S.Res. 903Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Congress

A resolution expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2024, as "National First-Generation College Celebration Day".

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 8:01 PM UTC

The Senate resolution expresses support for naming November 8, 2024, as National First-Generation College Celebration Day. It aims to highlight the contributions and challenges of first‑generation college students and to honor the Higher Education Act of 1965. The resolution encourages the public to observe the day and recognize the importance of these students to the future workforce.

Key Provisions

The Senate formally supports designating November 8, 2024, as National First‑Generation College Celebration Day.
It urges all Americans to celebrate the day across the country.
It calls for recognition of the role first‑generation college students play in developing the future workforce.
It encourages celebration of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and its programs that aid underrepresented students.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateFloor Latest Action

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6697; text: CR S6689)

November 21, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

November 21, 2024

SenateFloor

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6697; text: CR S6689)

November 21, 2024

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S.Res. 903 on the floor

1 Democrat

Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Nov 20, 2024

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions: S. Res. 903, S. Res. 904, S. Res. 905, S. Res. 906, S. Res. 907. Madam…

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions: S. Res. 903, S. Res. 904, S. Res. 905, S. Res. 906, S. Res. 907.

Madam President, this resolution concerns a lawsuit filed in Federal court in the District of Columbia against the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Chairman Sanders, Ranking Member Cassidy, and 18 other members of the committee. That suit was brought by an individual, Dr. Ralph de la Torre, who had been subpoenaed to testify at a hearing before the Committee but chose to disregard his legal duty and failed to appear at the committee's hearing. After Dr. de la Torre failed to appear, the Committee reported to the Senate, and the Senate agreed to, a resolution directing the President of the Senate to certify the fact of his default to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for consideration of prosecution for contempt of Congress.

Dr. de la Torre then filed suit to try to prevent any sanction from being imposed on him for his default of a duly authorized Senate committee subpoena, claiming that the subpoena served no valid legislative purpose and that requiring him to appear at the hearing violated his Fifth Amendment rights, despite the fact that the committee made clear that he could assert a Fifth Amendment privilege in response to questions at the hearing, if applicable.

Dr. de la Torre's suit against the committee and its members seeking to prevent any consequences for his default on the subpoena threatens to interfere with the independence of the Senate in conducting its legislative and oversight duties and improperly seeks to use a civil suit to forestall a criminal matter. This resolution would authorize the Senate legal counsel to represent the committee and the members named as defendants in this suit in order to seek its dismissal.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Bill Text

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Agreed to SenateIssued November 21, 2024

III

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 903

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 21 (legislative day, November 20), 2024

Mr. Warnock (for himself, Mr. Marshall, Ms. Collins, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Booker) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Expressing support for the designation of November 8, 2024, as National First-Generation 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;

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 54 percent of all current college students currently pursuing degrees are first-generation college students;

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 First-Generation College Celebration Day: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—

(1)

expresses support for the designation of November 8, 2024, as National First-Generation College Celebration Day; and

(2)

urges all people of the United States to—

(A)

celebrate National First-Generation College Celebration Day throughout the United States;

(B)

recognize the important role that first-generation college students play in helping to develop the future workforce; and

(C)

celebrate the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) and its programs that help underrepresented students access higher education.