[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4547-S4548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE PARTNERSHIPS FOR AFFORDABILITY AND STUDENT SUCCESS ACT

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today, most jobs require some kind of 
postsecondary credential, whether a certificate, an associate's or 
bachelor's degree, an advanced or professional degree, or an 
apprenticeship. Moreover, the workplace is changing with automation, 
artificial intelligence, and the so-called gig economy transforming the 
nature of work. These trends have only accelerated in the wake of the 
pandemic and its economic fallout. That is why I am proud to be 
introducing the bipartisan Partnerships for Affordability and Student 
Success (PASS) Act with my colleague, Senator Collins.
  The pandemic has upended educational opportunities for this 
generation of students. Unlike previous economic downturns when college 
enrollment climbed, the National Student Clearinghouse is reporting the 
largest decline in college enrollment in over a decade, with low-income 
and community college students experiencing the sharpest declines. For 
too many Americans, postsecondary education seems increasingly risky or 
out of reach.
  The Federal government cannot solve the crisis on its own. States are 
critical partners in making college accessible, affordable, equitable, 
and accountable. However, State funding for higher education is lower 
today than it was before the onset of the Great Recession. According to 
the latest State Higher Education Finance report published by the State 
Higher Education Executive Officers, public colleges and universities 
have become more reliant on tuition dollars for their operations. 
Today, in half of the States, tuition accounts for more than half of 
all higher education revenue. Moreover, the only Federal-State 
partnership program for need-based financial aid--the Leveraging 
Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) program--has not received 
appropriations since Fiscal Year 2010
  It is time to renew the Federal-State partnership for higher 
education, first enacted in 1972 on a bipartisan basis. The PASS Act 
will revitalize the Federal-State partnership through a formula grant 
to States with a focus on need-based aid, grants to institutions to 
improve student outcomes and reduce college costs, and public 
accountability.
  In exchange for this new Federal investment, States must make a 
commitment to maintain their investment in higher education and have a 
comprehensive plan for higher education with measurable goals for 
access, affordability, and student outcomes. At least half of the 
funding must be dedicated to need-based student financial aid. States 
also have the option of awarding grants to colleges and universities or 
partnerships between institutions of higher education and non-profit 
organizations to improve student outcomes, including enrollment, 
completion, and employment, and to develop innovative methods for 
reducing college costs. I am pleased to have the support of the 
National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, the 
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the 
Association of Community College Trustees, and the Bipartisan Policy 
Center.
  This generation is facing a crisis in college affordability and 
student loan debt. With the PASS Act, we seek to provide the resources 
and incentives for States to take more responsibility to address 
college affordability and student loan debt and improve student 
outcomes. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and look 
forward to working with them to include these and other key reforms in 
the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. Kelly):
  S. 2057. A bill to appropriately limit the size of the population 
required for urban areas of metropolitan statistical areas; to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                                S. 2057

       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 ``Metropolitan Statistical 
     Area Preservation Act''.

     SEC. 2. POPULATION OF URBAN AREAS.

       Section 3504 of title 44, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(l) In implementing subsection (e)(3), the Director--
       ``(1) shall not establish, for purposes of designating 
     areas as metropolitan statistical areas, or any successor 
     thereto, a minimum population for the urban area of such a 
     metropolitan statistical area that is more than 50,000; and
       ``(2) may, only for statistical purposes, and in addition 
     to the minimum population for urban areas described in 
     paragraph (1), establish other statistical area designations 
     with minimum population requirements for urban

[[Page S4548]]

     areas that are higher than the minimum population for an 
     urban area described in paragraph (1).''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Ernst, and Mr. 
        Lankford):
  S. 2058. A bill to improve the safety and security of members of the 
Armed Forces, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed 
Services.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill 
for introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill's purpose is to 
improve the safety and security of members of the Armed Forces, and for 
other purposes.

                                S. 2058

       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 ``Servicemember Safety and 
     Security Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF 
                   MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) Comprehensive Review of Missing Persons Reporting.--The 
     Secretary of Defense shall instruct the Secretary of each 
     military department to undertake a comprehensive review of 
     the department's policies and procedures for reporting 
     members of the Armed Forces absent without leave, on 
     unauthorized absence, or missing.
       (b) Review of Installation-level Procedures.--The head of 
     each military installation command shall--
       (1) direct each military installation under its command to 
     review its policies and procedures for carrying out the 
     reporting activities described under subsection (a); and
       (2) update such installation-level policies and procedures 
     with a view towards force protection, enhanced security for 
     members of the Armed Forces living on base, and prioritizing 
     reporting at the earliest reasonable time to local law 
     enforcement at all levels, and Federal law enforcement field 
     offices with overlapping jurisdictions with military 
     installations, when members are determined to be missing.
       (c) Installation-specific Reporting Protocols.--
       (1) In general.-- The commander of each military 
     installation shall establish a protocol for sharing 
     information with local and Federal law enforcement agencies 
     about members of the Armed Forces that are absent without 
     leave, on unauthorized absence, or missing. The protocol 
     shall provide, by memorandum of understanding (MOU) or 
     otherwise, for the commander to immediately notify all local 
     and Federal law enforcement agencies with jurisdictions in 
     the immediate area of the military installation when the 
     status of a member assigned to such installation has been 
     changed to absent without leave, on unauthorized absence, or 
     missing.
       (2) Reporting to military installation command.--The 
     commander of each military installation shall submit the 
     protocol established pursuant to paragraph (1) to the 
     relevant military installation command.

                          ____________________