[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2896-H2917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 254 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 366.
  The Chair designates the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) as 
chairman of the Committee of the Whole, and requests the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Issa) to assume the chair temporarily.

                              {time}  1146


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 366) to amend the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical 
Education Act of 1998 to strengthen and improve programs under that 
Act, with Mr. Issa (Acting Chairman) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered as 
having been read the first time.
  Under the rule, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Vocational and Technical 
Education for the Future Act. The bill has received strong support from 
educators, school administrators, principals, and vocational and 
technical education advocates around the country. In this bill, we are 
protecting the role of States and local communities, and we are asking 
for results in exchange for the money we are already spending at the 
Federal level.
  The gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) wrote a good bill and 
deserves great credit for his commitment to this issue. He produced a 
bill that has received bipartisan support in the committee while still 
fulfilling our principles for reform.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) for their 
hard work and cooperation in bringing this bill forward today.
  This bill will improve vocational and technical education by focusing 
on academics without expanding the Federal role in education. We 
streamline bureaucracy and give more money to local communities. H.R. 
366 reduces the share of funds going to State administrative activities 
and targets more funding to the local level. We also streamline funding 
by consolidating the Tech-Prep program with a basic State grant.
  The bill also focuses on success at the local level. Under the bill, 
local communities will establish achievement targets; and to reward 
increased academic achievement, States and local communities can 
receive incentive grants for success. Above all, we maintain local 
control. The bill continues to move away from the so-called ``School to 
Work'' model of the past and maintains our commitment to ensuring that 
States and local communities have the final say when it comes to the 
educational choices for their students.
  Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this legislation, which will help 
States and local communities strengthen and improve vocational and 
technical education and help ensure academic success for students. I 
urge my colleagues today to join me in voting ``yes'' on the bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
I want to thank my committee chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Boehner), and our full ranking member, the gentleman from California 
(Mr. George Miller), and always my partner, the chairman of the 
subcommittee, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), for working 
together in a bipartisan way the last Congress and this one to bring 
this bill to the floor.
  As I have said, I have my concerns about this bill, even though it is 
the result of a bipartisan process. I am especially pleased that the 
majority has brought this bill forward, in light of the President's 
proposal to eliminate career and technical education. I hope that we 
will send a strong bipartisan signal today that we in the House believe 
that career and technical education is critical to our students and to 
our country's economic future.
  But, Mr. Chairman, I do, as I said, have concerns regarding this 
bill. First, the bill rightly strengthens accountability for State and 
local programs, but at the same time it cuts by 60 percent the funds 
that States can use for that very purpose. I support these 
accountability measures, but if we do not enable the States to 
administer them, they will be an empty promise.
  I also am concerned this bill merges the Tech-Prep program with the 
basic State grant. I appreciate that our Republican colleagues in the 
committee have maintained funding for Tech-Prep activities; but as we 
all know, not sending Tech-Prep funding separately to the States means 
that eventually States will lose their focus on those very activities 
we consider so crucial.
  Finally, I am disappointed we are not being allowed to debate most of 
the amendments that my colleagues and I submitted to the Committee on 
Rules. I support the amendments that we are debating, but there are 
many critical issues that we are leaving undiscussed. The gentleman 
from California (Mr. George Miller), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Kildee), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens), and the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) all offered important amendments on 
government paying journalists to create propaganda, on dropout 
prevention, on school construction, and helping out-of-work 
manufacturing workers. But we are not debating any of those issues 
today, and I do not understand why.
  Finally, we are not debating an issue that has long been important to 
me and I consider critical to our country's future, that is, the lack 
of women and girls in science, math, engineering, and technology. My 
amendment would have helped school districts increase girls' interest 
in studying in these careers and in these areas. A recent GAO study, 
Mr. Chairman, found that men still outnumber women in nearly every 
field in the sciences. In his recent article, ``It's a Flat World, 
After All,'' and new book, ``The World is Flat,'' The New York Times 
writer Thomas Friedman explained that America's historical economic 
advantages have disappeared now ``that the world is flat, and anyone 
with smarts, access to Google, and a cheap wireless laptop can join the 
innovation fray,'' no matter what continent they are living on.
  Mr. Friedman's and others' remedy is to attract more young women and 
men to science and engineering. But it will be impossible for our 
country to continue to lead the world in innovation as long as more 
than half our population, women, are steered away, intentionally or 
not, from studying and working in the fields from where that innovation 
would come.
  Consider this, from Dr. Susan Hockfield, the president of the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who recently said that 
squandered talent, and I quote her, ``is one of the key issues of women 
in science and engineering.'' All of our children, not just girls, 
would have benefited if we had been able to debate this issue today, 
and I am sorry that we are not.
  But, again, Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleagues for their hard work 
on this bill, and I look forward to improving it even more in 
conference.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H2897]]

  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 6 minutes to the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the author of the bill and the 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding me this 
time; and more importantly, I thank him for his continuing excellent 
work in heading this committee and dealing with significant legislation 
to help all of us.
  Obviously, I rise in support of H.R. 366, and I also want to thank my 
comrade in arms at the subcommittee, the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Woolsey), for her work on this, and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. George Miller), who has a continuing interest in education. They 
are a pleasure to work with, most of the time, and we appreciate that. 
I think together we produce good legislation, even though there may be 
small differences on some of the amendments.
  The Perkins Act aims to prepare youth and adults for the future by 
building their academic and technical skills in preparation for 
postsecondary education and/or employment. The bill we are considering 
today enhances Perkins by ensuring both secondary and postsecondary 
students participating in the program are acquiring rigorous academic 
and technical skills and will have the opportunity to transition into 
further education and/or successful employment.
  The Perkins Act governs widely supported programs at both the 
secondary and postsecondary level. For example, nearly all high school 
students complete at least one vocational education course; and 
approximately 26 percent of students are considered vocational 
concentrators, those students that focus on a single occupational area. 
In my home State of Delaware, we have five career and technical high 
schools that enroll 5,500 of the 29,500 total high school students. At 
the postsecondary level, the Perkins Act supports a broad array of 
options primarily at the community college level. In the 1999-2000 
school year, over 50 percent of all students enrolled at the less-than-
4-year postsecondary level reported they were majoring in vocational 
education areas.
  Vocational education represents one of the first education laws at 
the Federal level, with the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. 
H.R. 366 seeks to build on reforms made in past reauthorizations and 
seeks to enhance this popular program to ensure its success in years to 
come.
  The legislation before us today makes significant reforms to academic 
achievement and accountability to ensure students have the skills 
necessary to enter the workforce or continue to an institution of 
higher learning. As I mentioned, there are five career and technical 
high schools in Delaware. While all these schools met adequate yearly 
progress under the No Child Left Behind Act, there is more to be done 
in academic achievement in these schools and schools across the 
country. H.R. 366 will improve vocational and technical education by 
increasing the focus on academics in conjunction with the skill 
attainment that is incumbent on the program.
  The emphasis on academics will be assessed through the act's 
alignment with No Child Left Behind, as well as enhanced 
accountability. H.R. 366 strengthens accountability by requiring that 
locals establish adjusted levels of performance to complement the State 
adjusted levels of performance already in current law. The State agency 
will evaluate annually whether the local recipient is making 
substantial progress toward achieving these goals. The intent is not to 
penalize those local areas that are facing difficulty in achieving 
high-quality outcomes for their students, but to create a structure 
that includes technical assistance, opportunities for program 
improvement, and sanctions only as a last resort.
  One of the unique attributes of vocational technical education 
programs is their ability to show students a path that could end in a 
certificate, credential, employment, military, or postsecondary 
education. The Tech-Prep program currently within the Perkins Act is 
intended to focus on a well-defined link between high school and at 
least 2 years of postsecondary education.
  Research has shown, however, that funds are rarely, if ever, used to 
meet this goal. Rather, funds are often used for purposes within the 
larger vocational technical education program. Therefore, H.R. 366 
folds the separate Tech-Prep program activities and funding into the 
larger State grant to create a more streamlined system. Under the bill, 
States will still be expected to spend the same amount of money on 
Tech-Prep activities as they did under the former stand-alone program. 
To ensure that the intent of the Tech-Prep program is met, the 
legislation revises the requirements of the program in order to ensure 
articulation agreements, or two-plus-two agreements, between secondary 
and postsecondary institutions are implemented.
  Along this same track, H.R. 366 requires States to establish model 
sequences of courses to emphasize further student academic and 
vocational and technical achievement. Sequences of courses will 
incorporate a nonduplicative progression of both secondary and 
postsecondary elements, which would include both academic and 
vocational and technical content. Local recipients of both the 
secondary and postsecondary level would adopt at least one model 
sequence of courses as developed by the State. I believe this also will 
help drive program improvements by ensuring that States clarify the 
progression of academic and vocational and technical courses needed for 
the postsecondary education and training or employment of a student's 
choice.
  While the President has proposed another avenue for high school 
reform in the Perkins Act, I believe strongly that the reforms in H.R. 
366 will go a long way in driving program improvement and ultimate 
success for high school students across the country. The dialogue 
surrounding high school reform is growing and the President is right to 
force it at the Federal level. I commend those States and businesses 
across the country that are pioneering efforts at the local level and 
look forward to following these developments.
  As a result of the changes in the bill, I believe that H.R. 366 would 
help States, community colleges, and other postsecondary education 
institutions and local educational agencies better meet the needs of 
the students participating in career and technical education. I urge my 
colleagues to support this education.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis), who is a valued member of the 
subcommittee.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 
366. I want to thank the chairman of our subcommittee, the gentleman 
from Delaware (Mr. Castle), for his leadership in crafting a bill which 
could receive bipartisan support.
  Mr. Chairman, as we all know, education for careers is terribly 
important for young people. Members have worked hard to balance 
planning for academic courses and introductory training to create a 
seamless move from secondary to postsecondary education.

