III 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 676 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 15, 2022 Mrs. Murray (for herself and Mr. Blunt ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of June 23, 2022, as National Pell Grant Day .

Whereas June 23 is the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 ( Public Law 92–318 , 86 Stat. 235) by President Richard Nixon; Whereas that Act established within the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq. ) the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant, later named the Federal Pell Grant (commonly known as the Pell Grant ) in honor of its sponsor Senator Claiborne Pell; Whereas, 50 years ago, Senator Pell stated that for it’s through this Act that the dream of access, and opportunity for college education becomes a reality. It’s in this Act that we say a lack of financial wealth should not, and will not, stand in the way of a person who has the talent, the desire and the drive to reach out for a college education. ; Whereas, today, the Pell Grant program, which helps low-income students pursue higher education goals, maintains bipartisan support in Congress and with the public; Whereas, each year, Pell Grants help nearly 7,000,000 students, approximately 40 percent of undergraduate students, pursue and succeed in higher education; Whereas Pell Grants help students from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States and from rural areas to cities to everywhere in between; Whereas the Pell Grant program is well-targeted to meet the needs of students with demonstrated financial need, with the vast majority of Pell Grant recipients having family incomes of $40,000 or less; Whereas extensive research shows that the Pell Grant program increases college enrollment and completion among low- and moderate-income students; Whereas Pell Grants are critical for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, including 58 percent of Black students, 47 percent of Hispanic students, 51 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native students, 48 percent of first-generation students, 52 percent of students who are parents, and 39 percent of students who are veterans of the Armed Forces; Whereas each eligible student may use a Pell Grant at the institution of their choice, which includes public, private, 2-year, and 4-year institutions; Whereas the Pell Grant program is a proven investment to boost future economic mobility, with college graduates paying more in taxes and earning more in after-tax income than high school graduates; and Whereas, over the past 50 years, the Pell Grant program has helped more than 80,000,000 students in the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Federal Pell Grant program on June 23, 2022; (2) expresses support for the designation of June 23 as National Pell Grant Day ; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to celebrate National Pell Grant Day by— (A) recognizing the more than 80,000,000 individual low- and middle-income students who have benefitted from the Federal Pell Grant program since its establishment; and (B) celebrating the success stories of such students, and ensuring the same access for future students.