Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with the presidents of Illinois public universities to discuss higher education, research, immigration, and other priorities in the Build Back Better (BBB) reconciliation package. During their meeting, Durbin spoke in support of increasing the maximum Pell Grant and limiting the increase to students at public and non-profit universities—excluding for-profit colleges. Durbin also noted the need to maintain BBB’s significant funding for research at institutions of higher education in areas like agriculture, climate research, and public health.
“I am incredibly proud of the quality education Illinois’ public universities offer, and the Build Back Better reconciliation package is an opportunity to provide these universities with an historic investment,” said Durbin. “I’m encouraged by the conversation I had with university presidents today, and together, we discussed a path forward for federal funding of Illinois’ educational institutions.”
A photo of the virtual meeting can be found here.
Universities participating in the meeting included:
- Northern Illinois University
- University of Illinois System
- Chicago State University
- Eastern Illinois University
- Governors State University
- Illinois State University
- Northeastern Illinois University
- Southern Illinois University System
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Western Illinois University
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