[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 686 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 686

 Recognizing the significance of Community College Month in April as a 
   celebration of more than 1,000 institutions throughout the United 
 States supporting access to higher education, workforce training, and 
 more broadly sustaining and advancing the economic prosperity of the 
                             United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 22, 2026

    Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt 
    Rochester, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
Heinrich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Padilla, 
   Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Reed) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the significance of Community College Month in April as a 
   celebration of more than 1,000 institutions throughout the United 
 States supporting access to higher education, workforce training, and 
 more broadly sustaining and advancing 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 the 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, 1,024 community colleges, including 924 public, 36 Tribal, and 
        64 independent community colleges serve 10,500,000 credit and noncredit 
        students;
Whereas recent enrollment data shows that community colleges are the leading 
        source of postsecondary growth, with enrollment increasing by 4 percent, 
        demonstrating continued progress in student access and participation;
Whereas public community colleges are an affordable option charging an average 
        of $4,050 for annual tuition and fees for in-district students, 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 49 percent of all students who completed a bachelor's degree at a 4-year 
        institution in the 2015-2016 academic year had been enrolled at a 2-year 
        public institution in the previous decade;
Whereas the median distance from each student's home to a 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, offering opportunity to save time and money in 
        college and jumpstart career exploration;
Whereas alumni of America's community colleges generated $898,500,000,000 in 
        added income to the national economy in fiscal year 2020 and constituted 
        4.1 percent of the total gross domestic product for that year;
Whereas every dollar of public funding for community colleges returns $6.80 in 
        tax revenue; and
Whereas celebrating Community College Month in April provides the people of the 
        United States with an opportunity to recognize the value of institutions 
        that have long supported American prosperity and competitiveness and 
        community vitality and that will be important to the economic future of 
        the United States; Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate recognizes the significance of Community 
College Month in April as an opportunity to celebrate over 1,000 
community colleges throughout the United States serving local and 
regional needs and strengthening the United States economy.
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