Tell Obama: ‘Stand Firm, Don’t Cut Pell’

Students struggling to afford higher education risk becoming among the first victims of Washington’s budget battle. What’s more, they’ve already helped cut the deficit. When the White House got rid of the Summer Pell Grant program earlier this year, students “gave’’ $4 billion to debt reduction. Enough is enough!

Tell President Obama: “Protect Pell Grants.”  We must not sacrifice a single dollar of support for hard-working students seeking to earn their way into the middle class. Call the White House comment line: 1-888-245-0215 — or send a letter today.

One GOP leader recently called Pell Grants “the welfare of the 21st century.” Another top Republican called this critical financial-aid program “unsustainable” and blamed it for the skyrocketing cost of college — flying in the face of evidence and common sense.

Now more than ever, the pressure is on the president. Republican leaders stormed out of debt-ceiling negotiations, refusing to even discuss closing tax loopholes and scaling back subsidies, deductions and tax credits for corporate jets, big oil, and the super rich.

They’ve made it clear that they’ll only support one debt-reduction strategy: Cut, cut, cut. They’re placing enormous political pressure on the president to slash funding for Pell, even though putting money into education is precisely the kind of investment we need to fuel the long-term growth of our economy.

The president must not cave in to this pressure by throwing low-income students under the bus. Say “no” to decreasing the maximum Pell award of $5,550 per year. Say “no” to changing Pell’s eligibility requirements to disqualify hard-working students from the support they need. Say “no” to sacrificing even one more student’s future.

Write or call President Obama today. Tell him to stand up for struggling students and save Pell.