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President Biden and congressional Democrats’ $1.75 trillion social spending package passed the House Friday by a vote of 220 to 213. No Republicans voted for the legislation, and Representative Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democrat to vote against it.
The legislation includes billions of dollars in new investments for higher education, including a $550 increase to the maximum Pell Grant, $2.35 billion each for historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions, $500 million for college completion and retention grants, and $20 billion for workforce development.
“Today’s passage by the House of the Build Back Better Framework represents a resounding vote of confidence in America’s future and an unprecedented investment in our democracy,” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “The impact of this proposal on educational equity, excellence and opportunity—from cradle to college and career—will be nothing short of transformative.”
The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it's expected to undergo changes. It’s unclear when the upper chamber plans to vote on the bill, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said the Senate “will act as quickly as possible.”
