WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rebuilding America’s Middle Class (RAMC), a coalition of community colleges, issued the following statement in support of the Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act of 2021, bipartisan and bicameral legislation introduced by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and Representatives Andy Levin (D-MI) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) that would extend federal Pell Grant eligibility to short-term credential programs:

“Pell Grants are essential to helping many Americans – especially low-income or disadvantaged students – access affordable postsecondary education. By extending Pell Grant eligibility to short-term credential programs, the JOBS Act of 2021 will expand access to meaningful training opportunities that have been proven to lead to new career opportunities and higher wages.

“At a time when so many families are struggling and more than 10 million Americans are out of work due to the pandemic, we need to explore every solution to help strengthen our workforce and bolster our economy. Workforce Pell Grants present a thoughtful and high-impact strategy that can make an immediate difference in communities nationwide. RAMC strongly encourages congressional leaders to take swift action to approve the JOBS Act and help more Americans get back to work in fulfilling, good-paying careers.”

RAMC members also submitted a letter of endorsement to Senators Kaine and Portman that states the JOBS Act will “open the doors of opportunity for many Americans who are seeking a postsecondary education for employment in a high-wage career field” and “is critical to rebuilding family finances and the middle class in our country.” Read the letter here.

To learn more about the value of Workforce Pell Grants and how they’ve been proven to help improve postsecondary completion and support wage growth, click here.