On June 22, 2022, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee released the draft bill for the fiscal year 2023. The bill provides a $161 million increase for the Federal TRIO Programs for FY23 (Program Year 2023-2024). Both the Subcommittee and full Committee later passed the bill. This funding level matches the budget request from President Biden early this year. In addition to providing a $161 million funding increase, the bill also included report language directing the Department of Education to “allocate increases to each TRIO program” and “fund down the slate of high-quality unfunded applications” in recent grant competitions.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who chairs both the Subcommittee and full Appropriations Committee, said, “this bill touches people at every stage of their lives, and the massive funding increase will create a society that provides people with the help they so desperately need.” During the Subcommittee markup, Representative Tom Cole said, “I want to thank you for incorporating many of our shared priorities into this bill; you and I agree…on the importance of funding special education and programs like TRIO and GEAR UP, which help first-generation students complete college and change the trajectory of their lives.”
The bill also provides an increase above the FY 2022 enacted levels for the following programs:
- Pell Grant maximum to $7,395, an increase of $500.
- GEAR UP by $30 million to $408 million. Federal Supplemental
- Educational Opportunity Grant program by $25 million to $920 million.
- Federal Work-Study an increase of $34 million to $1.2 billion.
This legislation also includes Student Aid Programs for Dreamers. The new language will allow DREAMERs and students with temporary protected status to be eligible for Pell Grants and other categories of student financial assistance, including Federal student loans, TRIO, and GEAR UP.
Thank you for your advocacy. It is a testament to your hard work for TRIO students and programs. We must keep up the fight and continue with the same energy as education funding discussions move to the Senate. Over the next several weeks, TRIO personnel, students, parents, alumni, and other supporters must demonstrate that TRIO Works! To do this, we must make our voices heard! COE is challenging the TRIO community to host as many local visits with your Representatives and Senators as possible while they are back home in their States and Districts for the Summer Congressional Recess.
Please consult COE’s 2022 Summer Congressional Recess Packet for a congressional meeting request template, congressional contact information, and other valuable resources.