Jan. 12, 2016

HARRISBURG – Rep. Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery) expressed concern on behalf of students who are pursuing higher education after funding that would have been dedicated to their education was blocked in the House and additional money was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.

Yesterday, a vote to send necessary funding to Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School failed when it did not garner support from two-thirds of the House.

“We are working to move forward with the budget and release funding for students in the Commonwealth,” Quigley said. “Unfortunately, to get this done, we need the support of the Democrats to access the available funding for education.”

Budget Secretary Randy Albright confirmed that revenue exists in the budget sent to Wolf to fund these schools. Senate Bills 912-16 would have provided at least 5 percent increases in funding for the institutions.

“Rather than voting down the education increases that we can afford, we must recognize that there are bottoms to the pockets of the taxpayers,” Quigley said. “Education is a long-term investment, and we cannot spite our children to make a point to our counterparts – especially considering the governor’s defunding of PHEAA grants.”

On Dec. 29, Wolf cut $5.6 million in Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) grants for students. Including funding for student grants, he cut a total of $6.8 billion from the $30.3 billion budget that the House passed on Dec. 8. Also targeted by the governor’s line-item veto were $400 million in preK-12 education funding; important health programs, such as cancer research and trauma centers; and personnel support for the state’s correctional institutions.

Representative Tom Quigley
146th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Alison Evans
717.260.6206
aevans@pahousegop.com
RepTomQuigley.com / Facebook.com/RepTomQuigley

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