79 Days: Dole turns the goal of higher education into a pipe dream

DAY 79

When Elizabeth Dole voted for the largest student loan cut in history, she turned the goal of higher education into a pipe dream for millions of Americans who depend on federal loans to attend college. Dole’s votes to cut grants and loans and remove tax benefits for students have padlocked the gateway to a better future. And even though countless students now have to scrimp and save every cent to make their college dreams a reality, Dole has hardly been around to see any of the fallout from her heartless votes.

Dole Voted For Tax Bill That Benefited Wealthy While Raising Taxes for Students. In May 2006, Dole voted for the final version of the $70 billion tax reconciliation bill that removed a provision that had allowed 3.6 million students and families – including more than 90,000 in North Carolina – to deduct $7.1 billion in college tuition costs in 2003. The tuition deduction was included in earlier versions of the bill but was stripped in the final version. Meanwhile, the tax bill Dole supported would only save middle income Americans $20 each while the top tenth of 1 percent (whose average income is $5.3 million) would save $82,415. [Vote 118, 5/11/06; Senate Finance Committee, 11/7/05; Democratic Policy Committee, 9/26/06 New York Times, 5/5/06]

Dole Voted Against Extending Expiring Tuition Tax Credit. In November 2005, Dole voted against a $58 billion tax cut package that would have extended expiring tax cuts, including the college tuition deduction. [Vote 330, 11/17/05; Conrad Press Release, 11/17/05]

Dole Cast Critical Vote for Largest Student Loan Cuts in History. Dole voted for the final version of the 2005 budget reconciliation bill, which cut $12.7 million from college loans, the largest cuts to the student loan program in its history. The measure was approved 50-50 with the Vice President voting to break the tie. [Vote 363, 12/21/05; AP, 12/19/05; Washington Post, 12/19/05]

Dole Has Repeatedly Voted Against Raising Pell Grant Awards. In March 2006, Dole voted against an amendment that would have increased the FY07 discretionary budget funding by $6.3 billion to $879.3 billion to allow for a restoration of education program cuts, including job and vocational training, and an increase in the maximum Pell Grant award to $4,500. In October 2005, Dole voted against an amendment that would have increased Pell Grant funding by $836 million in fiscal year 2006, which would have increased the maximum Pell Grant award for the 2006-07 year to $4,250. In March 2005, Dole voted against an amendment that increased the discretionary spending limit in the budget by $5.4 billion to $848.8 billion to restore education program cuts and increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $4,500. It would decrease the five-year tax cut reconciliation instruction figure by $5.4 billion. In 2004, Dole voted against a Kennedy amendment to provide $4.9 billion for deficit reduction and increased funding for Pell Grants by $4.9 billion. The $9.8 billion would have been offset by closing tax loopholes. [Vote 39, 3/14/06; National Journal’s CongressDaily, 3/14/06; Snowe Press Release, 3/15/06; Vote 268, 10/25/05; Vote 68, 3/17/05; Vote 51, 3/11/04]

Dole Favored Cutting off Pell Grant Eligibility for Some Lower-Income Students. Dole, on September 10, 2003, voted against an amendment to prohibit the Education Department from changing the way it determines student aid eligibility for Pell Grants. Democrat Jon Corzine of New Jersey, argued the change the department was ready to implement would have caused 84,000 college students to lose their eligibility for Pell Grants for the 2004-05 school year. The department’s plan also would have reduced the number of middle-income families eligible for Stafford loans. [Vote 339, 9/10/03; New York Times, 09/12/03]

Dole Opposed $2.2 Billion for Higher Education, Including $1.7 Billion for Pell Grants. Dole, on September 9, 2003, voted against the Kennedy amendment to H.R.2660, which was an amendment that would have provided an additional $2.2 billion for higher education, including $1.7 billion for Pell Grants, $157 million for federal work study programs, and $115 million for supplemental education opportunity grants. [Vote 331, 9/9/03]

Dole Voted Against Increasing Funding For Perkins Loans $7.5 Billion. In March 2005, Dole voted against an amendment that would have reinstated two provisions of the tax code and used $7.46 billion to increase funding under the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act. The remainder would have been used to reduce the deficit. [Vote 61, 3/17/05]

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