Obama Announces Education Package

From Brianna Howell

On Wednesday, Obama announced a plan that would help the currently unemployed to enroll in college. As of right now, the maximum amount of a Pell Grant (grants for those who cannot afford college) is $4,850. After Obama's plan goes into effect this July, this amount will raise $500 to $5,380. Additionally with this bill, unemployed workers who go back to school would be able to keep their unemployment benefits while going to school. Under the current system, it is impossible to receive unemployment benefits and financial aid at the same time. The Obama administration is selling this package as an opportunity for the future saying that unemployment benefits should not just be a "safety net" but "a stepping stone to a new future... It should offer folks educational opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have and give them the measurable and differentiated skills they need to not just get through these hard times but to get ahead when the economy comes back." I think the investment in education the Obama administration is making here, and in other instances, will benefit the country in the long run. It is exciting how many new opportunities that this plan will provide for not only unemployed workers but all Americans who have been hesitant to go to college because of financial reasons.