High Country Times

In Case You Missed It, Linda McMahon—former United States Administrator of the Small Business Administration—wrote an op-ed in The Hill outlining why Congress should pass the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act to expand Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term workforce education programs. The objective is to equip America's workers with necessary skills and enhance national productivity.

McMahon emphasized that "Congress has a critical opportunity to make a transformative investment in our nation’s greatest asset: the American worker." She highlighted that America's skilled workforce excels globally in technology, healthcare, trades, and manufacturing, with productivity per hour among the highest worldwide.

The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, sponsored by Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), and Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), aims to extend Pell Grant eligibility to broaden educational opportunities for millions of Americans. McMahon pointed out that half a century ago, funding college degrees for low-income students was seen as the best way to upskill America’s workforce. However, she noted that many degree programs today have lost sight of their mission.

Updating Pell Grant eligibility would still impose strict requirements. The proposed legislation mandates that these shorter-term programs lead to recognized postsecondary credentials, meet local or regional employer needs, and align with career pathways. Additional quality assurance criteria include restricting eligibility to programs with completion and job placement rates of 70 percent or more. Fields such as healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and skilled trades are expected to benefit significantly.

McMahon argued that "Workforce Pell is a bipartisan initiative because Americans on both sides of the aisle are ready to stop restricting Pell Grants to college degree programs." By expanding eligibility to include high-quality, short-term workforce education programs, this legislation aims to help more Americans access essential education for success in today's economy. She concluded by stating it is an investment in "our greatest resource — the American worker — and a significant enhancement of our national productivity."

Read the full op-ed here.