Bush Proposes Pell Grant Increase

Representative John A. Boehner (ROH), Chairman of the House Committee on Higher Education, supports President Bush's proposal to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $500 over the next five years as well as raise the amount students can borrow from federal student loan programs. While college lobbyists and policy makers are pleased to applaud the president's proposed improvements, they are disturbed at how the proposals will be paid for. In part, these changes will be paid for by canceling the Perkins Loan Program, a popular program among low and middle class families. Colleges would also be expected to return the federal share of the money used to fund Perkins Loans. The president's proposed budget will also end several popular programs that help motivate and prepare low income students for college.

NARA Opens Bush Presidential Records

On February 18, 2005, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) made public records associated with the presidency of George H. W. Bush that were previously withheld under the Presidential Records Act. This release brings the total number of records now available to scholars and researchers relating to the Executive Office of the President during George H. W. Bush's presidency to 5.4 million pages. For additional information about the contents of the release call the George H. W. Bush Library Research Room at (979) 691-4041.

Employment Statistics Survey Seeks to Eliminate Gender Category

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has proposed to revise how it collects data in the Current Employment Statistics Survey (CES). This survey produces monthly estimates of employment, hours, and earnings based on U.S. nonagricultural establishment payrolls. The BLS seeks to eliminate the collection of data by gender because they feel that the new information requested will increase respondent burden and because similar data is available from other sources. A number of groups, including the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues, are challenging the BLS rationale for eliminating this data.

Bush Budget Cuts Aimed at Education

One-third of the programs to be cut in the proposed Bush budget come from the Department of Education. The two largest funds for academic research, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, will see very small increases in funding. Among the programs to be cut are the Perkins Loan Program, which lends money to low- and middle-income families, and LEAP, a program that matches every dollar a state spends on need-based aid. The proposed budget will also cut research funding within the Agriculture, Defense, and Energy Departments.

Sources for this column include the National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History's NCC Washington Update, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and the Consortium of Social Science Associations' Washington Update.

A LOOK AHEAD

Editor's Note

Introduction and Comments JENNIFER L. HOCHSCHILD

Articles

Power and Political Institutions TERRY MOE

Ethnic Parties and Democratic Stability

KANCHAN CHANDRA

Racial Disparities in American Welfare Reform

SANFORD SCHRAM

Marriage and Citizenship: Advocates of Same-Sex Marriage and the Feminist Critique of Marriage JYL JOSEPHSON

Data Don't Matter? Academic Research and School Choice

KEVIN SMITH

Perspectives

Judging Mayors PHILLIP THOMPSON

Presidential Reflections

Who Knows What, When, and How? APSA Presidents Reflect

Review Essay

The State of American Political Development: A Review of APD Syllabi ROGAN KERSH