I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4139 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve participation in 
higher education of, and increase opportunities in employment for, resi-
dents of rural areas. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 9, 2007 
Mr. SPACE (for himself, Mr. HARE, and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve 
participation in higher education of, and increase oppor-
tunities in employment for, residents of rural areas. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘College and University 
Rural Education (CURE) Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 
The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new title: 
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‘‘(ii) is an independent student; 
‘‘(iii) has one or more dependents 
other than a spouse; 
‘‘(iv) is a single parent; or 
‘‘(v) does not have a high school di-
ploma or a general equivalency diploma 
(GED). 
‘‘(5) REGIONAL
EMPLOYER.—The term ‘re-
gional employer’ means employers qualifying as busi-
nesses or other entities employing individuals within 
a rural area. 
‘‘SEC. 803. ENSURING COLLEGE ACCESS FOR RURAL HIGH 
SCHOOL GRADUATES. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation is authorized to make grants in accordance with 
this section to partnerships formed between one or more 
rural institution of higher education and any of the fol-
lowing entities: 
‘‘(1) One or more rural local educational agen-
cies. 
‘‘(2) One or more rural education service agen-
cies. 
‘‘(3) One or more regional employers. 
‘‘(4) One or more nonprofit organizations with 
expertise in rural education. 
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‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS; APPLICATIONS.—To 
be eligible for a grant under this section, a partnership 
that meets the requirements of subsection (a) shall submit 
to the Secretary an application in such form and con-
taining such information as the Secretary shall prescribe. 
In determining which applications to approve for a grant 
under this section, the Secretary shall consider— 
‘‘(1) the percentage of graduates, attendees, or 
former attendees of high schools from rural local 
educational agencies enrolled or otherwise affiliated 
with the entity; 
‘‘(2) in the case of employers, the percentage of 
employees that are graduates of high schools in 
rural local educational agencies. 
‘‘(c) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—Funds made avail-
able by a grant under this section to a partnership that 
meets the requirements of shall be used— 
‘‘(1) to improve enrollment rates for graduates 
and former attendees of rural high schools at rural 
institutions of higher education, including— 
‘‘(A) programs to provide information 
about college costs and financial aid options, as-
sistance with college enrollment applications, 
and assistance with financial aid applications; 
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‘‘(B) programs or initiatives that provide 
such individuals of rural high schools access 
and exposure to campuses, classes, programs, 
and facilities of rural institutions of higher edu-
cation, including covering the cost of transpor-
tation to and from institutions of higher edu-
cation; 
‘‘(C) the formation of groups or other ini-
tiatives that create support groups of such stu-
dents expressing interest in attending rural in-
stitutions of higher education; 
‘‘(D) extra curricular activities, such as in-
ternships, community service, and other activi-
ties for such individuals in advance of attending 
institutions of higher education; and 
‘‘(E) other initiatives that assist such indi-
viduals in applying and developing interest in 
attending rural institutions of higher education; 
and 
‘‘(2) to encourage participation of nontradi-
tional students in degree programs at rural institu-
tions of higher education, including— 
‘‘(A) programs to provide information 
about college costs and financial aid options, as-
sistance with college enrollment applications, 
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and assistance with financial aid applications 
for institutions of higher education; 
‘‘(B) outreach to nontraditional students 
through community initiatives; and 
‘‘(C) formation of support groups for non-
traditional students enrolling in 2-year degree 
programs and articulating from 2-year degree 
programs to 4-year degree programs. 
‘‘SEC. 804. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation is authorized to make grants in accordance with 
this section to partnerships formed between one or more 
rural institutions of higher education and one or more re-
gional employers. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS; APPLICATIONS.—To 
be eligible for a grant under this section, a partnership 
that meets the requirements of subsection (a) shall submit 
to the Secretary an application in such form and con-
taining such information as the Secretary shall prescribe. 
In determining which applications to approve for a grant 
under this section, the Secretary shall consider— 
‘‘(1) the potential of the employer to employ 
graduates of rural institutions of education after 
graduation; 
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‘‘(2) the potential of the employer engaged in 
the partnership to spur economic development in the 
region; and 
‘‘(3) the relevance of the employer to the re-
gional economy. 
‘‘(c) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—Funds made avail-
able by a grant under this section to a partnership that 
meets the requirements of subsection (a) shall be used— 
‘‘(1) to provide additional career training to 
attendees of rural institutions of education in fields 
relevant to the regional economy; and 
‘‘(2) to encourage regional businesses to employ 
graduates of rural institutions of education. 
‘‘SEC. 805. QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AREAS. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation is authorized to make grants in accordance with 
this section to rural institutions of higher education. 
‘‘(b) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—Funds made avail-
able by a grant under this section to a partnership that 
meets the requirements of subsection (a) shall be used to 
create or strengthen academic programs to prepare 
graudates to enter into high-need occupations in the re-
gional and local economies 
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‘‘SEC. 806. ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) GRANT CONSIDERATIONS.—In making grant al-
locations under this title to qualifying institutions and 
partnerships, the Secretary shall consider— 
‘‘(1) the percentage of graduates of rural high 
schools attending rural institutions of higher edu-
cation in proximity to the entity receiving the grant; 
‘‘(2) employment needs of regional employers in 
proximity to entities receiving the grant; and 
‘‘(3) the health of the regional economy of the 
region surrounding the entity receiving the grant. 
‘‘(b) MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM GRANTS.—No grant 
awarded by the Secretary under this title shall be less than 
$200,000 or more than $500,000. 
‘‘(c) GRANT DURATION.—A grant awarded under 
this title shall be awarded for one 3-year period. 
‘‘SEC. 807. GAO STUDY. 
‘‘Commission a study to be completed in 5 years to 
identify the challenges and solutions to increasing the 
availability of and access to 4-year degree programs and 
institutions in rural America. The GAO shall investigate 
and make recommendations to Congress regarding— 
‘‘(1) the existing number of 4-year institutions 
of higher education and 4-year degree programs in 
rural America; 
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‘‘(2) access to 4-year degree programs and in-
stitutions in rural America; 
‘‘(3) the cost, availability of resources and chal-
lenges associated with the establishment and expan-
sion of 4-year degree programs in rural America; 
and 
‘‘(4) the role of rural America in contributing 
to overall bachelor’s degree attainment in the United 
States, as a measure of United States global com-
petitiveness. 
‘‘SEC. 808. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated— 
‘‘(1) for fiscal year 2009— 
‘‘(A) $15,000,000 to cary out section 803; 
‘‘(B) $10,000,000 to carry out section 804; 
and 
‘‘(C) $5,000,000 to carry out section 805; 
and 
‘‘(2) such sums as may be necessary for each 
of the 4 succeeding fiscal years to carry out such 
sections.’’. 
Æ 
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