                              {time}  1200

  In my district there are several community colleges which offer 
excellent training for nursing and the health support occupations, as 
do the universities. But the truth is that high school students need to 
have taken the math and science courses that will enable them to move 
into these post-secondary courses directly. They deserve to progress 
quickly to qualify for these needed and available jobs.
  But I have to reiterate the concern that I expressed in committee 
when I offered a sense of the Congress amendment to state that this Act 
must not only be reauthorized, but also funded. Unfortunately, that 
amendment failed on a party-line vote. I appreciate the sentiments that 
were expressed saying that well, of course appropriations would be made 
for the program.
  But Members, we have failed to do that. Last week we passed a budget 
which omits funding for this program as well as for programs like Trio 
and GearUp that also help high school students prepare for post-
secondary education. So it is only wishful thinking, I am afraid, to 
suppose that this $1.3 billion program can be paid for as part of the 
President's proposed $1.2 billion high school initiative, along with 
many of the other 48 unfunded education programs. I believe that our 
young people deserve better.

[[Page H2898]]

  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).
  Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  As some Members on the floor have stated, there is some concern about 
Perkins-funded programs and what their fate might be. I am pleased to 
be supportive of this bill today. There are some sections of the bill 
that do my heart well, and a couple have to do with some programs that 
are working very well for women and girls.
  Perkins will help fund training for displaced homemakers and single 
mothers to help them attain self-sufficiency through programs that 
provide career counseling, skills training and job placement. These are 
different kinds of programs than traditional job-training programs 
because they do include broader education, programs such as some of the 
programs in my State where women who have been displaced homemakers who 
have now attained self-sufficiency and are now supporting their 
families are involved in the training, where they help women to 
understand they can do it themselves, because part of the job training 
effectiveness has to do not only with the skills that they learn, but 
with the confidence they gain and their belief in themselves to be able 
to do well at their jobs.
  The Perkins funds will certainly help to continue many of these 
programs that have very high success rates. According to the 2004 
National Assessment of Vocational and Education, employment growth in 
occupations that require vocational associates degree of 30 percent is 
to more than double overall employment growth as well. Graduates of 
these types of programs can be employed more quickly and at better 
salaries, and in a situation where a woman is a displaced homemaker, 
that is key.
  Our goal here is to make sure there are all different levels of 
education available, and the Perkins funding certainly will help us. It 
will have a lot to do also with working hand in hand with States. In 
fact, the Perkins law requires States to fund programs that prepare 
students for nontraditional careers as well.
  Again, an example is a woman, instead of going into a clerical job 
where she will make less money, perhaps going into something with more 
of a technical skill required where she can and make a lot more money 
and therefore support her family and be more successful.
  I support the bill and the Perkins-funded programs, and I appreciate 
my colleagues who have worked so hard to get this done.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney), a valued member of the full 
committee.
  Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Woolsey) for yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from 
Ohio (Chairman Boehner) and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), 
as well as the gentlewoman from California, for working to reauthorize 
the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act.
  I have to note, however, at the same time we are debating this 
reauthorization, we have the problem that the President's budget and 
the conference report to the budget resolution that we passed just last 
week eliminate this worthy program. I hope our debate and discussion of 
this today indicates our support of moving forward and making sure that 
we do not only authorize but fund this particular program.
  As has been mentioned already, this is a law that provides quality 
vocational education at high schools and community colleges that teach 
and enhance workforce skills. We have a serious need for a skilled 
workforce in this evolving economy. We have a shortage of skilled 
workers in technical fields; so, obviously, the importance of quality 
education and career preparation in developing that skilled workforce 
should be imperative. Our support for this Perkins vocational 
opportunity ought to continue.
  Perkins career and technical education provides programs, policies 
and resources for students to obtain education and training that they 
need for those high-wage, high-skilled jobs. I think we all agree that 
every student deserves a fair and equal opportunity for a quality 
education that meets the need for personal and academic career 
development. This program does that for millions of students.
  The United States Department of Education Office of Vocational and 
Adult Education tells us that one-third of college students are 
involved in career and technical programs, and that over 40 million 
adult learners engage in short term, post-secondary educational 
opportunity and training.
  Before I close, I would like to address one particular aspect of this 
bill, and that is that this bill merges the successful tech prep 
program into Perkins basic State grants. The gentleman from Wisconsin 
(Mr. Kind) and I tried to amend that in the committee and were not 
successful. We wanted to restore the separate authorization for tech 
prep. If we restore the separate authorization, we would block any 
potential loss of funds.
  The General Accountability Office indicates when programs are block 
granted, they not only lose funding eventually, but the focus on the 
program is lost and accountability is lost. We hope to deliver these 
programs through the State-wide network of consortia of secondary 
schools, post-secondary institutions, employment and training 
providers, and business and industry groups so they can work 
collaboratively on this tech prep program. It is a seamless pathway for 
that type of education into high-tech fields, and it is important. Many 
groups are behind this. I ask hopefully the Senate version will prevail 
in the final bill, and that program will survive.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), a member of the committee and an educator 
and someone who knows more about this probably than most Members of 
Congress.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman 
Boehner) for the time to speak on this bill, and am proud to serve on 
the gentleman's committee.
  I think I am unique in this body in my experience with this kind of 
program. I am an educator, a former Trio director, I began a tech prep 
program, and I was a community college president and university 
administrator. I understand firsthand the importance of good, solid 
technical and vocational education. Armed with the proper skills, our 
students can achieve anything they set their minds to.
  The gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) and the gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle) are to be commended for putting together a bill 
that strengthens accountability so that we can ensure that the 
vocational and technical courses provided to our students are the best 
that can be offered. Our students deserve no less.
  This bill also includes provisions to ensure States and local 
communities will have more control rather than the Federal Government. 
That is very important. In this bill, State and local communities are 
empowered to determine academic content and curriculum. This is an 
extremely important part designed to provide students with an 
appropriate education based on what skills and industries are important 
to their local communities.
  H.R. 366 streamlines Federal funding of vocational and technical 
education programs, thereby increasing flexibility for States and 
allowing more funding to reach the local communities.
  The benefits of vocational and technical education to our communities 
are incredible. With the world changing so rapidly and all of the 
constant changes in our workforce, education is the key to our success 
as a Nation. In order to keep our Nation competitive in the global 
economy, we must ensure that our students maintain the best 
opportunities to better themselves, learn a new skill and give back to 
their communities.
  Mr. Chairman, the key to good education does not lie in the hands of 
the Federal Government. It lies in the willing and able hands of those 
in our localities. That is why I am supporting this bill. Our students 
deserve no less than the best education. With these tools, the 
possibilities are endless.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge), superintendent of schools for 8 years 
in North Carolina.

