III 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 777 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 20, 2022 Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Mr. Moran ) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing the support of the Senate for the contributions and achievements of student parents and recognizing September 2022 as National Student Parent Month.

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

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 .