Urge Congress to Protect Postsecondary Pathways

As Congress begins discussing the fiscal year 2026 federal budget, we are sounding the alarm. The president’s budget request demands a strong response, as recent actions in Congress threaten to reshape the student aid landscape and withhold already-appropriated education funds by the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget.

The president’s budget proposal includes the elimination of long-standing, bipartisan programs like TRIO and GEAR UP, which have helped millions of students prepare for and succeed in college. It also calls for a devastating 22 percent cut to the maximum Pell Grant — a lifeline for low-income and first-generation students pursuing higher education.

As countries around the world make meaningful strides in expanding education access and attainment, this proposal would leave American students in disarray. We cannot afford to turn our backs on students and families working to build a better future through postsecondary education.

Now is the time to act. Urge your members of Congress to reject this harmful budget and fully invest in students’ potential.

Dear [Lawmaker],

As someone who works every day to expand opportunity and secure a better future for students and families, I urge you in the strongest possible terms: Do not eliminate or cut the essential federal education programs that help students pursue postsecondary education.

The president’s proposed FY 2026 budget calls for the elimination of TRIO and GEAR UP — programs with a long history of bipartisan support that have helped millions of students prepare for and succeed in college. The budget also proposes a staggering 22 percent cut to the maximum Pell Grant, a lifeline for low-income and first-generation college students.

Federal programs like these are not simply line items, they are critical investments in students’ potential and our country’s future. They expand access to postsecondary education, close equity gaps, and support economic and civic outcomes that benefit us all.

At the same time, the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget withheld nearly $7 billion in already-appropriated federal education funds — disrupting state planning, canceling contracts, and forcing cuts in programs that students depend on today.

As countries around the world increase investment in education, these actions threaten to set American students back. If we care about strengthening our economy, growing our workforce, and promoting opportunity, then we must prioritize investments in students, not scale them back.

I urge you to reject proposals that jeopardize postsecondary access and success and instead support a budget that reflects education as a public good — one that opens doors, advances equity, and fuels opportunity for all.

Sincerely,
______

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