[[Page H2899]]

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 366 as it 
reauthorizes the Perkins Act, which provides critical funding for 
occupational preparation and vocational and technical education at 
secondary and post-secondary education levels. It is the largest 
Federal investment in secondary education.
  Although I am concerned about some provisions of this bill, like the 
merger of tech prep into the basic State grants, on balance, H.R. 366 
makes many improvements to current law, and I will vote to pass it. But 
let me say, we started the tech prep in North Carolina, and I share 
with my colleagues that merging raises some real concerns.
  More flexibility without more funding is not necessarily what we 
need. Talk to any educator, and what they need is resources to get the 
job done. The American people need to understand what this charade is 
about. Although H.R. 366 reauthorizes critically important education 
programs under the Perkins Act, Republicans in Congress last week 
passed a budget that eliminates those very same initiatives. Only in 
Washington, D.C. could Congress eliminate a program one week and 
reauthorize it the next week.
  In North Carolina, we have one of the strongest community college 
systems in this country. Our community colleges work in partnership 
with our universities and the public schools to provide career training 
and critical technical skills. My State has suffered hundreds of 
thousands of layoffs in recent years in agriculture, furniture and in 
the textile industry. To a mill worker laid off from the only job he or 
she has ever known, the services provided through the Perkins Act 
literally are a lifeline. These services are the difference between 
hope of gainful employment and the despondency of unemployment and 
dependence on others.
  Brown University has conducted a study that demonstrates that 
obtaining a high school equivalency makes a clear difference between 
moving into a new job after a layoff and not. These are real people 
that we are talking about. We ought not to be cutting out the only real 
hope that they have for a better life for themselves and their 
families.
  In conclusion, I encourage and urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 366. 
But more importantly, I urge my Republican colleagues and leadership 
and the administration to restore these devastating education budget 
cuts. That is where we will make a huge difference.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, several of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
have referenced the fact that our fiscally responsible budget may, in 
fact, require changes to how we fund various education programs. While 
we will have plenty of time to debate those issues when we get into the 
appropriations process, I think all of my colleagues realize the 
Perkins program providing for vocational and technical education around 
the country is widely popular with Members on both sides of the aisle. 
I have no doubts, no doubts that the funding called for in the 
President's budget, the funding that is authorized in this bill will, 
in fact, happen, just to set the record straight.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois 
(Mrs. Biggert), a member of the committee.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me 
this time.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 366. In today's competitive 
economies, students must be equipped not only with the technical skills 
of their chosen field, but basic academic knowledge as well. Realizing 
this, H.R. 366 focuses on academics. I am particularly pleased that the 
bill is designed to support student achievement in core academic 
subjects, including math and science.
  I think we can agree that our new high tech economy demands that 
students have stronger math, science, engineering and technological 
skills.
  Mr. Chairman, vocational education works. Earlier this year I toured 
two vocational centers in my district, the Technology Center of DuPage 
County and the Will County Career Center. Several of the students there 
told me without vocational education programs, they would not be in 
school.

                              {time}  1215

  For whatever reason, they were not interested in the traditional high 
school education or going on to a traditional 4-year college. Instead 
of these students slipping through the cracks, they are learning 
cutting-edge technology in some of the fastest growing career fields: 
aerospace, computer technology and engineering, health care and 
aviation, just to name a few. Other students have already been accepted 
to college and are augmenting their education with technical classes. 
For example, many students in the health care program will go on to 
college nursing programs next year. Through vocational ed programs, 
they can take classes for college credit while still in high school. 
Not only do these students go to college already having the basic 
skills needed in their field; it takes them less time to complete their 
training. The sooner these students finish their training, the sooner 
they are out earning good paychecks and the sooner we are able to get 
highly skilled workers in high-demand fields.
  H.R. 366 will help the students in my district and all across the 
country get even more out of their education. I am proud to support 
this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Bean).
  Ms. BEAN. Mr. Chairman, reauthorizing the Perkins Act gives Congress 
the opportunity to restate our belief in vocational and technical 
education, a partnership between academics, the business community, and 
our constituents for more than 40 years. As a graduate of Oakton 
Community College, I have a special appreciation for the value our 
community college system provides to our communities. OCC prepared me 
for and complemented my entrance into the computer industry and that 
education served me well over my 20-plus-year career in the high-tech 
field.
  Like community colleges across the country, those in Illinois' Eighth 
District, The College of Lake County, McHenry County College, Harper 
College and Elgin Community College, provide opportunities for all 
Americans, from young people starting out their careers to those who 
are transitioning their careers later in life to adjust to the economy 
of a global workforce. We should absolutely put our full support behind 
such flexible and proven programs. H.R. 366 will allow our local 
schools and community colleges to plan for the future and to continue 
supplying trained workers to industries of all types.
  Like much of the legislation brought before this body, however, the 
Vocational and Technical Education For the Future Act has room for 
improvement. Merging Tech-Prep into the basic State grants calls into 
question the Federal Government's commitment to math and science 
education and could allow targeted funding to be used for other 
purposes and allow Tech-Prep to fall by the wayside. The Senate version 
of this bill is more receptive to high schools', community colleges', 
and industries' needs; and I hope that Tech-Prep will be retained as a 
separate program in the conference report.
  Vocational and technical education programs help Americans to 
continue their education and expand their skill sets in their chosen 
professions. Encouraging innovation through a more educated workforce 
has helped our economy adapt to changing times and will continue to do 
so in the future. Reauthorizing the Perkins Act is a step in the right 
direction.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson).
  Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, for the first 2 years I 
served in Congress, I was fortunate to serve on this committee; and I 
will have to honestly say I miss that opportunity because I really did 
enjoy it. The future of America depends on the work of this committee.
  I want to commend the committee on the work they have done on this 
bill. I think they have done outstanding work at working through the 
process of making this a strong bill. It is my belief that our economic 
future depends on the use of the latest, most modern technology. 
Historically, the academically gifted in America have unlimited 
opportunities; but, unfortunately, the

[[Page H2900]]

