[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 35 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM WORKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am here to talk about the 
future of our young people. I believe if we have any important 
responsibility in this Congress and in this Nation, it is to actually 
realize that we only hold a lease on this place, as we do this Nation 
and all of its freedoms and opportunities. We are in fact the 
leaseholders for our children, children who need education, children 
who need opportunity, children who need exposure to careers.
  Mr. Speaker, I stood this morning imploring this Congress, this 
Republican majority, to begin to understand what real investment is all 
about. It is not a $245 billion tax cut or a $177 billion tax cut; it 
is focusing on priorities. I would like to draw our attention to a 
bipartisan approach to the investment in our children and our 
communities.
  I want to applaud the Senate for recognizing that we are in fact 
leaseholders; that we have a commitment to ensure that the doors of 
opportunity are not closed. They in fact added back $137 million to 
this year's budget for Head Start that was cut so drastically; $60 
million for the administration's Goals 2000 program, which will see, if 
it is cut, 40,000 teachers with pink slips this spring; it added in I 
think a cornerstone of a work ethic in this Nation, $636 million for 
summer youth jobs. I did not say baby-sitting jobs, I did not say 
handholding jobs, I said summer youth jobs. Some $200 million for Safe 
and Drug-Free Schools, $182 million with the School-to-Work Program, 
$90 million for colleges and loans, and $10 million for technology 
programs.
  This is an investment in our children's future. The tragedy is that 
because of the House Labor-HHS omnibus appropriations bill cuts, some 
615,000 youth this summer will not be able to have jobs. They will not 
work or receive education assistance in about 650 communities across 
this country.
  The funding for 1995 nationally was $867 million. Houston, my city 
alone, would have received $9.1 million. Again, not for baby sitting, 
but for an opportunity for our young people to work. The summer program 
helps generate economic growth. For each 1,000 kids employed the 
program brings between $1 million and $1.4 million to the community it 
serves. In the city of Houston, we had 6,000 positions for children to 
be able to be exposed to work, to understand responsibility. Now, in 
this Congress, we have nothing.
  Recent history with the Federal Government shutdown has taught us the 
punitive impact on business that cuts in Federal revenue to our States 
and cities can generate. We ask that children care about people. We 
caution them to act in the best interests of their communities and 
protect those who are weaker than themselves.
  The Government, through Congress' actions today, may send the wrong 
message by telling our youth we do not care, and that we will take from 
them because they are unable to defend themselves.
  Listen to the story of LaQuista Stewart. This is a story of a young 
woman who at the age of 2 and shortly after her mother married her 
stepfather, the family was involved in a terrible car wreck that left 
her stepfather permanently disabled.
  As a child her mother and grandmother would not let her do much, as 
much as some of her friends, and that gave her the courage and the 
incentive to aspire to bigger things.
  As a result of this wreck, LaQuista was injured so severely that she 
lost her spleen and left kidney. At the time of her intake application 
for a summer job, there were family problems, and the stepfather was 
not in the home. She still lives at home and helps her family as much 
as she can, keeping only enough money for college expenses and personal 
needs.
  She works in a summer youth job program. This program allowed her to 
work at Smiley High School, 1 year at Texas Children's Hospital, and as 
an assistant to the supervisor of the pulmonary laboratory, and as an 
assistant to council members in the city of Houston. She now is a 
member of National Honor Society, class parliamentarian, and the Future 
Business Leaders of America.
  Mr. Speaker, Cynthia Rojas, 18, is in her third summer with Houston 
Works. When she was 15, another youth dropped out of the summer program 
which opened up a slot for her in the academic enrichment portion for 
the last weeks of the program. Last summer she worked in the city of 
Houston's legal department doing general office work. This summer she 
is working for the city of Houston's Public Works Department in the 
real estate section. There she helps with filing, typing and keeping 
track of all the paperwork involved with closing real estate 
transactions. Cynthia is an exceptional student and graduated high 
school with a 4.626 average.
  What about Debora Bundage, 18, in her second summer at Houston Works, 
having previously participated in an academic enrichment program.
  These are the stories of young people who get summer jobs. I am proud 
to say that the Houston Works Program has exceeded its performance, 
exceeded 10 percent of the predicted employment rate for welfare 
recipients who have been on the job 13 weeks. They sponsor a summer job 
program where they are inviting the corporate community to participate.
  We realize we must do this with the private sector, but this 
Government must invest in our young people. I do not want to have to go 
home and tell them there will be no summer jobs for young people who 
want to work.
  Mr. Speaker, I implore this House of Representatives, support the 
summer youth jobs program; put our Young people to work; teach them a 
work ethic that will help them be providers for America.

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