So Mrs. Dole and our friends at Feminists for Life came up with theis nifty little bill:

Dole Introduces Bill to Help Student-Parents

Online exclusive
BY KRISTIN PRATT
STAFF WRITER
November 10, 2005

Balancing books and babies can be quite a challenge, especially for parents trying to go to college at the same time.

In an effort to relieve the pressures on student-parents, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., proposed a bill Monday that would establish a program creating services offices for pregnant and parenting students at higher education institutions.

The proposal states that under this pilot program, grants would be given to higher education institutions to help establish and operate a services office. The grants would be used only to start the offices, and the institutions would have to maintain them.

“Having access to the resources provided by these grants will make the pursuit of education and a career a continued reality,” Dole stated in a Monday press release.

Katie Norman, a spokeswoman for Dole, said that this is something Dole has been wanting to propose, and that it is not tied down to any timely issue.

The bill also states that institutions must apply to the U.S. Secretary of Education for grants, and only a maximum of 200 grants will be awarded.

Dole proposes that $10 million be appropriated for each of the fiscal years from 2006 to 2010.

The services offices should help provide access to family housing, maternity coverage under student health care, child care, parenting and marriage education and support groups.

The offices will be required to report to the secretary of education regarding expenditures, an evaluation of the program’s performance and use of the office by students. The secretary also will have to file a report about the program, the bill states.

The bill is similar to the 1998 amendment of the Higher Education Act, which provides grants for child care on campuses.

Mark Bittner, director of the University of Wyoming’s Early Care and Education Center, said Dole’s bill is a complement to the CAMPUS child care amendment.

He said that funding is an issue with these services, and that the CAMPUS amendment has been one of the few things that’s specifically allotted funds for child care for student-parents.

Norman said Dole has been working with Feminists for Life on the issue.

“Thanks to the leadership of Sen. Dole, more women, children and families will be better served,” Serrin Foster, the president of Feminists for Life, stated in a press release.

In the release, Dole stresses the need to provide these parental services as an alternative for women.

“We need to send a strong message that when an unwanted pregnancy occurs, there are alternatives to abortion,” Dole states.

About 45 percent of the women who have abortions are between the ages of 18 and 24, according to a 2000 research study by the Guttmacher Institute.

Dole’s press release states that women students cite concerns about being able to get an education while finding resources to provide for raising a child.

“Whether they are married, single, mothers or fathers, we need to do our part to support these students and provide them with options that allow them to be a parent and to still graduate from college,” Dole stated.

http://www.dailytarheel.com/vnews/display.v/
ART/2005/11/10/4372d196e11a4

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.

Ok..so sounds OK. Right? Fine they see abortion as a problem so they offer a real solution with some real $$. Now look at the actual bill:

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act of 2005

(Introduced in Senate)

S 1966 IS

109th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1966
To establish a pilot program to provide grants to encourage eligible institutions of higher education to establish and operate pregnant and parenting student services offices for pregnant students, parenting students, prospective parenting students who are anticipating a birth or adoption, and students who are placing or have placed a child for adoption.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 7, 2005
Mrs. DOLE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

——————————————————————————–

A BILL
To establish a pilot program to provide grants to encourage eligible institutions of higher education to establish and operate pregnant and parenting student services offices for pregnant students, parenting students, prospective parenting students who are anticipating a birth or adoption, and students who are placing or have placed a child for adoption.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act of 2005′.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term `eligible institution of higher education’ means an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that has established and operates, or agrees to establish and operate upon the receipt of a grant under this Act, a pregnant and parenting student services office described in section 5.

(2) PARENT; PARENTING- The terms `parent’ and `parenting’ refer to a parent or legal guardian of a minor.

(3) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary’ means the Secretary of Education.

SEC. 3. PREGNANT AND PARENTING STUDENT SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM.

From amounts appropriated under section 7 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall establish a pilot program to award grants to eligible institutions of higher education to enable the eligible institutions to establish (or maintain) and operate pregnant and parenting student services offices in accordance with section 5.

