Mich. House panel votes to save ‘Promise’ college scholarship, sort of

LANSING — The Democratic-controlled House Appropriations Committee split along party lines to pass a bill to fund the Michigan Promise Scholarship — at the tune of $120 million. The move comes just one day after a joint House-Senate Committee voted 4-2 to eliminate funding the scholarships, and two days after law makers and college students rallied on the steps of the State Capitol to prevent the cuts.

The appropriations bill does not identify a revenue source for the $120 million, and this is largely symbolic. A vote is expected later today in the full House on the joint committee’s bill to eliminate the scholarship altogether.

College students are wasting no time in defending the scholarship program. Student groups, coordinated by Michigan State University’s College Democrats have begun an intensive call-in campaign targeting 20 Democratic lawmakers in the House who are anticipated to support a budget compromise beign crafted by Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop.

On Tuesday, students threatened to remember those representatives who voted to eliminate the scholarship. And on Wednesday the University of Michigan College Democrats issued an e-mail statement threatening to withhold support for Democrats who voted against the scholarship.

“On the other hand, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for us to campaign in the future for any politician who did not support and defend the Michigan Promise. In the past, we have made countless phone calls, knocked on doors and campaigned on campus for Carl Levin, Debbie Stabenow, John Dingell, Glenn Anderson, Marty Griffin, Bart Stupak, Gary Peters, Mark Schauer, and many others. As one of the largest College Democrats chapters in the country, our large volunteer base is an invaluable resource.

“Furthermore, all students should take note of how their senators and representatives vote on higher education funding, as students are the ones who will be affected by the Legislature’s broken promise.”

The Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation earlier this year which eliminated the Michigan Promise Scholarship altogether. The House has not voted on the issue yet, although it is expected to take up a vote on the conference committee bill later Thursday.