House Passes HR 3010 Restoring TRIO Funding

Late Friday, the House passed H.R. 3010, the bill that restores funding for ALL TRIO programs. During the debate on the bill, Representative Mike Simpson (Republican-Idaho) submitted the following statement in support of the TRIO programs.

Commending the Federal TRIO Programs ----------------

SPEECH OF HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON Of IDAHO IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Mr. Speaker: I rise today to pay tribute to an important group of Federal Education Programs known as the TRIO programs. In short, TRIO programs help to support and prepare low income students for post high school education.

TRIO is funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill that this body passed earlier today. I was proud to vote for this bill that included full funding for all TRIO programs. Two of the TRIO programs, Upward Bound and Talent Search had been slated for elimination in the Administration's Fiscal Year 2006 budget request. As the co chairman of the Congressional TRIO Caucus and a member of the Appropriations Committee, I worked with my colleagues on that Committee to make sure that these programs were restored to Fiscal Year 2005 funding levels.

I have received countless emails, letters and faxes from constituents in my district and other districts around the country urging me to spare Upward Bound and Talent Search. It is easy to understand why so many were concerned about the potential end of these two valuable TRIO programs that help over 3,500 low income Idaho students prepare for college. Parental income is one of the top predictors of whether or not a child will succeed in college or even go to college in the first place. Upward Bound and Talent Search help students exceed societal expectations and predictions by providing tutoring in college preparatory classes and help in navigating through the sometimes daunting maze of required forms and tests known as the college admission process.

Like so many other members of this House who joined me in the effort to save TRIO, several of whom are TRIO graduates themselves, I fully understand the worth and importance of these programs, and I will do everything I can to ensure that these programs continue to receive funding for many years to come. While the cost of Upward Bound and Talent Search may seem an unnecessary expense to some, I would ask them to consider the long term savings in public assistance generated by graduates of TRIO who go on to earn college degrees and become productive, self sustaining citizens.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the over 900,000 students currently enrolled in TRIO programs nationwide, I would like to thank and commend all those involved in the TRIO programs for a job well done. You are truly changing lives and making the impossible a reality for many of our nation's students.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.