technically gifted have too often been left behind because we have 
undervalued technology education. This bill modernizes Perkins and 
advances technical education to what I hope is a brighter future.
  When you look at the delivery of health care, it is about technology. 
When you look at manufacturing, if we are going to be successful 
against cheap labor, it is about technology. You talk the whole IT 
revolution in this country, it is technology. It is what caused it. 
Marketing is technology. Warehousing and distribution, it is 
technology. Repairing autos and equipment, it is about technology. 
Technology is what makes our country work today, and it is vital.
  We have too often had high schools that were using 1970 technology in 
the era of 2005. That does not cut it. We have to advance technical 
education and make sure that America's youth realize that the jobs that 
are wanting in America have the word ``technology'' beside them. There 
are many people with 2-year technology degrees that will earn a better 
income than those with 4-year liberal arts degrees, and we do not offer 
them adequately in the same manner that we offer academic education.
  If you look at the successful companies that are competing globally, 
it is about the massive use of technology. We must make sure that our 
high schools is where it begins, in the early middle schools, that 
young people realize the excitement of the technology world and that we 
have the latest, most modern technology there and that we bridge it 
into the community colleges. In some of the more progressive States, we 
have community colleges paralleling at the high schools, joint teaching 
in the 11th and 12th grade, adding the 13th year and giving a 2-year 
associate's degree in technology that equips people to go to work more. 
All of those fields needing the technology workers would be happy if we 
could do that on a broad scale across this country.
  I commend again this committee and the staff for putting together a 
good bill, and let us hope that it is the beginning of technology 
education being valued in this country, because it must be if we have 
an economic future because our economy in the future is about the 
massive use of technology.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt), a member of the full committee.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time. 
While I rise in support of H.R. 366, I must point out that we are 
reauthorizing a program that the President proposed eliminating. I hope 
we can help him see the importance of this program. It is unfortunate 
that the President has attempted to undermine these programs through 
proposals for spending cuts totaling nearly $700 million since he took 
office. We have lost nearly 2 million private sector jobs in the last 4 
years and hundreds of thousands of American jobs have been outsourced 
to other countries. Unfortunately, the budgetary approach of this 
administration and the majority here, I would say, is to shortchange 
students and workers rather than to invest in them.
  I would like to point out a couple of things that are missing in this 
bill. The gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) and I offered an amendment 
before the Committee on Rules that intended to stem the tide of 
outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs. Specifically, the amendment 
would establish a Federal fund for local programs that would give 
American manufacturing workers additional skills and educational 
training through competitive grants to States. Unfortunately, the 
Committee on Rules would not allow this amendment.
  I am also concerned about the elimination of separate authorization 
for Tech-Prep. Tech-Prep combines and coordinates secondary and 
postsecondary vocational education activities into a coherent sequence 
of courses.
  I am pleased that the bill includes some things and I would like to 
mention two: one is eligible recipients may use Perkins funds to 
provide information and referrals to students regarding the 
availability of services such as transportation and child care which 
would enable students to enroll and take full advantage of the Perkins 
programs. I am also pleased to mention a point that was addressed by 
the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) which is that this 
legislation includes programs to acquire math and science skills.
  So although I rise in support of this legislation, I still think we 
can do better.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Delaware for yielding me this time. I want to thank the chairman for 
his leadership on this bill.
  I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 366. This bill is important to 
Louisiana and to our country. Many students back home in my State, 
Louisiana, do not attend college; and they seek work opportunities 
immediately after high school or even before graduating. Louisiana's 
employers need proficient workers with training and education past the 
high school level to work in the energy, chemical, and high-tech 
industries. Voc ed programs are an avenue for these students to obtain 
advanced training or certification to enter the workforce ready to be 
productive.
  SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles, Louisiana, 
provides a number of accredited programs. The school is recognized as 
one of the top aircraft maintenance programs in the Nation, and they 
have successfully used Tech-Prep to engage area high school seniors as 
they finish high school.
  This bill increases the focus on student achievement in core academic 
subjects such as math and science education that incorporate the use of 
technology and strengthen the transition from secondary to 
postsecondary education. The bill empowers States and local communities 
to insist on accountability and improvement for students. By 
establishing separate performance indicators for secondary and 
postsecondary students, it focuses on success at the local level and 
allows States and local communities to reward performance.
  Furthermore, this bill would combine funding for the Tech-prep and 
Perkins State grant programs. This will give much needed flexibility 
for States, streamlining funding and ensuring current activities 
continue while the program as a whole is updated to meet the challenges 
of the future. This will also ensure that a greater share of the funds 
are targeted to the local level so that communities have more control 
over their programs.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of this bill. I hope the other Chamber 
will also take action, as well, to improve the vocational education 
opportunities for our students.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to 
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), a member of the subcommittee.
  (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this 
time, and I commend her for her hard work in the reauthorization of 
this very important bill.
  Mr. Chairman, Wisconsin is very proud of the career and technical 
college system that we have back home. In fact, I have four of the 
technical schools in the Third Congressional District in western 
Wisconsin as well as many of their campus satellites. They have been 
vital components for economic growth and economic development in our 
region under the fine leadership of Karen Knox; Lee Rasch; Bill 
Ihlenfeldt, who actually testified before the Education Committee on 
this bill; as well as Tim Schreiner, David Hilderbrand, Dr. Mark 
Hurley. Even though the President did not support reauthorization of 
this legislation, we believe it is an important investment to make, Mr. 
Chairman.
  The single most important factor in determining America's success in 
the 21st century will be maintaining our ability to be an innovative 
and creative society. Over the last few years, the world has become a 
smaller and more integrated place with technology that is leveling the 
playing field like never before. Competition and collaboration exist 
now not just between countries and companies but also between 
individuals. Meeting this challenge requires a new set of big ideas.
  Instead of the administration being so eager to dismantle the New 
Deal, we

[[Page H2901]]

should be working together to offer the American people a New New Deal. 
A New Deal that will enable our people to compete successfully in the 
21st century economy with a renewed commitment to worker training 
programs; an education investment that emphasizes math, science and 
engineering; research funding in science and medicine; and a 
comprehensive broadband strategy so every American has access to high-
speed Internet hookup.
  We believe that economics does not necessarily have to be a zero-sum 
game; it can be a win-win proposition for everyone involved so long as 
they have the tools in which to succeed.
  One of the unfortunate aspects of this reauthorization bill is the 
attempt to remove as a separate funded program the Technical 
Preparation program. I commend my friend from Delaware who is about to 
offer an amendment later today at least calling for level funding of 
the Tech-prep program for the next fiscal year. But once you eliminate 
the separate status of the Technical Preparation program, the fear is 
that we are going to lose focus and that the institutions will lose 
focus or, even worse, that the funding stream will become weakened in 
future years. I would encourage my colleagues to support the amendment 
that the gentleman from Delaware will be offering to at least provide 
level funding of this important program.
  Technology is driving the innovation. Technology is driving the 
creativity. Technology and the use of that is going to determine our 
workers' ability to compete in the 21st century global marketplace. I 
would hope that the Senate version which keeps the Tech-prep program as 
a separate funded entity will remain; but at the very least let us 
support the Castle amendment when it comes up today.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Jindal).
  Mr. JINDAL. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio and 
thank the gentleman from Delaware for their leadership on this issue. I 
certainly stand in strong support of the bill. This is an issue that is 
so important to the future of Louisiana and the future of our country. 
I can think of no better investment in our children's future than in 
their training and their education. As I have said before on this House 
floor, I was privileged to serve as the president of the University of 
Louisiana system, and there I saw the difference we were making in the 
lives of many families. However, Louisiana for too many years has 
encouraged too many of our students to start their postsecondary 
education in a 4-year setting.

                              {time}  1230

  The result is as many as 80 percent of our students continue their 
education, have started their education in a 4-year setting. The result 
has been the second highest dropout rates in the South, the second 
lowest retention rates in the South, one of the highest dropout rates 
in the country. The result of that has been many students not 
completing their education, many students dropping out with large 
debts, with large loans rather than starting their education in a 
community or a technical college, rather than graduating and being 
certified with the skills they need to get a good-paying job.
  Employers across my State, employers across the country say one of 
the top obstacles to economic development, one of the top obstacles to 
their growing right here in Louisiana, right here in our country is the 
inability to find skilled workers, to find trained workers. Critical to 
growing our economy would be to provide these graduates and the number 
one challenge in my State is to keep our young people home. We are the 
only State in the south that has had more people moving out than moving 
in, and at the same time, we have got employers that cannot grow. We 
have got shipbuilders that need thousands of welders. We have 
petrochemical plants up and own our river that need pretec operators. 
The community and technical system fills a critical gap in our post-
secondary educational system. In Louisiana in the last few years, our 
former Governor actually created, for the first time, an integrated 
community and technical college system. The Federal support for 
students pursuing their educations in that system is absolutely 
critical.
  At the same time, we are seeing so many of our manufacturing jobs 
going overseas because of taxes, because of the threat of lawsuits, 
because of unnecessary regulations. We need to level the playing field. 
We need to provide a skilled workforce so that companies can expand 
right here in our country, in Louisiana.
  I think this is an important bill. It is a good bill. I stand in 
strong support of the legislation.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Millender-McDonald).
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding me this time. And I really commend the leadership on both 
sides for this H.R. 366.
  This is a very important piece of legislation, the Vocational and 
Technical Education for the Future Act.
  This legislation is so important for many reasons. Specifically, it 
is vital to my district, the 37th District in California. But, first of 
all, it reauthorizes the Perkins Vocational Program that provides for 
many citizens the ability to learn a marketable skill that allows them 
the ability to partake in a career that allows upward mobility and job 
satisfaction. Experienced trade workers can earn up to six-figure 
salaries with the right type of training. Perkins programs have 
traditionally provided this type of skills training.
  In California, only 8 percent of the ninth graders will complete the 
high school years and college in 10 years. The Perkins programs provide 
opportunities for students who need to develop the different skills for 
them to grow and to have career choices. With vocational training, 
students will aspire to entering into a career path that allows them to 
make a comfortable living, having the same ability to do so as students 
who attend a 4-year college or university.
  Second, students who avail themselves of this training are able to 
enter into fields where there is a ready supply of jobs. They are 
currently more jobs available in these industries than there are 
students enrolled in vocational tech training. There is a large demand 
for skilled technicians. These programs, when they are adequately 
funded through the Perkins Act, prepares students for these jobs.
  Finally, Mr. Chairman, I ask Members to support this legislation 
because it provides for programs and resources for women and girls to 
obtain education and training for high-wage/high-skill and 
nontraditional jobs. When I was director of Gender Equity, I was 
responsible for bringing a lot of the nontraditional jobs to the 
forefront.
  Mr. Chairman, this is a great piece of legislation, and I ask all of 
my friends to support it.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Souder), a member of our committee.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  First, I want to praise the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), 
chairman of this committee; and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. 
Castle), subcommittee chairman, because I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 366, the Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act, 
because it does a number of basic things. It continues to help States 
better utilize federal funding, increasing accountability, emphasizes 
student academic vocational and technical achievement, and improves 
coordination between secondary and post-secondary vocational and 
technical education.
  We have continually worked at how to get this type of cooperation to 
streamline it, not to micromanage the States, to give them flexibility 
on how to do it, but set guidelines as to what we expect and the type 
of results that we want.
  In my home district in Northeast Indiana in Fort Wayne, vocational 
education has been a cooperative effort between the city of Fort Wayne 
and the Chamber of Commerce in taking the old Central High School, 
which had been abandoned, which my mom had attended in the 1940s, and 
it is now the Anthis Career Education Center. There they have 
laboratories, classrooms, worksites, different career options, youth 
apprenticeships, cooperative education. They have nearly 20 different 
career options that work with

