Rachel Kase and Courtney Kessler

Congress proposes aid boost

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., and Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, proposed the Obey-Byrd Resolution on Tuesday to increase the federal Pell Grant scholarship. The Pell Grant would be raised from $4,050 to $4,310 per individual, a national total increase of approximately six million dollars, according to Byrd's Communication Director, Tom Gavin. Pell Grants are typically awarded to low-income students, and take into account several factors, including the student's expected family contribution, whether or not the student is enrolled full- or part-time and the cost of tuition for the particular institution, according to the Department of Education's Web site. Gavin explained that Pell Grant funding has not been increased for four years, despite average tuition increases at higher education institutions. "The Pell Grants are the foundation of financial aid packages," Gavin said, adding that it is "important to keep up with the pace of increase." While the sponsors of the resolution are Democrats, Gavin said the bill is a bipartisan initiative. "It is not a time for finger pointing," he said.