[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 23, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 22, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1) to close 
     the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and 
     choice, so that no child is left behind:

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, Dr. James E. Shanley, 
President, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, urges us to 
support an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
(ESEA).

                                                   American Indian


                                  Higher Education Consortium,

                                     Alexandria, VA, May 16, 2001.
     Hon. John A. Boehner,
     Chairman, Education and the Workforce Committee, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.

     Hon. George Miller,
     Ranking Member, Education and the Workforce Committee, House 
         of Representatives, Washington, DC.

       Dear Chairman Boehner and Ranking Member Miller: On behalf 
     of the 32 Tribal Colleges and Universities, I am writing to 
     request your support for an amendment that is being proposed 
     in the Senate to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
     (ESEA), S. 1. The amendment addresses a serious matter 
     involving two tribally-controlled postsecondary vocational 
     institutions, United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) and 
     Crownpoint Institute of Technology (CIT).
       It is our understanding that the House of Representative's 
     ESEA reauthorization bill has already been reported from your 
     committee, and consequently a similar amendment may not be 
     offered. Therefore, we ask that consideration be given to 
     rectifying this serious issue either through an amendment on 
     the House Floor or during any Conference session that occurs 
     with the Senate on the ESEA reauthorization bill.
       CIT and UTTC were founded to provide much needed vocational 
     education opportunities to the American Indian students in 
     their respective tribal communities. Because these two 
     institutions are not eligible to receive funding under the 
     Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act and 
     are vocational in nature, Section 117 of the Carl Perkins Act 
     was created in 1990, to offer them a source of core 
     operational support and is key to their existence.
       The proposed Senate amendment (numbered 426) reaffirms the 
     original intent of section 117, to provide institutional 
     support for these two tribally controlled vocation 
     institutions. While increased funding for Indian vocational 
     education programs is greatly needed, section 117 is not the 
     appropriate vehicle to address this funding disparity.
       AIHEC directly advocated for the creation of section 117 
     and herein state our intent to do everything possible to 
     continue to protect its original purpose.
       Thank you for your attention and consideration of this 
     serious issue. We look forward to working with you on this 
     and other issues that impact our tribal colleges.

     Dr. James E. Shanley,
       President, AIHEC Board of Directors and Fort Peck Community 
     College, Poplar, MT.

     

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