[[Page H2902]]

Indiana Vocational Technical State College.
  In addition, they have programs for kids who may go to 4-year 
colleges, that they can take part of their day and go over and get 
specialized courses, go out and work with manufacturers.
  What is great about this bill is it addresses a whole range of what 
we need to look at in vocational education.
  Many people are concerned that we are tracking people, that we say 
they are going to decide to be this because their dad was this. The 
fact is that we need a multiplicity of options, and as kids see those 
different options, they can test them out and see which one works best 
for them.
  Way back in the 1960s in our family retail business, we took a number 
of students in order to keep them in school and let them work part time 
in our business and got them through high school. Some of them then 
went on to 2-year colleges. Others got interested. Others stayed in 
various business segments.
  I recently met with Mr. Colin Schottlaender, who is the director of 
the Raytheon Network Centric Systems. He oversees 68 Raytheon plants in 
this Nation. And one of the things they try to do is to get kids, like 
my son went out to Raytheon, visited there for a day to see what the 
job was like. Then they look for people to see whether they work for 
summer employment. Some of them may go to 4-year colleges to move in 
management. Others may do a mid-technical thing and go to a 2-year 
vocational educational institution. Others may go to work and then come 
back to the education because they had been exposed to it. But, 
increasingly, companies want to see kids in high school get some 
practical experience and then develop them through summer programs, 
through education programs, and develop people who can compete in an 
international market. And to do this, the vocational technical 
education is a critical component.
  We cannot compete worldwide unless we are developing at every level 
of kids who are at risk of not finishing high school, of kids who will 
finish high school, of kids who will go on to vocational education, 
kids who will go on to a 4-year college and people will do lifelong 
learning. We cannot compete worldwide unless we focus on vocational and 
technical education, and this bill is an important start.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), our full committee 
ranking member and my leader on education and many other issues.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the 
gentlewoman for yielding me this time.
  I also want to thank her for all of her work on behalf of our Members 
on this side of the aisle in helping to shape this legislation. And I 
want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) for bringing 
this bill to the floor in a timely fashion, and to the gentleman from 
Delaware (Chairman Castle) for all of his work and his dedication to 
the vocational education programs within our jurisdiction.
  I rise today for two reasons: One, I am hopeful that bringing this 
bill to this floor at this time and all of the statements made by 
Members on both sides of the aisle as to the successes of vocational 
education and the various components of vocational education in their 
districts and in their States will forever put an end to this idea of 
the administration that it is going to somehow zero out this 
legislation or that it is going to take this money for some other 
initiative when Members of Congress recognize in such an overwhelming 
fashion the importance of vocational education to the students in their 
districts, to the success of the educational programs, and certainly to 
their local economies and to their State economies.
  That is really the second reason that I rise, and that is to again 
reiterate the idea that this is not our fathers' or our grandfathers' 
vocational education. A dramatic transition and a transformation has 
been made within many of our educational establishments in high schools 
and community colleges that now provide for the linking and the merging 
and integration of academic programs and vocational programs and 
skills-acquiring programs so that students now not only are taking 
vocational education or participating in vocational education to get a 
job.
  What they are getting is a set of skills that will allow them to get 
that job but also to have the options to create career paths within 
that industry or within that vocation, within that sector of our 
economy. Far different than has been done in the past.
  In the integration of the academic skills, again, building upon the 
research that has been developed over the last decade, and that is that 
really for people to be proficient, to continue to maintain a middle-
class life-style, to be able to continue to maintain their 
opportunities in employment. The set of skills that they need on the 
academic side and on the vocational skills side really are equivalent 
of what one needs to have an AA degree.
  So now students are put on that path. They are given the opportunity 
to relate the academic skills that they need to acquire for the job 
opportunities, for the career opportunities, and for the academic 
opportunities in their future lives. And that is a dramatic change from 
what many people view as vocational education of the past or of their 
experiences when they were in school.
  We now talk to young people. I just recently visited a program at the 
Serendipity training program in Mr. Diablo High School in my district, 
where Chevron Corporation just made a major grant to the county schools 
for the purposes of enhancing these kinds of economic opportunities and 
educational opportunities for young people. And when we talk to the 
young people, whether they are participating in the health academies or 
they are participating in the fire academies or the food service 
academies or the technical academies, the fact of the matter is they 
now see themselves having multiple options. For some it is just to 
simply get a job. A number of students said they were go to become EMTs 
because they wanted to be able have that work and that work schedule 
and that income to pay for their college education. Others decided that 
they would go just to the fire academy and try to get a job. Others 
thought that they would go to the fire academy and go on to Humboldt 
State and to the 4-year programs in terms of fire sciences.
  So what these students now see are the multitude of opportunities 
that are available to them, the opportunities for career and 
advancement and providing for them and their families into the future.
  I would hope that we would support this bill. I am disappointed that 
the Committee on Rules, in its continued abuse of power, simply could 
not provide for the debate of the amendments that many on this side of 
the aisle wanted to offer. Again, it is not like the Congress is 
running at maximum RPMs here day in and day out and there is no time 
for that debate. It is unfortunate that the Committee on Rules 
continues that abuse of power, but we will have an opportunity to 
debate a couple of amendments and then push this bill forward to 
conference committee, where a couple of its modest shortcomings can be 
hopefully corrected.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Boehner and Castle for 
bringing this bill the floor. The V ocational and Technical Education 
for the Future Act reflects a bipartisan work product and I am pleased 
to be able to join the chairman, Chairman Castle and Ranking Member 
Woolsey in supporting this reauthorization.
  Career and technical education has traditionally been a bipartisan 
effort in Congress and that continues today. Unfortunately, the 
President, for the fourth year in a row has tried to eliminate this 
program, and this is a mistake.
  Career and technical education programs make high school matter for 
many young people, offer college students pathways into productive 
employment and new hope for displaced homemakers and workers reentering 
the workforce.
  Now, is not the time to retreat on our investment in career training. 
The global economy demands a highly skilled workforce and the Perkins 
program has been instrumental in building that workforce.
  H.R. 366 moves the successful Perkins Act, named after the 
distinguished Senator from Kansas, to the next level in career and 
technical education. This program may have started out as second tier 
education program for students who sought employment after graduation 
from high school, but today, these programs are changing the face of 
secondary and

[[Page H2903]]

post-secondary education. Perkins equips America's workforce with the 
skills they need to compete in a global economy.
  More and more schools are using career and technical education 
programs to develop highly challenging and academically sound education 
systems, combining secondary and postsecondary education elements. H.R. 
366 adopts this model.
  Successful career tech programs allow academic and vocational 
teachers to develop curriculum together and teach together so that 
students can apply academic content in a real world context. In order 
to make high school matter, learning, must become more meaningful to 
students. Career technical education programs do this.
  H.R. 366 also ensures that students learn the identical challenging 
academic content as students who are in a purely academic program 
further reinforcing the goals of No Child Left Behind: that all 
students should be taught to high standards.
  We know that students who are enrolled in career technical programs 
are less likely to drop out before graduation. Students who graduate 
from these programs perform better than their academic-only 
counterparts in math and science. And, students who complete these 
programs are able to obtain higher salaries than their counterparts.
  Mr. Chairman, while I will support this bill, I remain concerned that 
it fails to address two critical issues: the bill eliminates the 
separate authorization for the Tech Prep Program and cuts State 
Administrative funding far below what states need to carry out the new 
responsibilities that have been added to the bill. These problems can 
and should be corrected in conference.
  The Perkins Act is a critical workforce development tool and the bill 
before us represents sound education policy. It contains critical 
improvements in the areas of accountability, integration and 
coordination and is supported by a range of organizations to include 
the Association for Career Technical Education, the National 
Association of State Directors of Career Technical'' Education, the 
NEA, and the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education.
  I want to thank these organizations for their input on the bill and I 
want to thank our staff for their efforts in bringing this bill 
together in a relatively short period of time.
  I will vote in favor of final passage and urge my colleagues to do 
the same.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to say one more time how much I appreciate the 
bipartisan work that we accomplished on the subcommittee and on the 
full committee, and I thank both the full Chair, the subcommittee 
Chair, and my ranking member for making all that possible.
  In closing, I want to reiterate my main concerns with the bill, which 
I hope will be addressed in conference.
  First, the bill rightly strengthens accountability for State and 
local programs, but at the same time, it cuts 60 percent of the funds 
that the States can use for that very purpose. I support these 
accountability measures, but if we do not enable the States to 
administer them, we will be providing empty promises. I offered an 
amendment in the committee to restore this cut.
  I am also concerned that this bill merges the tech prep program with 
the basic State grant, and I appreciate that our Republican colleagues 
on the committee have maintained funding for tech prep activities. But 
as we all know, not sending tech prep funding separately to the States 
means that eventually States will lose their focus on those activities.

