[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2580 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2580

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the participation 
  in higher education of, and to increase opportunities in employment 
                     for, residents of rural areas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 30, 2008

 Mr. Brown (for himself and Mr. Smith) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the participation 
  in higher education of, and to increase opportunities in employment 
                     for, residents of rural areas.

    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 ``College and University Rural 
Education Act of 2008'' (CURE Act).

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

    The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``TITLE VIII--RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS FOR RURAL COLLEGES AND 
                              UNIVERSITIES

``SEC. 801. PURPOSE.

    ``The purposes of this title are--
            ``(1) to increase--
                    ``(A) enrollment and graduation rates in and from 
                2-year and 4-year colleges, and articulation from 2-
                year degree programs into 4-year degree programs, with 
                respect to graduates of rural secondary schools; and
                    ``(B) degree completion for nontraditional students 
                from rural areas; and
            ``(2) to promote economic growth and development in rural 
        America through assistance to partnerships, rural institutions 
        of higher education (including rural community colleges), and 
        other entities, such as local educational agencies, employers, 
        education service agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

``SEC. 802. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this title:
            ``(1) Nontraditional student.--The term `nontraditional 
        student' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) delays enrollment in an institution of higher 
                education by 3 or more years after completing secondary 
                school;
                    ``(B) attends an institution of higher education 
                part-time or less than part-time; or
                    ``(C) attends an institution of higher education 
                and--
                            ``(i) works full time;
                            ``(ii) is an independent student;
                            ``(iii) has 1 or more dependents other than 
                        a spouse;
                            ``(iv) is a single parent; or
                            ``(v) does not have a secondary school 
                        diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED).
            ``(2) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means an area in 
        which there is located a rural local educational agency.
            ``(3) Regional employer.--The term `regional employer' 
        means an employer that is a business or other entity employing 
        individuals within a rural area.
            ``(4) Rural institution of higher education.--The term 
        `rural institution of higher education' means an institution of 
        higher education (as such term is defined in section 101) that 
        primarily serves rural areas.
            ``(5) Rural local educational agency.--The term `rural 
        local educational agency' means a local educational agency that 
        is designated with a metrocentric locale code of 41, 42, or 43 
        as determined by the National Center for Education Statistics 
        (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as the `NCES'), in 
        conjunction with the Bureau of the Census, using the NCES 
        system for classifying local educational agencies.

``SEC. 803. ENSURING COLLEGE ACCESS FOR RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOL 
              GRADUATES.

    ``(a) Definition of Eligible Partnership.--In this section the term 
`eligible partnership' means a partnership formed between or among--
            ``(1) 1 or more rural institutions of higher education; and
            ``(2) any of the following entities:
                    ``(A) One or more rural local educational agencies.
                    ``(B) One or more rural education service agencies.
                    ``(C) One or more regional employers.
                    ``(D) One or more nonprofit organizations with 
                expertise in rural education.
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to eligible partnerships to enable the eligible partnerships to 
carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (d).
    ``(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an eligible partnership shall submit to the Secretary an 
application in such form and containing such information as the 
Secretary shall prescribe.
    ``(d) Award Considerations.--In determining which applications to 
approve for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider--
            ``(1) the percentage of graduates, attendees, or former 
        attendees of secondary schools from rural local educational 
        agencies who are enrolled or otherwise affiliated with the 
        rural institution of higher education participating in the 
        eligible partnership; and
            ``(2) in the case of employers, the percentage of employees 
        of the employer who are graduates of secondary schools served 
        by a rural local educational agency.
    ``(e) Use of Grant Amounts.--Grant funds made available under this 
section shall be used--
            ``(1) to improve enrollment rates at rural institutions of 
        higher education, for graduates and former attendees of rural 
        secondary schools, including--
                    ``(A) programs to provide information about college 
                costs and financial aid options, assistance with 
                college enrollment applications, and assistance with 
                financial aid applications;
                    ``(B) programs or initiatives that provide such 
                graduates and attendees access and exposure to 
                campuses, classes, programs, and facilities of rural 
                institutions of higher education, including covering 
                the cost of transportation to and from rural 
                institutions of higher education;
                    ``(C) the formation of groups or other initiatives 
                that create support groups of such graduates and 
                attendees expressing interest in attending rural 
                institutions of higher education;
                    ``(D) extra curricular activities, such as 
                internships, community service, and other activities 
                for such graduates and attendees in advance of 
                attending rural institutions of higher education; and
                    ``(E) other initiatives that assist such graduates 
                and attendees in applying for admission to and 
                developing interest in attending rural institutions of 
                higher education; and
            ``(2) to encourage participation of nontraditional students 
        in degree programs at rural institutions of higher education, 
        including--
                    ``(A) programs to provide information about college 
                costs and financial aid options, assistance with 
                college enrollment applications, and assistance with 
                financial aid applications for rural institutions of 
                higher education;
                    ``(B) outreach to nontraditional students through 
                community initiatives; and
                    ``(C) formation of support groups for 
                nontraditional students enrolling in 2-year degree 
                programs and articulating from 2-year degree programs 
                to 4-year degree programs.

