[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 10, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE CARL D. PERKINS VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACT 
                           AMENDMENTS OF 1997

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                            HON. FRANK RIGGS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 1997

  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Carl D. Perkins 
Vocational-Technical Education Act Amendments of 1997. This bill 
reauthorizes and reforms the current vocational education statute.
  Let me state for the record that this legislation is not, nor is it 
intended to be, comprehensive school reform. Neither is this 
legislation intended to be school-to-work or expansion of the School-
to-Work Act. School-to-work is a separate freestanding act.
  Seventy-five percent of our Nation's youth do not receive a 4-year 
college degree. It is imperative that our youth receive a high quality 
education whether they are bound for college, the military, further 
education or training or directly into the work force.
  Too many high school graduates are functionally illiterate--
unprepared to meet the needs of the next century. I believe this bill--
which focuses on strengthening the academics of vocational-technical 
education--will work toward eradicating this problem. According to a 
witness who testified before my subcommittee on the legislation, 
functional illiteracy costs U.S. business $300 billion annually.
  Our Nation's youth deserve a quality education--whether they pursue a 
vocational-technical course of study or college prep. We should have 
high expectations of our students.
  Education is the key to our Nation's future economic prosperity and 
the cornerstone of equal opportunity in American society. It is my hope 
that this legislation broadens the opportunities for vocational-
technical students after high school. We held a hearing at Thomas 
Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, VA and 
were told by northern Virginia business leaders that 18,000 jobs are 
currently unfilled in northern Virginia because individuals do not have 
the skills to fill them. the average salary for these jobs is over 
$45,000.
  If we are going to ensure that America meets the next century as a 
world leader, we need to focus on making sure our citizens have the 
technological skills to compete. I want to eliminate the functional 
illiteracy that permeates our work force.
  It is my intent with this legislation that we do not leave behind the 
75 percent of students who do not receive a 4-year college degree. I 
truly think it is time that we stop telling 75 percent of our country 
they are not good people because they do not have a baccalaureate 
degree.
  This bill would also send 90 percent of funds to the local level. If 
we are going to see true change in vocational-technical education, it 
is not going to come from the Federal level. It is going to come from 
the local level--from the teachers who are in the classroom making a 
difference.
  I have been working very closely with the ranking member of the 
subcommittee, Marty Martinez, and hope that he will support the bill 
and that we can have a bipartisan bill with a broad base of support.
  Concerns have been raised regarding the authorization level of the 
bill--that the number is too low. The 1990 amendments reauthorized the 
program at $1.6 billion--a number that was never reached. Current 
appropriation amounts for vocational-technical programs are a little 
over $1 billion. I believe we should authorize more closely to actual 
appropriations amounts. Some have suggested using such sums for an 
authorization amount. While I support this idea, I have been told that 
the Congressional Budget Office for scoring purposes recommends an 
actual dollar figure.

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