Kelly, Guest, Ezell, Wicker, and Hyde-Smith Voted to Cut Pell Grants, Cap Parent Loans, and Eliminate Graduate Loan Program
JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Democratic Party is urging Mississippi students and families to brace for significant financial impacts as key provisions of the Republican-passed "One Big Beautiful Bill" take effect July 1, 2026, just three weeks away.
The law, signed July 4, 2025, includes sweeping cuts to federal student aid that will hit Mississippi families harder than nearly any other state in the nation. Mississippi's three Republican House members, Reps. Trent Kelly, Michael Guest, and Mike Ezell, and both Republican U.S. Senators, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, all voted in favor of the legislation. Congressman Bennie Thompson, Mississippi's only Democrat in Congress, voted against it.
"Mississippi already has some of the highest poverty rates and lowest household incomes in the country," said Cheikh Taylor, Chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party. "Our families depend on federal student aid more than almost anyone else in America. Every one of our Republican representatives knew that, and they voted for these cuts anyway. Mississippi students are going to pay the price."
What Takes Effect July 1:
Pell Grants, the foundation of college financial aid for low- and moderate-income students, face tighter eligibility requirements that will reduce awards or disqualify students who previously would have received assistance. Earlier proposals tied to the legislation called for billions in cuts from prior funding levels and the elimination of other need-based programs.
Parent PLUS Loans, which previously allowed parents to borrow up to the full cost of attendance, will be capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 over a student's college career. The average cost of college in the United States currently exceeds $38,000 per year, meaning the federal loan cap will not come close to covering costs at many institutions. Parents will have no access to income-driven repayment plans for any new loans taken out under the new rules.
Grad PLUS Loans, which graduate and professional students in fields such as law, medicine, nursing, and engineering have relied upon to cover costs beyond basic federal loan limits, are being eliminated entirely for new borrowers. Graduate students will face hard annual and lifetime borrowing caps with no flexibility for high-cost programs.
What Mississippi Families Should Do Now:
The Mississippi Democratic Party urges affected families to take the following steps immediately:
Contact your college or university's financial aid office and ask specifically about institutional aid, scholarship appeals, and any remaining funding opportunities for the upcoming academic year.
Visit UNCF.org to search for scholarships with open or rolling deadlines.
Graduate students should explore assistantships, fellowships, and institutional grants before taking on private loan debt, and should review all private loan terms carefully before signing.
Families with younger students should begin planning now. The new rules will remain in effect until Congress acts to reverse them.
Who Is Responsible:
The Mississippi Democratic Party wants every family affected by these cuts to know exactly who cast the deciding votes. Reps. Trent Kelly (1st District), Michael Guest (3rd District), and Mike Ezell (4th District) voted for the bill in the House. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith voted for it in the Senate. Rep. Bennie Thompson (2nd District) voted against it and has been outspoken in his opposition to its impact on Mississippi families.
Mississippi families are encouraged to contact their representatives directly and demand accountability.
"A college degree is the clearest pathway out of poverty we have in this state," said Mikel Bolden, Executive Director of the Mississippi Democratic Party. "What Republicans have done is pull up that ladder for the families who need it most. We are going to make sure every Mississippian knows who made that choice."