New bipartisan legislation that would assist lower-income students in paying for job training programs could inadvertently be rendered useless if President Donald Trump has his way.
U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act, which would allow students to use Pell Grants for shorter-term job training programs.
Currently, Pell Grants can only be used for job training programs that are at least 15 weeks long or more than 600 hours. The JOBS Act would make the grants applicable for programs that are at least eight weeks long and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates.
“No one should be priced out of an education—including a technical education—but I hear from many Virginians that access to high-quality job training programs that align with their goals is out of reach because of financial barriers,” Kaine said Thursday.
“The JOBS Act will provide an incredible opportunity for students in an ever-changing job market,” Marshall added. “Our legislation will give Americans the chance to learn critical skills for a successful career.”
Pell Grants are administered by the Department of Education, and Trump is reportedly planning to abolish that department.
It is unclear whether the Pell Grants program will be transferred to another agency if the president follows through. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Wednesday that the overall goal is to push public education decisions back down to the state and local level or the private sector.
The JOBS Act has broad bipartisan support with Democrats, Republicans, and an Independent included in the list of 31 cosponsors.
