Senate Approves Student-Aid Appropriations Bill

The U.S. Senate has approved a spending bill that contains nearly $16.4 billion in appropriations for major federal student-aid programs for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

The measure includes nearly $14.5 billion for Pell Grants, an increase of $800 million over fiscal 2007, providing discretionary funding to support a maximum Pell Grant of $4,310. Adding the mandatory funding provided by the recently enacted College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the maximum Pell Grant could reach $4,800 for 2008-2009.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants at $771 million, the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program at $65 million, and Perkins-loan cancellations at $65.5 million would be funded at the same levels as they were last year.

Funding for the Federal Work-Study Program at $980.5 million, TRIO at $858 million and GEAR UP at $313 million would increase modestly.

President Bush has threatened to veto the overall appropriations measure for Labor, Health and Human Services and Education because it includes “irresponsible and excessive” spending levels. The Senate’s margin of passage, 75-19, would be sufficient to override a veto; however, a veto likely would be sustained in the U.S. House, which passed its version of the appropriations bill by a vote of 276-140, less than the two-thirds necessary to override a veto.

Conferees for the Senate and House will now meet to work out differences between the two chambers’ versions of the spending bill.