``SEC. 804. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS.

    ``(a) Eligible Partnership Defined.--In this section the term 
`eligible partnership' means a partnership formed between or among--
            ``(1) 1 or more rural institutions of higher education; and
            ``(2) 1 or more regional employers.
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to eligible partnerships to enable the eligible partnerships to 
carry out the authorized activities described in subsection (e).
    ``(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an eligible partnership shall submit to the Secretary an 
application in such form and containing such information as the 
Secretary shall prescribe.
    ``(d) Award Considerations.--In determining which applications to 
approve for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider--
            ``(1) the potential of the regional employer participating 
        in the eligible partnership to employ graduates of rural 
        institutions of higher education after graduation;
            ``(2) the potential of the regional employer participating 
        in the eligible partnership to spur economic development in the 
        region; and
            ``(3) the relevance of the regional employer participating 
        in the eligible partnership to the regional economy.
    ``(e) Use of Grant Amounts.--Grant funds made available under this 
section shall be used--
            ``(1) to provide additional career training to attendees of 
        rural institutions of higher education in fields relevant to 
        the regional economy; and
            ``(2) to encourage regional businesses to employ graduates 
        of rural institutions of higher education.

``SEC. 805. QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AREAS.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to rural institutions of higher education to enable the rural 
institutions of higher education to carry out the authorized activities 
described in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Use of Grant Amounts.--Grant funds made available under this 
section shall be used to create or strengthen academic programs to 
prepare graduates of the rural institutions of higher education to 
enter into high-need occupations in the regional and local economies.

``SEC. 806. ADMINISTRATION.

    ``(a) Grant Considerations.--In awarding grants under this title to 
eligible partnerships and rural institutions of higher education, the 
Secretary shall consider--
            ``(1) the percentage of graduates of rural secondary 
        schools attending rural institutions of higher education in 
        proximity to the eligible partnership or rural institution of 
        higher education receiving the grant;
            ``(2) employment needs of regional employers in proximity 
        to the eligible partnership or rural institution of higher 
        education receiving the grant; and
            ``(3) the health of the regional economy of the region 
        surrounding the eligible partnership or rural institution of 
        higher education receiving the grant.
    ``(b) Maximum Grant Amount.--Each grant awarded by the Secretary 
under this title shall be in an amount that is not more than $500,000.
    ``(c) Grant Duration.--A grant under this title shall be awarded 
for one 3-year period.

``SEC. 807. GAO STUDY.

    ``(a) Study.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall carry out 
        a study, that shall be completed not later than 5 years after 
        the date of enactment of the College and University Rural 
        Education Act of 2008, to identify the challenges and solutions 
        to increasing the availability of and access to 2-year and 4-
        year degree programs and institutions of higher education in 
        rural America.
            ``(2) Matters studied.--The study shall investigate matters 
        related to--
                    ``(A) the number of 4-year institutions of higher 
                education and 4-year degree programs in rural America 
                in existence on the date of enactment of the College 
                and University Rural Education Act of 2008;
                    ``(B) access to 4-year degree programs and 
                institutions of higher education in rural America;
                    ``(C) the cost, availability of resources, and 
                challenges associated with the establishment and 
                expansion of 4-year degree programs in rural America; 
                and
                    ``(D) the role of rural America in contributing to 
                overall bachelor's degree attainment in the United 
                States, as a measure of United States global 
                competitiveness.
    ``(b) Recommendations.--The Comptroller General shall make 
recommendations to Congress regarding the matters studied under 
subsection (a).

``SEC. 808. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated--
            ``(1) for fiscal year 2009--
                    ``(A) $15,000,000 to carry out section 803;
                    ``(B) $10,000,000 to carry out section 804; and
                    ``(C) $5,000,000 to carry out section 805; and
            ``(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 
        succeeding fiscal years to carry out sections 803, 804, and 
        805.''.
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