[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18947]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Specter, and Mr. Sanders):
  S. 1787. A bill to conduct 1 or more higher education and career 
readiness demonstration projects for rural, low-income students; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, all students, regardless of where they 
live, need appropriate tools to compete in today's global economy. 
Today, I am pleased to introduce legislation that will ensure students 
in rural areas are equipped with the resources they need. If approved, 
the Rural Students College, Career, and Community Readiness Act of 2007 
would improve the educational and career outcomes and build the 
leadership skills of students in rural communities. I am pleased to be 
working my colleague, Senator Specter, on this important and timely 
legislation.
  Roughly one in four public schools is located in rural America, 
accounting for 14.5 percent of total public school enrollment. 
Unfortunately, studies have shown students attending these rural 
schools generally have lower educational aspirations than their urban 
and suburban peers. In addition, roughly half of rural high school 
students live and attend schools in counties that do not have colleges.
  These facts are daunting and present a major hurdle in improving 
education for students in rural communities. However, if our country is 
to successfully compete for jobs in the marketplace of the 21st 
century, we must ensure all students have access to an excellent 
education. These are some of the many reasons why Senator Specter and I 
have joined together to introduce the Rural Students College, Career, 
and Community Readiness Act of 2007.
  This legislation will establish partnerships between nonprofit 
entities and rural school districts to improve the academic motivation 
and educational performance of rural, low-income students. Under these 
partnerships, students in grades 7-12 will receive 25 hours of program 
workshops during the school year to develop career awareness and build 
their leadership skills. Furthermore, these programs will provide 
information for students about the opportunities for and the importance 
of higher education while increasing understanding of the future labor 
needs in their State.
  This legislation also calls for a rigorous evaluation of the 
program's impact. The results of this evaluation will not only tell us 
the rates of participation in dual enrollment courses, advanced 
placement courses, or other related programs of our rural students, but 
also provide models of best practices for partnerships so others can 
replicate their success.
  The Rural Students College, Career, and Community Readiness Act 
emphasizes the improvement of human capital through education as an 
important engine for economic development for rural communities. This 
legislation is needed to increase the number of rural students engaged 
in rigorous, college-preparatory coursework, improve their high school 
graduation rates, and prepare the next generation of leaders in rural 
communities.
  I am hopeful my Senate colleagues will join us to move this 
legislation to the floor without delay.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. ROBERTS:
  S. 1788. A bill to provide for the mandatory revocation of passports 
of individuals whose child support payments are more than $2,500 in 
arrears; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to offer legislation to 
ensure that noncustodial parents pay child support, instead of fleeing 
off to hide from their responsibilities. I commend my fellow Kansas 
colleagues, Congressman Dennis Moore and Congressman Jerry Moran, for 
introducing similar legislation in the House.
  The problem is this: noncustodial parents could potentially avoid 
paying their responsible share of child support by leaving the country. 
State child support enforcement agencies must certify cases to the 
State Department for passport denial if the child support debt is over 
$2,500. The loophole that emerges is for those deadbeat parents who 
already have a passport. Under current implementation of the law, the 
next opportunity for enforcement is at the renewal of the passport, 
which could be several years down the road. The legislation I offer 
today closes that loophole, and simply instructs the State Department 
to revoke, in addition to denying, a noncustodial parent's passport 
once the individual's child support debt exceeds $2,500. Studies show 
that the receipt of child support is a key factor that keeps a child 
and single parent family from living in or near poverty. Beyond the 
financial security that steady child support provides, there is a 
greater likelihood that noncustodial parents are personally involved in 
their child's life. If a parent shows responsibility financially, there 
is a bigger chance that he or she is involved emotionally. The impact 
of a noncustodial parent's involvement in his child's life, in many 
cases, results in better grades and fewer behavioral problems.
  In Kansas alone, there are currently 131,000 child support cases 
open, including those receiving public assistance, and those above that 
income bracket. Last year, the Kansas Child Support Enforcement Program 
collected $156 million in child support.
  Now, you might ask: What percentage of the population will this help? 
I would concede that, although this may not impact a high percentage of 
those children and families receiving child support, the impact on an 
individual family is very significant. According to my state's limited 
records on this issue, approximately 50 passport applications and 
renewals are denied on a yearly basis. That figure does not include 
those passports that should be revoked. The Kansas Child Support 
Enforcement Program estimates that the number of deadbeat parents 
affected would increase to 250. The security afforded by the steady 
stream of child support could be the lone determinant of a family 
living in poverty or existing on adequate financial ground.
  I encourage my colleagues to add their support to this important fix. 
We must ensure that the tools provided to the states have the teeth 
necessary to discourage deadbeat parents from running out on their 
financial responsibilities.

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