[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1601 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1601
Expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2024, as
``National First-Generation College Celebration Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 26, 2024
Ms. Moore of Wisconsin (for herself, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Davis of Illinois, Ms. Bonamici, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) submitted
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2024, as
``National First-Generation College Celebration Day''.
Whereas November 8 honors the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) by President Lyndon B. Johnson on
November 8, 1965;
Whereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) was focused on
increasing postsecondary access and success for students, particularly
including low-income and first-generation students;
Whereas the Act helped usher in programs necessary for postsecondary access,
retention, and completion for low-income, first-generation college
students, including the Federal TRIO Programs under chapter 1 of subpart
2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1070a-11 et seq.), and the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a);
Whereas the Federal TRIO programs under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of
title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et
seq.) are the primary national effort supporting underrepresented
students in postsecondary education and are designed to identify
individuals from low-income, first-generation backgrounds and prepare
them for postsecondary education, provide support services, and motivate
and prepare students for doctoral programs;
Whereas the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) is the primary Federal investment in
financial aid for low-income college students, and is used by students
at institutions of higher education of their choice;
Whereas a ``first-generation college student'' means an individual whose parents
did not complete a baccalaureate degree, or in the case of any
individual who regularly resided with and received support from only one
parent, an individual whose parent did not complete a baccalaureate
degree;
Whereas first-generation college students face additional academic, financial,
and social barriers compared to what their continuing-generation peers
face while pursuing higher education;
Whereas 54 percent of all current undergraduate students in the United States
identify as first-generation;
Whereas 45 percent of students currently pursuing bachelor's degrees are first-
generation;
Whereas two-thirds of all current community and technical college students
identify as first-generation, with 14.2 percent having attained an
associate's degree and 10.1 percent having attained an undergraduate
certificate;
Whereas first-generation students navigate multiple competing priorities, and 73
percent were employed while in college, in paid jobs, internships, or
work study;
Whereas first-generation students hold significant roles within their household,
with 27 percent having dependents to care for while in school;
Whereas 37 percent of first-generation graduates expect to attain a master's
degree, and 16 percent expect to attain a doctoral degree upon
completing a bachelor's degree;
Whereas the Council for Opportunity in Education and the Center for First-
generation Student Success jointly launched the inaugural First-
Generation College Celebration in 2017; and
Whereas the First-Generation College Celebration has continued to grow, and
institutions of higher education, corporations, nonprofits, and
elementary schools and secondary schools now celebrate November 8 as
``First-Generation College Celebration Day'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges all people in the
United States to--
(1) celebrate ``National First-Generation College
Celebration Day'' throughout the United States;
(2) recognize the important role that first-generation
college students play in helping to develop the future
workforce; and
(3) celebrate the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001 et seq.) and its programs that help historically excluded
students access higher education.
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