“President Trump's proposed FY 2018 budget
envisions drastic cuts to federal student aid and research funding of a
magnitude not seen in nearly four decades. If enacted, these reductions
would have a devastating impact on the United States’ long-term economic
growth and seriously undermine economic opportunity for many low- and
middle-income Americans.
This budget would result in a dramatic
reduction in college affordability and, if approved by Congress, put
college out of reach for millions of students. It would cut grants to
many low-income students; make student loans far more expensive; make it
more difficult for students to work their way through college; and even
take away childcare from low-income students with families. More than 7
million students with family incomes below $40,000 get federal student
aid to help them pay for college. There should be no mistake: Deep cuts
to student aid will have a modest impact on upper-income families, but
it will crush the personal and economic aspirations of low-income and
working-class Americans for whom enrolling in college is an opportunity
for better jobs and a brighter economic future.
In addition, the proposals to slash the
National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the
Department of Energy, among many other research agencies, would slow or
even stop life-saving advances in medical and scientific research.
Thankfully, Congress has the ultimate
responsibility for setting funding levels, and with the FY 2017 spending
bills, it showed a willingness to reject similarly damaging proposals.
Colleges and universities and their students will work with Congress to
continue the historic, bipartisan support for federal student aid and
research funding.”