SEC. 4. APPLICATION; NUMBER OF GRANTS.

(a) Application- An eligible institution of higher education that desires to receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require

(b) Requests for Additional Information- The Secretary may require an eligible institution submitting an application under subsection (a) to provide additional information if the Secretary determines such information is necessary to process the application.

(c) Number of Grants- The Secretary shall award grants under this Act to not more than 200 eligible institutions of higher education.

SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

(a) In General- An eligible institution of higher education that receives a grant under this Act shall use grant funds to establish (or maintain) and operate a pregnant and parenting student services office, located on the campus of the eligible institution, that carries out the following programs and activities:

(1) Hosts an initial pregnancy and parenting resource forum–

(A) to assess available pregnancy and parenting resources located on the campus or within the local community; and

(B) to set goals for–

(i) improved services for pregnant, parenting, and prospective parenting students; and

(ii) improved access to such services.

(2) Annually assesses the performance of the eligible institution and the office in meeting the following needs of students enrolled in the eligible institution who are pregnant or are parents:

(A) Student health care that includes maternity coverage and makes available riders for additional family members.

(B) Family housing.

(C) Child care.

(D) Flexible or alternative academic scheduling, such as telecommuting programs.

(E) Education concerning responsible parenting for mothers and fathers, and education supporting healthy marriages.

(F) Resources for pregnant women and children, such as maternity and baby clothing, baby food (including formula), and baby furniture.

(G) Post-partum counseling and support groups.

(3) Identifies public and private service providers, located on the campus of the eligible institution or within the local community, that are qualified to meet the needs described in paragraph (2), and establishes programs with qualified providers to meet such needs.

(4) Assists pregnant and parenting students in locating and obtaining services that meet the needs described in paragraph (2).

(5) If appropriate, provides referrals for prenatal care and delivery, infant or foster care, or adoption, to a student who requests such information. An office shall make such referrals only to service providers that primarily serve the following types of individuals:

(A) Parents.

(B) Prospective parents awaiting adoption.

(C) Women who are pregnant and plan on parenting or placing the child for adoption.

(D) Parenting or prospective parenting couples who are married or who plan on marrying in order to provide a supportive environment for each other and their child.

(b) Expanded Services- In carrying out the programs and activities described in subsection (a), an eligible institution of higher education receiving a grant under this Act may choose to provide access to such programs and activities to a pregnant or parenting employee of the eligible institution.

SEC. 6. REPORTING.

(a) Annual Report by Institutions-

(1) IN GENERAL- For each fiscal year that an eligible institution of higher education receives a grant under this Act, the eligible institution shall prepare and submit to the Secretary, by the date determined by the Secretary, a report that–

(A) itemizes the pregnant and parenting student services office’s expenditures for the fiscal year;

(B) contains a review and evaluation of the performance of the office in fulfilling the requirements of this Act, using the specific performance criteria or standards established under paragraph (2)(A); and

(C) describes the achievement of the office in meeting the needs listed in section 5(a)(2) of the students served by the eligible institution, and the frequency of use of the office by such students.

(2) PERFORMANCE CRITERIA- Not later than 180 days before the date the annual report described in paragraph (1) is submitted, the Secretary–

(A) shall identify the specific performance criteria or standards that shall be used to prepare the report; and

(B) may establish the form or format of the report.

(3) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION- After reviewing an annual report of an eligible institution of higher education, the Secretary may require that the eligible institution provide additional information if the Secretary determines that such additional information is necessary to evaluate the pilot program.

(b) Report by Secretary- The Secretary shall annually prepare and submit a report on the findings of the pilot program under this Act, including the number of eligible institutions of higher education that were awarded grants and the number of students served by each pregnant and parenting services office receiving funds under this Act, to the appropriate committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2010.
Now explain to me WHY the hell must adoption be mentioned in this AT ALL, must less 7 times???
ERRRRRGGGGG!!!!