Today, more than 300 organizations and nearly 900 colleges and universities joined together to urge the federal government to bring an affordable, high-quality college education within reach for all students. The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) calls on Congress and the Biden administration to double the purchasing value of Pell Grants while concurrently protecting and encouraging further state investments in public higher education.

Particularly for those of us who serve low-income, students of color, and/or first-generation college students, this important investment will help address racial and economic inequities in college completion rates, increase overall educational attainment, and drive economic recovery. Doubling the maximum Pell Grant is something Congress can agree to on a bipartisan basis as a fast and effective way to bolster opportunity for millions of low- and moderate-income students.

We look forward to working with members of the House and Senate and the Biden administration to enact this important public policy initiative.

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association of nearly 400 public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions Delivering America’s Promise.