Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal, along with local officials from Hancock College and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Thursday announced the reintroduction of legislation that would increase financial aid for students.
The bill, The Degrees Not Debt Act, would increase the Pell Grant for students to a maximum of nearly $15,000, which Carbajal says would double the grant and decrease the burden of student loans for people pursuing higher education.
“By doubling the Pell grant that exists today and indexing it for inflation, they could have a reduction in the burden of not having to get more debt through student loans,” said Carbajal.
Cabajal says the bill is supported by many stakeholders throughout the country. In California, he named the CSU and University of California systems, and local colleges like Hancock and Cuesta.
Carbajal says the bill still needs more support by Congress to get it over the finish line. He first introduced The Degrees Not Debt Act in 2024.