                              {time}  1245

  Another area that I am concerned about and I want to reiterate is the 
issue that the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) has just 
discussed, which is his amendment offered to end abuses like the 
Department of Education's contract with Armstrong Williams. His 
amendment simply said that the government cannot hire journalists to 
create government propaganda and required that if the Department of 
Education continues to produce prepackaged news pieces, it has to fully 
disclose that fact in the piece. I am sorry that that language, which 
is really about government being honest with the people, is not in this 
bill.
  Finally, we must ask ourselves, despite bipartisan support and 
despite the support of the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) and 
the gentleman from Delaware (Chairman Castle), where will the 
appropriators find the funds to support this and other critical 
education programs that the President wants to eliminate or underfund? 
For example, this year alone, the President wants to provide our 
schoolchildren $12 billion less than he promised under the No Child 
Left Behind Act.
  Mr. Chairman, one last comment: this is a good, bipartisan bill, and 
we must fix the little pieces that are missing in conference.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of our time.
  I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and 
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) for their work on this 
bill; and I want to thank my colleague, and the author of the bill, the 
subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), for 
his fine work. While there are 435 of us in the Congress, of course 
everyone would like to make this bill look as though it were theirs and 
written exactly the way they would like to write it. Clearly, I would 
like to have that opportunity too, but that is not how the process 
works. We have a bipartisan bill, and we should not make the perfect 
the enemy of the good.
  I also want to thank my staff, Krisann Pearce and Whitney Rhoades, 
for their fine work on this bill. I want to thank Denise Forte and 
Lloyd Horwich on the Democrat side for their work. As most of my 
colleagues know, we could not do the fine work that we do without 
excellent staff on both sides. They have done very good work in helping 
us get to where we are today.
  Vocational education, as my colleague from California pointed out, is 
not vocational and technical education like it was 20 years ago or even 
10 years ago. We all recognize that those in vocational and technical 
education also need a strong academic background. This program, over 
the last several reauthorizations, has attempted to move to stronger 
academics; and we continue that process in the reauthorization that we 
bring to the floor today. It is one of the reasons why the Tech-Prep 
program, which used to be separate and in this bill we have merged it 
with a basic grant, although we preserve the funding, is not quite as 
significant as it once was, because Tech-Prep was intended to help 
encourage those in vocational and technical education from outlining a 
program where they would do 2 years at the local Tech-Prep school and 
then go on and do 2 years probably at a community college. By improving 
the academics across the board, I think it is good for all students.
  I have two technical schools in my own district, Butler Tech, Butler 
County Tech and Miami Valley Tech, who offer wonderful programs and 
wonderful Tech-Prep programs for many of their students. They have 
articulation agreements with Sinclair Community College in Dayton, 
Ohio, and other community colleges to help put students on a path where 
they will gain the skills necessary to be able to go out in the 
workforce and have very productive jobs.
  There are two or three million jobs in America today that have gone 
begging because we do not have employees and people with skills to fill 
those jobs; and many of them could be filled if, in fact, we have 
stronger technical vocational programs around the country.
  So I would encourage my colleagues to support the underlying bill, 
and we are about to get into the amendment process, and we will see 
where that takes us.
  Ms. BEAN. Mr. Chairman, reauthorizing the Perkins Act gives Congress 
the opportunity to restate our belief in vocational and technical 
education, a partnership between academics, the business community and 
our constituents for more than 40 years.
  As a graduate of Oakton Community College, I have a special 
appreciation for the value of our community college system. Oakton 
Community College prepared me for and complemented my entrance into the 
computer industry. That education served me well over my 20 plus year 
career in the high-tech field.
  Like community colleges across the country, those in Illinois' Eighth 
District--The College of Lake County, McHenry County College, Harper 
College and Elgin Community College--provide opportunities for all 
Americans,

[[Page H2904]]

from young people starting out their careers to older workers 
continuing theirs.
  We should absolutely put our full support behind such flexible and 
proven programs. H.R. 366 will allow our local schools and community 
colleges to plan for the future and to continue supplying trained 
workers to industries of all types.
  Like much of the legislation brought before this body, however, The 
Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act has room for 
improvement. Merging Tech Prep into the Basic State Grants calls into 
question the federal government's commitment to math and science 
education by allowing targeted funding to be used for other purposes. 
The Senate version of this bill is more receptive to high schools', 
community colleges' and industries' needs, and I hope that Tech Prep 
will be retained as a separate program in the conference report.
  Vocational and technical education programs help Americans to 
continue their education and expand their skill set. Encouraging 
innovation through a more educated workforce has helped our economy 
adapt to changing times and will continue to do so in the future. 
Reauthorizing the Perkins Act is a step in the right direction.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 366, 
the Vocational and Technical Education Act of the Future. This bill 
reauthorizes the Perkins Act, which provides career and technical 
education (CTE) programs at the State and local levels. In addition, 
the Perkins Act provides skill-building and academic opportunities for 
our youth and improves employment outcomes.
  We live in an information and knowledge-based economy. It is 
imperative, therefore, that we continue to recognize that a strong 
academic foundation is necessary for all students emerging from high 
school. Moreover, the skills necessary for entering postsecondary 
education are similar to the skills necessary for success in the modem 
workplace. For example, it is a fact that high school students entering 
construction related apprenticeship programs must have algebra, 
geometry and trigonometry skills, which are also requirements for 
college university systems.
  The research is clear. High school students completing a rigorous 
academic core coupled with a career concentration have test scores that 
are equal to or higher than those of students considered to be 
``college prep''. They are more likely to pursue postsecondary 
education, have a higher grade point average in college, are less 
likely to drop out in their first year of college, and they have better 
employment and earnings outcomes than other students.
  This bill will ensure that ``rigorous and challenging academic 
content'' in the high school curriculum is aligned with postsecondary 
education.
  For the foregoing reasons, I encourage support for this bill to 
ensure that all high school students' educational needs are adequately 
met.
  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Chairman, today I rise to speak in favor of H.R. 366, 
the Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act.
  Vocational education is an extremely important component of secondary 
education for millions of students. It is too often neglected at the 
State level and does not receive adequate funding or attention.
  Many students do not go on to an undergraduate university for their 
post-secondary education. Only about 40 percent of high school students 
who pursue post secondary education enroll in a college program. One 
third (over 5 million people) enroll in a vocational education program.
  There are many good paying jobs available to students interested in 
vocational training, but not enough students are being prepared for 
these types of jobs.
  However, we do have the ability to encourage more schools and their 
students to participate in vocational education. We can get businesses 
involved with the education of the skilled workers of tomorrow by 
helping them train the students of today.
  Among other things, H.R. 366 includes provisions to make funds 
available to eligible recipients for local education and business 
partnerships, including the establishment and operation of special 
arrangements with industry partners that allow qualified industry 
professionals to serve as faculty in postsecondary programs. It also 
makes funds available for leasing, purchasing, upgrading or adapting 
equipment, including instructional aides and publications.
  This bill also emphasizes teacher preparation programs that address 
the integration of academic and vocational and technical education and 
that assist individuals who are interested in becoming vocational and 
technical education instructors, including individuals with experience 
in business and industry.
  I have supported increasing the number of these kinds of public/
private partnerships because I believe that is one of the best ways to 
get students to learn current skills and get hands-on experience. I 
recently introduced H.R. 2008, the Public-Private Vocational 
Partnership Act. It would establish a tax credit for companies that 
donate equipment or resources for vocational education training. In 
addition, it establishes a tax credit for companies hiring full-time 
students who work as interns in fields relating to vocational 
education.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in strengthening vocational 
education.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 366, the 
Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act.
  In order for the United States to continue to compete in today's 
global economy we must continue educating our youth. I was disappointed 
the President's FY 06 budget request did not include funding for most 
current vocational education programs authorized under the Perkins Act.
  I support the Perkins Act because I believe it is necessary to 
develop the academic, vocational, and technical skills of secondary 
students and postsecondary students enrolled in vocational and 
technical education programs. I am concerned, however, that sometimes 
when Congress gives grants to Universities they increase tuition and 
other costs, so the benefit to the students is minimal.
  I am hopeful the $1.3 billion allocated in this legislation will 
benefit the students who need the grant to improve their future and the 
future of our country, not the universities who take advantage of 
additional funds to raise tuition.
  I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues to do so as 
well.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  Unfortunately, last week when the majority of members in this body 
passed the Budget Resolution, they also voted to zero out funding for 
programs under the Carl Perkins Act.
  Through the Perkins Act, hundreds of thousands of students have 
received an education beyond just high school. They have developed 
marketable skills that enable them to work at competitive wages, often 
to support themselves or their families as they receive their college 
education.
  Sam Houston High School is in my District. It is a school with hard-
working students who often live under circumstances that do not allow 
them to enter a 4-year university right after high school graduation. 
Many of these students stay at home and enter the workforce to help 
support their families.
  Due to decreases in state and Federal funding, Sam Houston High 
School recently lost their vocational education program. This has been 
devastating to some students who were relying on learning a unique 
skill that would give them the ability to earn enough to pay for the 
rising cost of college and get the work experience that will benefit 
them in the future.
  These programs allow high schools to enter articulation agreements 
with our local community colleges so students receive college credit 
for many of the courses they take and they develop skills to enter the 
workforce. Perkins offers a win-win opportunity for many students to 
earn college credit and get training and job offers from companies such 
as General Motors, Continental Airlines and Lockheed Martin.
  The Carl Perkins Act recognizes that not everyone goes to college 
immediately, but that does not mean these students do not want to 
further their education. Many students who participate in programs such 
as Tech Prep enter higher-paying jobs after high school to help pay for 
college.
  Recently, the National Association of Manufacturers released a report 
stating the U.S. will face a shortage of almost 10 million skilled 
workers by 2020. The students who benefit from the Perkins Act also 
benefit our economy by preventing the outsourcing of jobs and keeping 
industry in America flowing.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. The students 
in my district support Perkins and if we pass this bill today, they 
will be able to continue to pursue their goals.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 366, 
the Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act. Although 
Democrats would in candor have crafted a different Perkins 
reauthorization bill, I do want to recognize and salute the bipartisan 
process that has brought us here today.

