Amo, Magaziner Lead Opposition to Erasing RI Senator’s Legacy by Renaming Workforce Pell Grant after Trump

PROVIDENCE, RI - TODAY, Congressmen Gabe Amo (RI-01) and Seth Magaziner (RI-02) called on leaders of the House Appropriations Committee to preserve the dignity and purpose of the Workforce Pell Grant and oppose renaming the grants after President Donald Trump.

The Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act includes a provision to change the Workforce Pell Grant's name to so-called "Trump Grants." This would erase the legacy of Rhode Island Senator Clairborne Pell, a long-time champion of higher education who played a central role in creating the program.

The Congressmen write:

"Whenever Senator Pell was asked about his greatest achievement, he would always respond without hesitation: "Pell Grants."

"In stark contrast to Senator Pell's steadfast commitment to education, President Donald Trump's record includes efforts to bypass Congress to unlawfully dismantle the Department of Education, freeze federal education and research funding at institutions, pressure schools to roll back key initiatives, including those focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion."

" Senator Pell was a visionary public servant who believed deeply in the power of education to transform lives. He championed the creation of the Pell Grant over 50 years ago because he saw the barriers that too many Americans faced in accessing higher education, and he believed the federal government had a responsibility to help break down those barriers. His legacy lives on in the millions of students, many of them the first in their families to attend college, whose lives have been shaped by the opportunity that Pell Grants provide."

"Preserving Senator Pell's name on the program is not just about honoring the past, it is about protecting a future where every student, regardless of background, has the chance to dream big and achieve more. To attempt to erase Senator Pell's name from a program that has uplifted generations and replace it with a President whose record on education is defined by cuts and dismantlement is a profound insult to that legacy."

The full letter can be found here.

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