorus of education ing whether it should be
organizations pushed back opened to incarcerated
Tuesday. college students.
“Sure, there is no immedi- In a similar episode this
ate impact, but what you year, the Trump administra-
have done is undercut the tion proposed to eliminate
stability of a program that’s federal funding for the
really critical for helping Special Olympics, despite
students afford college,” objections from DeVos.
said Jon Fansmith, director After facing public outcry,
of government relations for Trump said he would leave
the American Council on the money untouched. On