H.Res. 1145

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1145 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1145

Recognizing the significance of ``Community College Month'' in April as 
a celebration of more than 1,000 institutions throughout the United 
States supporting access to higher education, workforce training, and 
more broadly sustaining and advancing the Nation's economic prosperity.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 15, 2024

Mr. Courtney (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Ciscomani, Ms. Norton, 
Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Trone, Mr. Payne, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mrs. 
McBath, Ms. Pressley, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. 
Stansbury, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Garamendi, and Mr. 
Costa) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Accountability

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the significance of ``Community College Month'' in April as 
a celebration of more than 1,000 institutions throughout the United 
States supporting access to higher education, workforce training, and 
more broadly sustaining and advancing the Nation's economic prosperity.

Whereas the first public community college, known today as Joliet Junior College 
in Illinois, opened its doors to 6 students in 1901 as an experiment to 
accommodate those who wanted to pursue a college education without 
leaving their community;
Whereas the term ``community college'' was popularized by the President's 
Commission on Higher Education in 1947 in recognition of the community-
centered nature of the emerging sector of institutions;
Whereas local community and educational leaders throughout the Nation developed 
community colleges at a dramatic pace over several decades to instill 
civic pride and meet their people's needs for educational and economic 
opportunity;
Whereas, today, 1,026 community colleges, 921 public, 36 Tribal, and 69 
independent, serve 10,200,000 credit and noncredit students;
Whereas public community colleges are an affordable option charging average 
annual tuition and fees for in-district students of $3,990, have an 
average student age of 27, and serve students who often are working, 
low-income, parents, veterans, or the first in their family to go to 
college;
Whereas community colleges are the primary educational institution serving 
workforce development needs in the United States, and are responding to 
current economic conditions by educating professionals in fields ranging 
from the semiconductor and construction industries to nursing and other 
health care professions;
Whereas 49 percent of all students completing a bachelor's degree at a four-year 
college in 2016 had been enrolled at a two-year public college in the 
previous decade;
Whereas the median distance from a student's home to a community college was 
only 10 miles;
Whereas 82 percent of public high schools offer dual enrollment programs 
allowing their students to take college classes, usually at their local 
community college, offering opportunity to save time and money in 
college and jump start career exploration;
Whereas alumni of community colleges generated $898,500,000,000 in added income 
to the national economy in fiscal year 2020, or 4.1 percent of the total 
gross domestic product;
Whereas every dollar of public funding for community colleges returns $6.80 in 
tax revenue generated; and
Whereas celebrating ``Community College Month'' in April provides the people of 
the United States with an opportunity to recognize the value of 
institutions that have long supported American prosperity, 
competitiveness, and community vitality and that will be important to 
the Nation's economic future: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
significance of ``Community College Month'' as an opportunity to 
celebrate over 1,000 community colleges throughout the United States 
serving local and regional needs and strengthening the American 
economy.
<all>