The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE PARTNERSHIPS FOR AFFORDABILITY AND STUDENT SUCCESS ACT” mentioning John Thune was published in the Senate section on pages S4547-S4548 on June 15.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE PARTNERSHIPS FOR AFFORDABILITY AND STUDENT SUCCESS ACT
Mr. REED. Mr. President, today, most jobs require some kind of postsecondary credential, whether a certificate, an associate's or bachelor's degree, an advanced or professional degree, or an apprenticeship. Moreover, the workplace is changing with automation, artificial intelligence, and the so-called gig economy transforming the nature of work. These trends have only accelerated in the wake of the pandemic and its economic fallout. That is why I am proud to be introducing the bipartisan Partnerships for Affordability and Student Success (PASS) Act with my colleague, Senator Collins.
The pandemic has upended educational opportunities for this generation of students. Unlike previous economic downturns when college enrollment climbed, the National Student Clearinghouse is reporting the largest decline in college enrollment in over a decade, with low-income and community college students experiencing the sharpest declines. For too many Americans, postsecondary education seems increasingly risky or out of reach.
The Federal government cannot solve the crisis on its own. States are critical partners in making college accessible, affordable, equitable, and accountable. However, State funding for higher education is lower today than it was before the onset of the Great Recession. According to the latest State Higher Education Finance report published by the State Higher Education Executive Officers, public colleges and universities have become more reliant on tuition dollars for their operations. Today, in half of the States, tuition accounts for more than half of all higher education revenue. Moreover, the only Federal-State partnership program for need-based financial aid--the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) program--has not received appropriations since Fiscal Year 2010
It is time to renew the Federal-State partnership for higher education, first enacted in 1972 on a bipartisan basis. The PASS Act will revitalize the Federal-State partnership through a formula grant to States with a focus on need-based aid, grants to institutions to improve student outcomes and reduce college costs, and public accountability.
In exchange for this new Federal investment, States must make a commitment to maintain their investment in higher education and have a comprehensive plan for higher education with measurable goals for access, affordability, and student outcomes. At least half of the funding must be dedicated to need-based student financial aid. States also have the option of awarding grants to colleges and universities or partnerships between institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations to improve student outcomes, including enrollment, completion, and employment, and to develop innovative methods for reducing college costs. I am pleased to have the support of the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Association of Community College Trustees, and the Bipartisan Policy Center.
This generation is facing a crisis in college affordability and student loan debt. With the PASS Act, we seek to provide the resources and incentives for States to take more responsibility to address college affordability and student loan debt and improve student outcomes. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and look forward to working with them to include these and other key reforms in the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
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By Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. Kelly):
S. 2057. A bill to appropriately limit the size of the population required for urban areas of metropolitan statistical areas; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
S. 2057
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Metropolitan Statistical Area Preservation Act''.
SEC. 2. POPULATION OF URBAN AREAS.
Section 3504 of title 44, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(l) In implementing subsection (e)(3), the Director--
``(1) shall not establish, for purposes of designating areas as metropolitan statistical areas, or any successor thereto, a minimum population for the urban area of such a metropolitan statistical area that is more than 50,000; and
``(2) may, only for statistical purposes, and in addition to the minimum population for urban areas described in paragraph (1), establish other statistical area designations with minimum population requirements for urban areas that are higher than the minimum population for an urban area described in paragraph (1).''.
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By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Ernst, and Mr.
Lankford):
S. 2058. A bill to improve the safety and security of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill for introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill's purpose is to improve the safety and security of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
S. 2058
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Servicemember Safety and Security Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) Comprehensive Review of Missing Persons Reporting.--The Secretary of Defense shall instruct the Secretary of each military department to undertake a comprehensive review of the department's policies and procedures for reporting members of the Armed Forces absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing.
(b) Review of Installation-level Procedures.--The head of each military installation command shall--
(1) direct each military installation under its command to review its policies and procedures for carrying out the reporting activities described under subsection (a); and
(2) update such installation-level policies and procedures with a view towards force protection, enhanced security for members of the Armed Forces living on base, and prioritizing reporting at the earliest reasonable time to local law enforcement at all levels, and Federal law enforcement field offices with overlapping jurisdictions with military installations, when members are determined to be missing.
(c) Installation-specific Reporting Protocols.--
(1) In general.-- The commander of each military installation shall establish a protocol for sharing information with local and Federal law enforcement agencies about members of the Armed Forces that are absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing. The protocol shall provide, by memorandum of understanding (MOU) or otherwise, for the commander to immediately notify all local and Federal law enforcement agencies with jurisdictions in the immediate area of the military installation when the status of a member assigned to such installation has been changed to absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing.
(2) Reporting to military installation command.--The commander of each military installation shall submit the protocol established pursuant to paragraph (1) to the relevant military installation command.
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