[[Page H2905]]

  Mr. Chairman, this is timely legislation. As the premiere Federal 
investment in career and technical education for secondary and post-
secondary students, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical 
Education Act is a critical tool in our efforts to stem the flow of 
outsourcing and train a world class American workforce for the 21st 
century.
  In particular, I am pleased that H.R. 366 includes a model sequence 
of courses so that students will have a seamless transition between 
high school and post-secondary education. Additionally, I believe the 
establishment of separate indicators for postsecondary education 
represents a common sense improvement to current law.
  Given the loss of 446,000 private sector jobs since the beginning of 
the Bush Administration, I am frankly at a loss as to how the President 
could continue to recommend the elimination of the programs funded 
under the Perkins Act. And while the majority has in this instance 
correctly reached its own conclusion about the value of Perkins, I 
believe a Congress with its priorities in order would be in a position 
to do better than the level funding for Perkins programs we are passing 
today. Additionally, while I acknowledge the hold harmless provisions 
regarding funding for Tech Prep in the base bill and in Mr. Castle's 
amendment, I remain concerned that eliminating the separate funding 
stream for Tech Prep will over time result in inadequate funding for 
these important initiatives. Finally, while we should always be 
interested in finding administrative savings in order to free up funds 
for actual education and training on the ground, I fear the additional, 
important responsibilities we are placing on our states under this bill 
run the risk of getting shortchanged due to our slashing in half the 
money we are making available to implement them.
  In conclusion, I'd like to thank Chairman Boehner, our ranking 
committee and subcommittee members Mr. Miller and Ms. Woolsey, minority 
and majority staff--and especially Mr. Castle for his leadership on 
this issue and for his willingness to reach across the aisle when 
crafting this bill. While I will be supporting efforts to improve this 
legislation in conference, for today I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Culberson). All time for general debate has 
expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill 
for the purpose of amendment under the 5-minute rule and shall be 
considered read.
  The text of the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute is 
as follows:

                                H.R. 366

       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 ``Vocational and Technical 
     Education for the Future Act''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Wherever in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of 
     an amendment to or repeal of a section or other provision, 
     the amendment or repeal shall be considered to be made to a 
     section or other provision of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational 
     and Technical Education Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).

     SEC. 3. PURPOSES AND DEFINITIONS.

       (a) Purposes.--Section 2(2) (20 U.S.C. 2301(2)) is amended 
     by inserting ``rigorous and challenging'' after 
     ``integrate''.
       (b) Definitions.--Section 3 (20 U.S.C. 2302) is amended--
       (1) by striking paragraph (26) and redesignating paragraphs 
     (21) through (25) as paragraphs (23) through (27), and 
     paragraphs (27) through (30) as paragraphs (29) through (32), 
     respectively;
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (20) as 
     paragraphs (5) through (21), respectively, and inserting 
     after paragraph (3) the following:
       ``(4) Articulation agreement.--The term `articulation 
     agreement' means a written commitment, agreed upon at the 
     State level or approved annually and facilitated by the lead 
     administrators of the secondary and postsecondary consortia 
     members as described in section 135(b)(3)(A), to provide a 
     program designed to provide students with a nonduplicative 
     sequence of progressive achievements leading to degrees, 
     certificates, or credentials in a tech-prep education program 
     linked through credit transfer agreements.'';
       (3) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``to students (and parents, as appropriate)'' after 
     ``providing access'';
       (4) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``section 5206'' and inserting ``section 5210'';
       (5) in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by striking ``method of instruction'' and inserting 
     ``method''; and
       (B) by inserting ``rigorous and challenging'' after 
     ``required'';
       (6) in paragraph (11)(A) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``an'' and inserting ``a public or nonprofit private'';
       (7) in paragraph (18) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``training and 
     employment'' and inserting ``fields'';
       (B) by striking ``training and employment'' and inserting 
     ``fields''; and
       (C) by inserting ``current and'' after ``technology, and 
     other'';
       (8) in paragraph (19) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States 
     of Micronesia,'';
       (9) by inserting after paragraph (21) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(22) Scientifically based research.--The term 
     `scientifically based research' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 9101(37) of the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(37)).'';
       (10) in paragraph (25) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``training and 
     employment'' and inserting ``fields'';
       (B) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'';
       (C) in subparagraph (F)--
       (i) by striking ``individuals with other barriers to 
     educational achievement, including''; and
       (ii) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
       ``(G) individuals with other barriers to educational 
     achievement, as determined by the State.'';
       (11) by inserting after paragraph (27) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(28) Supportive services.--The term `supportive services' 
     means services such as transportation, child care, dependent 
     care, and needs-based payments, that are necessary to enable 
     an individual to participate in activities authorized under 
     this Act.'';
       (12) in paragraph (29) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``section 2'' and inserting ``section 2(a)(4)'';
       (13) in paragraph (30) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by inserting ``of subsection (a)'' after ``paragraph 
     (2)''; and
       (B) by striking ``paragraph (5)(A) of such section'' and 
     inserting ``paragraph (5)(A) of such subsection''; and
       (14) by amending paragraph (31)(A) (as so redesignated) to 
     read as follows:
       ``(A) offer a sequence of courses that--
       ``(i) provides individuals with the rigorous and 
     challenging academic and technical knowledge and skills the 
     individuals need to prepare for further education and for 
     careers (other than careers requiring a master's or doctoral 
     degree) in current or emerging employment sectors;
       ``(ii) may include the provision of skills or courses 
     necessary to enroll in a sequence of courses that meet the 
     requirements of this subparagraph; and
       ``(iii) provides, at the postsecondary level, for a 1-year 
     certificate, an associate degree, or industry-recognized 
     credential; and''.

