[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 71 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S3729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE RECIPIENTS OF THE EL DORADO PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 545, which was 
submitted earlier today by Senator Pryor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 545) honoring the recipients of the 
     El Dorado Promise Scholarship.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate, and that any statements related thereto be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 545) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 545

       Whereas the 2000 United States Census determined that El 
     Dorado, Arkansas, had a significantly lower percentage of 
     residents with degrees from institutions of higher education 
     and a significantly higher percentage of families who fell 
     below the poverty line than the national average;
       Whereas it is increasingly important for students to obtain 
     a college education in order to keep up with the demands of 
     the modern workforce and global economy;
       Whereas the El Dorado Promise scholarship is a tuition 
     scholarship, created and funded by Murphy Oil Corporation, 
     which enables all eligible high school graduates of the El 
     Dorado Public School District in El Dorado, Arkansas, to 
     attend any accredited 2- or 4-year, public or private, 
     college or university;
       Whereas school enrollment in the El Dorado Public School 
     District has significantly increased since the El Dorado 
     Promise scholarship program was established, despite a 15-
     year trend of decreasing enrollment;
       Whereas the El Dorado Promise scholarship program increased 
     the number of El Dorado High School students who chose to 
     attend college after graduation by 20 percent; and
       Whereas, on April 30, 2008, El Dorado High School students 
     who receive El Dorado Promise and other academic scholarships 
     sign academic letters of intent for the colleges they will be 
     attending upon graduation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the recipients of the El Dorado Promise 
     scholarship for choosing to further their education;
       (2) recognizes April 30, 2008, as the second Academic 
     Signing Day for graduating El Dorado High School students 
     receiving El Dorado Promise and other academic scholarships;
       (3) acknowledges that the El Dorado Promise scholarship 
     program is important for the revitalization of southern 
     Arkansas; and
       (4) recognizes Murphy Oil Corporation for its efforts to 
     ensure that children from southern Arkansas, who might 
     otherwise struggle in financing a college education, are able 
     to attend college.

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