Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today released the following statement regarding the Administration’s announcement that it will include a proposal to allow students to use Pell Grants year-round in its Fiscal Year 2017 budget request to Congress. A similar provision is included in Bennet’s bipartisan FAST Act that he introduced in 2015 with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN).
“The rising costs of college are making it more difficult for families to afford a higher education, for students to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy, and for graduates to manage their student loan debt – which has grown to more than $21 billion in Colorado. Allowing students to use their Pell grants year-round will give them additional options to complete college more quickly and at a lower cost. We’ll continue to push Congress to pass our bipartisan bill that restores year-round Pell Grants as well as simplifies the burdensome FAFSA to make college more accessible and affordable for Colorado families.”
Bennet’s bipartisan FAST Act, introduced last January, includes a provision that would restore year-round Pell grant availability and provide flexibility so students can study at their own pace. Both provisions would enable them to complete college sooner. It also simplifies the 10-page, 108-question FAFSA form into two questions that can fit on a postcard.