[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S4859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 777--EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE SENATE FOR THE 
   CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF STUDENT PARENTS AND RECOGNIZING 
            SEPTEMBER 2022 AS NATIONAL STUDENT PARENT MONTH

  Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself and Mr. Moran) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 777

       Whereas student parents are individuals who have children 
     and who attend postsecondary educational institutions;
       Whereas student parents make up roughly \1/4\ of the 
     postsecondary student population, totaling nearly 4,000,000 
     individuals;
       Whereas 70 percent of student parents are women, and 43 
     percent of student parents are single mothers, with nearly 
     \1/2\ of such student parents being first-generation college 
     students;
       Whereas 54 percent of single mothers who are enrolled at an 
     institution of higher education work 20 hours or more per 
     week and 43 percent work 30 hours or more per week, which 
     requires those individuals to balance school, work, and 
     caring for their dependents;
       Whereas 51 percent of student parents are students of 
     color, particularly female students of color, with mothers 
     representing--
       (1) 40 percent of Black postsecondary students;
       (2) 36 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native 
     postsecondary students;
       (3) 35 percent of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 
     postsecondary students; and
       (4) 26 percent of Hispanic postsecondary students;
       Whereas 47 percent of student parents are military-
     connected students;
       Whereas approximately 2,500 surviving military spouses, a 
     majority of whom are parenting at least 1 child, are using 
     education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     for surviving dependents;
       Whereas 84 percent of military spouses have some college 
     education or credential and, on average, make 25 percent less 
     than their civilian counterparts;
       Whereas nearly \2/3\ of student parents have incomes at, 
     below, or near the Federal poverty line;
       Whereas 42 percent of student parents attend community 
     colleges and 30 percent attend public or private nonprofit 4-
     year institutions of higher education;
       Whereas 1 in 3 college students enrolled in a health care 
     program is a student parent;
       Whereas 53 percent of student parents reported food 
     insecurity and 68 percent reported housing insecurity;
       Whereas, on average, student parents have higher grade 
     point averages than their non-parenting peers, but student 
     parents are 10 times less likely to complete a bachelor's 
     degree within 5 years than students without children;
       Whereas a low-income student parent who earns a degree or 
     credential boosts the income of that individual, and the 
     earning potential of the children of that individual when 
     those children become adults, by 17 percent; and
       Whereas student parents are uniquely motivated to excel in 
     their courses of study while often facing challenges, 
     including lack of affordable child care and balancing work 
     responsibilities while attending postsecondary educational 
     institutions: Now, therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses support for the contributions and 
     achievements of student parents in seeking and completing a 
     postsecondary education; and
       (2) designates September 2022 as ``National Student Parent 
     Month''.

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