[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 340 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 340

 Recognizing the significance of ``Community College Month'' in April 
    2025 as a celebration of the more than 1,000 community colleges 
 throughout the United States that support access to higher education, 
   workforce training, and more, and broadly sustain and advance the 
               economic prosperity of the United States.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 2025

 Mr. Courtney (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Quigley, 
Mr. Takano, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Bell, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Davis 
   of Illinois, Ms. King-Hinds, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Randall, and Mrs. 
 McBath) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the significance of ``Community College Month'' in April 
    2025 as a celebration of the more than 1,000 community colleges 
 throughout the United States that support access to higher education, 
   workforce training, and more, and broadly sustain and advance the 
               economic prosperity of the United States.

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 this emerging sector of institutions;
Whereas local community and educational leaders throughout the United States 
        developed community colleges at a dramatic pace over several decades to 
        meet their people's needs for educational and economic opportunity;
Whereas today 1,026 community colleges, including 921 public, 36 Tribal, and 69 
        independent colleges, serve 10,200,000 credit and noncredit students;
Whereas public community colleges are an affordable option, charging an 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 community colleges enrolled 43.1 percent of all undergraduate students 
        during the 2022-2023 academic year;
Whereas the median distance from the home of a student attending community 
        college to the community college is 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, and offering them an opportunity to save time and 
        money in college and jumpstart career exploration;
Whereas alumni of the community colleges of the United States generated 
        $898,500,000,000 in added income to the national economy in fiscal year 
        2020, equal to 4.1 percent of the total gross domestic product of the 
        United States;
Whereas every dollar of public funding for community colleges returns $6.80 in 
        tax revenue generated; and
Whereas celebrating ``Community College Month'' in April 2025 provides the 
        people of the United States with an opportunity to recognize the value 
        of institutions that have long supported the prosperity, 
        competitiveness, and community vitality of the United States and that 
        will be important to the economic future of the United States: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
significance of ``Community College Month'' as an opportunity to 
celebrate the over 1,000 community colleges throughout the United 
States that serve local and regional needs and strengthen the economy 
of the United States.
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