[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 10 (Thursday, January 25, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S571-S572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 183. A bill to enhance Department of Education efforts to 
facilitate the involvement of small business owners in State and local 
initiatives to improve education; to the committee on Finance.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to introduce legislation, the Small 
Business Employment and Education Act of 2001, which is designed to 
enhance federal efforts to facilitate the involvement of small business 
owners and entrepreneurs in state and local initiatives to improve the 
quality of education programs for our young people.
  In 1999, the Small Business Committee, of which I am a member, held a 
hearing chaired by Senator Bond, chairman of the committee, on the 
challenges facing the small business community as a result of the 
failure of many of our educational institutions to teach students the 
basic skills that are necessary to succeed in today's work environment. 
The committee heard testimony from a number of small businesses and 
organizations about this growing problem.
  And just how big is the problem? A 1999 American Management 
Association survey on workplace testing found that approximately 36 
percent of employees tested for basic skills were found to be deficient 
in these skills, and small businesses reported deficiency rates well 
above the national average. Sixty percent of AMA-member companies 
reported that the availability of skilled manpower was scarce, and 67 
percent believe that the shortages will continue.
  A 1999 NFIB report found that 18 percent of NFIB members report that 
finding qualified labor is the single most important problem facing 
their business today.
  Likewise, a 1999 poll of U.S. Chambers of Commerce found that 83 
percent reported the ability--or lack thereof--to find qualified 
workers was among their biggest concerns, and 53 percent said education 
is the single most pressing public policy issue to them.
  This information clearly illustrates that the business community, and 
small businesses in particular, have an important stake in the 
education of our youth. One of the most fundamental needs that any 
growing business faces is the need for employees with basic skills, and 
concerns have been expressed by the small business community that many 
students are not graduating with the basic skills in reading, writing, 
mathematics, and science--skills they need to succeed in today's 
workplace or become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
  The fact of the matter is, Mr. President, the growth of high-skilled 
jobs is outpacing growth in all other fields. We must not allow basic 
skills to slip away if we are to remain competitive in an increasingly 
aggressive and technology-based global market.
  Small business is the driving force behind our economy, and as we 
authorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we must take into 
account the needs of businesses, and small businesses in particular. To 
that end, locally-driven initiatives are crucial. In order to create 
jobs, we must encourage small business expansion and foster small 
business entrepreneurship and, and I believe that education initiatives 
are key to this.
  Under the Small Business Employment and Education Enhancement Act, 
the Department of Education would disseminate information and 
facilitate the sharing of information designed to assist small 
businesses in working with school systems in an effort to improve our 
educational institutions. For example, the agency would 
publish guidance materials, best practices, checklists and other 
materials on the World Wide Web, in Department of Education 
publications and articles, letters, links to related World Wide Web 
sites, public service announcements, and through other means at the 
Department's disposal.

  The Department of Education would establish a centralized database of 
materials and act as a clearinghouse for information on initiatives 
that have proven successful.
  The Secretary of the Department of Education would also establish an 
Office of Small Business Education to promote efforts to address the 
needs of small businesses though education programs. This division 
would work to remove any existing impediments to partnerships between 
school systems and small businesses, and propose solutions to 
education-related problems facing small businesses.
  The goal of the bill I am introducing today is to facilitate 
partnerships between communities and businesses. I believe it should be 
easy for communities that are interested in designing business/school 
partnerships to get the information they need on how to do so. With 
access to the kinds of sources envisioned in this legislation, 
communities would be able to model a program after a proven approach.
  In addition, my bill authorizes technical assistance to be 
administered by the Office of Small Business Education to be used to 
provide guidance to small businesses, small business organizations, 
school systems, and communities working cooperatively to enhance the 
teaching of basic skills.
  The bill would also establish tax credits to encourage companies to 
provide work study, internship, or fellowship opportunities for 
students and teachers.
  Finally, the bill includes a provision directing the Department of 
Education

[[Page S572]]

to conduct a study and report to Congress on the challenges facing 
small businesses in obtaining workers with adequate skills; an 
assessment of the impact on small businesses of the skills shortage; 
the costs to small businesses associated with this shortage; and the 
recommendations of the Secretary on how to address these challenges.
  Mr. President, I hope this legislation will provide a foundation for 
cooperative initiatives between small businesses and school systems, 
and I look forward to working with the Small Business Committee, the 
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and others as 
we work to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
                                 ______