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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS AND AMERICAN SAMOA COLLEGE ACCESS ACT
______
HON. GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN
of the northern mariana islands
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Northern Mariana
Islands and American Samoa College Access Act, which would authorize
tuition assistance grants to cover the difference between in-state and
out-of-state tuition costs for Northern Marianas and American Samoa
community college graduates seeking to attend a four-year public
university.
The importance of having an educated citizenry is a bedrock
principle of our nation and has been since our founding. And in today's
competitive job market, a postsecondary education is increasingly
becoming a critical necessity for obtaining a decent job with a decent
wage.
The Northern Mariana Islands has only been part of America for forty
years. We understand well that education is key to our continued
growth, but the reality is that household incomes in the Northern
Marianas are less than half the national median. The U.S. territory of
American Samoa is in similar economic straits. Poverty and unemployment
rates there are among the highest in the country.
I believe the best way to improve economic conditions in these
territories is to improve the educational opportunities of our
residents. Unfortunately, however, neither the Northern Marianas nor
American Samoa has a four-year institution of higher education. In
fact, they are the only two congressional districts in the country
without a public four-year college or university. Each has an
accredited community college, but academic offerings are substantially
limited.
Students from these U.S. territories wanting the advantages of a
four-year university in another state or territory face significant
financial difficulty. Nonresident students spend an average of $14,480
in out-of-state tuition and fees more per year than their resident
peers at public four-year colleges, according to College Board. And
many students in the Marianas and American Samoa wanting to attend a
four-year university not only face the cost of nonresident tuition, but
also the significant expense of travel. The Marianas are over 3,700
miles from the nearest state, Hawaii--a $1,100 one-way trip by plane.
American Samoa to Hawaii is over 2,500 miles, over $800 one-way.
The bill follows the model of P.L. 106-98, the DC College Access
Act, which allows students residing in the District of Columbia to
apply for grants to help pay the cost of attending colleges outside
D.C., but much smaller in scope and cost. It creates a program through
which public four-year schools in the 50 states, D.C., and other U.S.
territories may be reimbursed for offering in-state tuition to
undergraduate students from the Northern Mariana Islands and American
Samoa.
The gentlelady from American Samoa, Mrs. Radewagen, is an original
cosponsor of the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan
legislation and help give students from the Northern Marianas and
American Samoa the means needed to make their educational dreams a
reality.
____________________
