III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 500 

Designating November 8, 2023, as ‘‘National First-Generation College 

Celebration Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 13, 2023 

Mr. WARNOCK (for himself, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BOOKER, 

Mr. BRAUN, Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ

MASTO, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. 

LUJA ́N, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. RISCH, Ms. 

ROSEN, Mr. VANCE, and Mr. WHITEHOUSE) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating November 8, 2023, as ‘‘National FirstGeneration College Celebration Day’’. 

Whereas a ‘‘first-generation college student’’ means an individual whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate 

degree, or in the case of any individual who regularly resided with and received support from only 1 parent, an 

individual whose parent did not complete a baccalaureate 

degree; 

Whereas November 8 honors the anniversary of the signing 

of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 

et seq.) by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 

8, 1965; 

2 

•SRES 500 ATS 

Whereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 was focused on 

increasing postsecondary education access and success for 

students, particularly low-income and first-generation college students; 

Whereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 helped usher in 

programs necessary for low-income, first-generation college students to access, remain in, and complete postsecondary education, including the Federal TRIO programs 

under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the 

Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et 

seq.) and the Federal Pell Grant program under section 

401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1070a); 

Whereas the Federal TRIO programs are the primary national effort supporting underrepresented students in 

postsecondary education and are designed to identify individuals from low-income backgrounds that would be 

first-generation college students and prepare them for 

postsecondary education, provide them support services, 

and motivate and prepare them for doctoral programs; 

Whereas the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401 

of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) 

is the primary Federal investment in financial aid for 

low-income college students and is used by students at institutions of higher education of their choice; 

Whereas first-generation college students may face additional 

academic, financial, and social challenges that their peers 

do not face in pursuing higher education; 

Whereas 56 percent of all current college students currently 

pursuing degrees are first-generation college students; 

3 

•SRES 500 ATS 

Whereas the Council for Opportunity in Education and the 

Center for First-generation Student Success jointly 

launched the inaugural First-Generation College Celebration in 2017; and 

Whereas the First-Generation College Celebration has continued to grow, and institutions of higher education, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and elementary and 

secondary schools now celebrate November 8 as ‘‘FirstGeneration College Celebration Day’’: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates November 8, 2023, as ‘‘National 

3 First-Generation College Celebration Day’’; and 

4 (2) urges all people of the United States to— 

5 (A) celebrate ‘‘National First-Generation 

6 College Celebration Day’’ throughout the 

7 United States; 

8 (B) recognize the important role that first9 generation college students play in helping to 

10 develop the future workforce; and 

11 (C) celebrate the Higher Education Act of 

12 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) and its pro13 grams that help underrepresented students ac14 cess higher education. 

Æ