[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.
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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).''.
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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.
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