Montana Students, Educators Speak Out Against Rehberg Plan to Gut Pell Grants

Montana’s millionaire Congressman turns his back on Montana students again

Helena, MT -- Montana students and educators are speaking out against Congressman Dennis Rehberg’s plan to slash Pell Grant funding, which could jeopardize a college education for students at universities and community colleges across the state.

One student aid administrator said of Rehberg’s plan, "I dread having to tell a student that ‘although we thought you could afford college, unfortunately Congress has cut your grant and it looks like you can't afford school after all.' We need Congress to keep the full funding for Pell Grants for our students."

At the University of Montana-Helena, 888 of the 1,000 students could be impacted by Rehberg’s Pell grant cuts. [Helena IR 3/15/11]  At the University of Montana in Missoula, 626 students would completely lose Pell grant assistance. [Missoulian 3/8/11]

“Congressman Rehberg’s plan to gut Pell Grants spells disaster for job creation in Montana, so it’s no surprise that students are speaking out,” said Ted Dick, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party. “A quality education is the ticket to creating good jobs for our graduates, but Montana's millionaire congressman is putting his own job first by falling back on cheap political rhetoric.”

Rehberg might be apologizing for his decision to slash Pell grants now, but this isn’t the first time he’s tried to deny tuition assistance to Montana students:

Supported largest student loan cut in history in 2006. Rehberg voted in favor of legislation to cut mandatory spending programs by $39.7 billion over the five years. The measure cut $12.7 billion from student loan programs - the largest single cut in history. It imposed higher fees on students, increased the interest rate on parent loans and cut subsidies to lenders. The bill also put billions of dollars in student aid at risk by cutting all of the critical funds ($2.2 billion) used to carry out and administer the student aid programs. [House Budget Committee Minority Staff, “Key Provisions in the Conference Report on the Republican Spending Reconciliation Bill.” 12/19/05; Rep. George Miller Press Release, 12/18/05; CQ Today, 2/1/06; Washington Post, 2/1/06] The measure passed 216-214.  [HRS 653, Vote #4, 2/01/06]

Voted against improvements to Pell grant program in 2005. The Congressman voted against a motion to add an additional $7.8 billion to the funding bill for education programs. The proposal included $3 billion more for Title I reading and math services for nearly 1 million additional low-income students and $1.9 billion more for Pell Grants, in order to increase the maximum Pell Grant by an additional $450 - raising it to $4,550 (the GOP bill raised it only by $50 - from the current $4,050 to $4,100). The alternative proposal also added $1.56 billion more for special education and $939 million more for after-school centers, child care and Head Start centers. The motion failed 185-216. [HR 3010, Vote #320, 6/24/05]

Opposed improvements to student loan transparency in 2005. Rehberg voted against an amendment to stop a scam in the college student loan program that has allowed certain lenders to pocket billions of dollars in excess profits at the expense of both taxpayers and students. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the so-called “9.5 percent loan scam” has cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The amendment closed this loophole ensuring that federal education dollars are available to help students and families afford college. The 9.5 percent guarantee was established in the high interest rate year of 1980. Congress intended for it to be phased out of existence beginning in 1993, but through a regulatory loophole, the guarantee has continued. [Rep. Van Hollen Press Release, 6/24/05]  The amendment was adopted, 224-178. [HR 3010, Vote #316, 6/24/05]