While President Biden’s State of the Union address focused primarily on the economy, jobs and health care, for the second consecutive year he devoted time in his speech to call for increasing the Pell Grant award.

The president attempted to appeal to the divided Congress for a bipartisan working relationship to accomplish joint goals for the American people. His mantra of “Let’s finish the job,” applied across all issue areas, including higher education.

He noted the success so far in his presidency of lowering student loan debt and increasing the Pell Grant. Specifically, Biden said “we’re making progress by reducing student debt and increasing Pell Grants for working- and middle-class families.”  He also called for starting training opportunities in high school and providing two years of community college as a path to a career or a four-year college degree.

The mentions of Pell Grants and community college in the broader reaching speech are a hint at what is expected to be released in the Administration’s FY 2024 budget proposal in early March. Last year’s budget called for doubling the Pell Grant by 2029 and providing free community college. Both proposals are expected to be included again this year.

Congress took steps toward doubling Pell, with a $900 increase over the course of the last two years, to a maximum grant of $7,395 that goes into effect on July 1. The Pell Grant program maintains 50 years of bipartisan support, which is expected to continue this Congress, despite the current proposals to severely cut spending.

Reinforcing that strong bipartisan support, a Marist Poll released this week during NAICU’s Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day shows that 74% of Americans support doubling the Pell Grant, including 57% of Republicans, 89% of Democrats, and 71% of Independents.

Garnering bipartisan support for free community college is less likely in the current divided government, but it will be a topic of education committee discussions. While free public college is a top priority for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, opposes the issue.  Both policy makers, however, have shown their support for the Pell Grant.

As Congress works through the budget, appropriations and education proposals this year, keeping the focus on increasing the Pell Grant to reach the $13,000 double Pell goal will be a top priority for NAICU.