Sending Office: Grijalva, Raul M.
Sent By:
Matthew.Bryant@mail.house.gov
Support Funding for the High School Equivalency Program and College Assistance Migrant Program
DEADLINE: Monday, March 9, 2020 by COB
Current Signers (35): Barragán, Bonamici, Castor, Castro, D. Davis, DeFazio, Delgado, DeGette, DeSaulnier, Gallego, S. Garcia, V. Gonzalez, Haaland, Hayes, Jackson Lee, Jayapal, Lowenthal, S. Maloney, McNerney,
Mucarsel-Powell, Napolitano, Ocasio-Cortez, Panetta, Plaskett, Sánchez, Schrader, Shalala, Adam Smith, Takano, M. Thompson, Vargas, Veasey, Vela, Velázquez, Welch
Dear Colleague,
Please join me in seeking funding of $50 million for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education.
Children of farmworkers workers are some of the most disadvantaged and at-risk students in the country. They have one of the highest drop-out rates and encounter tremendous obstacles in completing high school and pursuing higher education. For over 50 years,
the HEP/CAMP program has been successful in helping to close the access and completion gaps for many farmworker migrant and seasonal worker students by providing tutoring and other services and assistance to help them succeed in higher education.
By providing a minor increase in funding of $4.4 million for the HEP/CAMP program, Congress will ensure the continuation of these effective programs and ensure equitable distribution of these programs throughout the country where there is the most need.
If you have any questions or would like to join in this request please contact Matt Bryant in Rep. Grijalva’s office at
matthew.bryant@mail.house.gov by
March 9, 2020.
Sincerely,
Raúl M. Grijalva
Member of Congress
March XX, 2020
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro The Honorable Tom Cole
Chair Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and
Human Services, and Education Human Services, and Education
House Committee on Appropriations House Committee on Appropriations
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Cole,
We are writing to respectfully request that you continue to provide funding for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health
and Human Services, and Education in the amount of $50 million, which is a slight increase of $4.4 million from the FY 2020 level.
Farmworkers ensure that Americans have fresh food and their work serves as the economic engine that drives rural communities. It is estimated that over 2.5 million farmworkers travel throughout the U.S. to work on farms, orchards, and ranches. It is also
estimated that over 2 million children of farmworkers live in the United States. Since these children move frequently, their education is often disrupted. Unfortunately, these factors contribute to a high rate of drop outs and low-rate of college attendance
among children of farmworkers.
For over 50 years, HEP and CAMP have successfully engaged students from farmworker families. To support these students in the first year of college, CAMP projects offer academic and career counseling, tutoring, and other support services. The HEP program
identifies students who have dropped out of high school and provides intensive instruction and other support services to help them attain their High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED). The U.S. Department of Education awards competitive five-year grants to
Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) or private non-profit organizations that work in cooperation with IHEs. These programs are authorized under Title IV, Part A, Subpart 5 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1070d-2).
We believe that the federal government should continue to invest in the HEP and CAMP projects for the following reasons: the data show that these programs are effective in helping students attain their HSED and succeed in college; HEP and CAMP are the only
federal programs that help the children of farmworkers succeed in higher education; there is a great demand for these programs as evidenced by the number of grant applications that are received every year; students helped by these programs get better employment
and contribute more to the tax base in their community; and the HEP/CAMP grant awards bring jobs and spur economic activity in the rural areas where many of these programs are located.
These highly successful programs received a slight increase of $1 million in FY 2020. Due to increases in cost of running these programs, we are seeking a slight increase in the amount of $4.4 million from FY 2020 level of $45.6 million to ensure that more
students from farmworker families have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of higher education. By continuing to provide this increased level of support, Congress can improve the quality of education for the children of farmworkers.
We thank you for your consideration and your attention to this request.
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