Pell Grants, based on need, have been the federal government's commitment and contribution to equal access to higher education. Topics addressed in these hearings include: the maximum award amount, the percentage of college costs to be covered by the award, the living allowance for students living off campus, the tax rates on discretionary income used to determine expected family contribution and compute the Pell Grant program, the definition of independent students, the effect of cuts in the Pell Grants program on Black and Hispanic students, proposed changes in need analysis, whether graduate students should be eligible for Pell Grants, validation in the Pell Grant program, ways to reduce redundancy in the Pell Grant processing system, and disseminating information regarding federal programs. The campus-based programs are also covered; they include the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, the College Work-Study Program, and the National Direct Student Loan Program. Testimony is also presented on the State Student Incentive Grant Program, which is a partnership between the federal government and the states in making need-based grants available to students. (SW).