Updates

The past two weeks mark an important milestone—the start of primary elections across the country. Students are making sure their voices will be heard from now to Election Day and beyond.

We’re so proud of the amazing work our students have accomplished over the last year. But even as students are making progress at the local and statewide level, we wanted to highlight another unexpected source of progress: the federal level!

This year, the PIRG model of organizing paid off
big time. We helped more than 30,000 young people
register to vote, made over 1 million GOTV
contacts, and protected students’ right to vote at
the ballot box, which all contributed to an unprecedented
increase in youth voter turnout in 2018.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan FUTURE Act today, which permanently funds historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions, and streamlines financial aid. Specifically, it allows the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Education to share data that will shorten the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and automatically re-certify the income of borrowers who are in an income-driven repayment plan.

National Voter Registration Day may be over, but the work to engage and empower students continues!

I am incredibly inspired by our student leaders today. The hard work, drive, and passion shown by students across the country, demonstrate that young people are not sitting on the sidelines and will work hard to get their voices heard. Here are some of my favorite highlights from the day.

Nationwide – Young people are taking the lead on college campuses to make sure their voices are heard in the upcoming elections. Students leaders are working with student governments, administrators, professors and county registrars to ensure that young people have a say in the democratic process.

Nationwide – College-student voting rates in the 2018 midterm elections doubled compared to the 2014 midterms, marking a watershed election year for student voter turnout and engagement, according to a report today from the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE) at Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life. 

WASHINGTON — Today, congressional leaders from both parties introduced legislation that could save American college students nearly a billion dollars on textbooks.

WASHINGTON — After being asked to comment on U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s report on oversized fees on college students’ checking accounts, Wells Fargo announced that it would be eliminating some fees on its campus debit cards.

WASHINGTON — Attending college can be one of the most expensive endeavors Americans face. According to U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s new report, Debit Cards on Campus: Putting Student Financial Well-Being At Risk, many banks are adding to that expense by partnering with schools to offer and aggressively market new checking accounts to students.