     SEC. 4. TRANSITION PROVISIONS.

       Section 4 (20 U.S.C. 2303) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and 
     Applied Technology Education Act'' and inserting `` the `Carl 
     D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998' 
     ''; and
       (2) by striking ``the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and 
     Applied Technology Education Amendments of 1998'' and 
     inserting ``the Vocational and Technical Education for the 
     Future Act. Each eligible agency shall be assured 1 full 
     fiscal year for transition, to plan for and implement the 
     requirements of this Act''.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 8 (20 U.S.C. 2307) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act (other than subsection (a), (b), and (c) of section 114, 
     and sections 117 and 118) $1,307,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 
     and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
     2007 through 2011.''.

     SEC. 6. PROHIBITIONS.

       (a) In General.--The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and 
     Technical Education Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) is 
     amended by adding after section 8 the following new section:

     ``SEC. 9. PROHIBITIONS.

       ``(a) Local Control.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
     construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal 
     government to mandate, direct, or control a State, local 
     educational agency, or school's curriculum, program of 
     instruction, or allocation of State or local resources, or 
     mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds 
     or incur any costs not paid for under this Act.
       ``(b) No Preclusion of Other Assistance.--Any State that 
     declines to submit an application to the Secretary for 
     assistance under this Act shall not be precluded from 
     applying for assistance under any other program administered 
     by the Secretary.
       ``(c) Prohibition on Requiring Federal Approval or 
     Certification of Standards.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of Federal law, no State shall be required to have 
     academic and vocational and technical content or student 
     academic and vocational and technical achievement standards 
     approved or certified by the Federal government, in order to 
     receive assistance under this Act.
       ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
     be construed to affect the requirements under section 113.''.
       (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in 
     section 1(b) is amended by inserting after the item relating 
     to section 8 the following:

``Sec. 9. Prohibitions.''.

     SEC. 7. ALLOTMENT AND ALLOCATION TO STATES.

       (a) Allotment for National Activities for 2006.--Section 
     111(a)(1) (20 U.S.C. 2321(a)(1)) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(1) Reservations.--From the sum appropriated under 
     section 8 for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve--

[[Page H2906]]

       ``(A) 0.12 percent to carry out section 115;
       ``(B) 1.50 percent to carry out section 116, of which--
       ``(i) 1.25 percent of the sum shall be available to carry 
     out section 116(b); and
       ``(ii) 0.25 percent of the sum shall be available to carry 
     out section 116(h); and
       ``(C) 0.54 percent to carry out section 114(d).''.
       (b) Minimum Allotments.--Section 111(a) (20 U.S.C. 2321(a)) 
     is further amended--
       (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``(or in the case of 
     fiscal year 1999'' and all that follows through ``Amendments 
     of 1998)'' each place it appears and inserting ``(or in the 
     case of fiscal year 2006 only, under this section and under 
     title II of this Act, as such section and title were in 
     effect on the day before the date of enactment of the 
     Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act)''; and
       (2) by amending paragraph (4)(A) to read as follows:
       ``(A) In general.--No State shall receive an allotment 
     under this section for a fiscal year that is less than the 
     allotment the State received for fiscal year 2005 under this 
     section and under title II of this Act (as such section and 
     title were in effect on the day before the date of enactment 
     of the Vocational and Technical Education for the Future 
     Act).''.
       (c) Within State Allocation.--Section 112 (20 U.S.C. 2322) 
     is amended--
       (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
       ``(a) Allocation Formula.--From the amount allotted to each 
     State under section 111 for a fiscal year, the State board 
     (hereinafter referred to as the `eligible agency') shall 
     allocate such amount as follows:
       ``(1) Subject to paragraph (4), not less than 88 percent 
     shall be made available for distribution under section 131 or 
     132, of which the eligible agency shall first make available 
     for the activities described in section 135(b)(3) not less 
     than the amount allotted in fiscal year 2005 to such eligible 
     agency under title II of this Act (as such title was in 
     effect on the day before the date of enactment of the 
     Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act), 
     reduced by the percentage by which the amount allotted to the 
     State under section 111 for the fiscal year is less than the 
     amount allotted under such section to such State for fiscal 
     year 2005. Of the remainder of the 88 percent, not more than 
     10 percent may be used in accordance with subsection (c).
       ``(2) Subject to paragraph (4), not more than 10 percent 
     shall be made available to carry out State leadership 
     activities described in section 124, of which--
       ``(A) an amount equal to not more than 1 percent of the 
     amount allotted to the State under section 111 for the fiscal 
     year shall be made available to serve individuals in State 
     institutions, such as State correctional institutions and 
     institutions that serve individuals with disabilities; and
       ``(B) not less than $60,000 and not more than $150,000 
     shall be available for services that prepare individuals for 
     nontraditional fields.
       ``(3) An amount equal to not more than 2 percent, or 
     $250,000, whichever is greater, shall be made available for 
     administration of the State plan, which may be used for the 
     costs of--
       ``(A) developing the State plan;
       ``(B) reviewing the local plan;
       ``(C) monitoring and evaluating program effectiveness;
       ``(D) assuring compliance with all applicable Federal laws; 
     and
       ``(E) providing technical assistance.
       ``(4) If the amount allocated for any fiscal year under 
     paragraph (2) shall be less than the amount allocated under 
     such paragraph for fiscal year 2005, additional amounts may 
     be made available from the amount allocated under paragraph 
     (1) for the purposes described in paragraph (2). If such 
     additional amounts are made available under this paragraph, 
     the percentage of the total amount allotted under section 111 
     that is allocated for the purposes described in paragraph (2) 
     shall not exceed the percentage of the total amount allotted 
     under section 111 for fiscal year 2005 that was allocated 
     under paragraph (2) for fiscal year 2005.''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking the semicolon and 
     inserting ``; and'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``; and'' and 
     inserting a period; and
       (iii) by striking subparagraph (D); and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``through (D)'' and 
     inserting ``through (C)''.

     SEC. 8. ACCOUNTABILITY.

       (a) Purpose.--Section 113(a) (20 U.S.C. 2323(a)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``establish a State'' and inserting 
     ``support a State and local''; and
       (2) by inserting ``and its eligible recipients'' after 
     ``effectiveness of the State''.
       (b) State Performance Measures.--Section 113(b) (20 U.S.C. 
     2323(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as 
     subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively;
       (B) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in the subparagraph heading, by inserting ``for 
     secondary students'' after ``performance'';
       (ii) by inserting ``of secondary students that are, to the 
     extent practicable, valid and reliable and'' after 
     ``indicators of performance'';
       (iii) in clause (i), by striking ``State established 
     academic,'' and inserting ``academic content and achievement 
     standards, as established by the State under section 
     1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)),'';
       (iv) in clause (ii)--

       (I) by striking ``or its recognized equivalent,'' and 
     inserting ``, General Education Development credential (GED), 
     or other State-recognized equivalent (including recognized 
     alternative standards for individuals with disabilities), 
     or''; and
       (II) by striking ``, or a postsecondary degree or 
     credential'';

       (v) by amending clause (iii) to read as follows:
       ``(iii) Student graduation rates (as described in section 
     1111(b)(2)(C)(vi) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C)(vi))).'';
       (vi) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (v) and 
     inserting after clause (iii) the following:
       ``(iv) Placement in postsecondary education or advanced 
     training, placement in military service, or placement in 
     employment.''; and
       (vii) in clause (v) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``training and employment'' and inserting ``fields'';
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
       ``(B) Core indicators of performance for postsecondary 
     students.--Each eligible agency shall identify in the State 
     plan core indicators of performance of postsecondary students 
     that are, to the extent practicable, valid and reliable, and 
     that include, at a minimum, measures of each of the 
     following:
       ``(i) Student attainment of challenging academic and 
     vocational and technical skill proficiencies.
       ``(ii) Student retention in postsecondary education, 
     attainment of an associate degree or postsecondary 
     credential, or transfer to a baccalaureate degree program.
       ``(iii) Placement in military service or placement or 
     retention in employment.
       ``(iv) Student participation in and completion of 
     vocational and technical education programs in nontraditional 
     fields.'';
       (D) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``under the title'' and inserting ``under this title''; and
       (E) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``vocational and technical education'' after ``has developed 
     State''; and
       (2) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) by amending the paragraph heading to read as follows:
       ``(3) State levels of performance.--''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in clause (i)--

       (I) by striking ``paragraph (2)(A)'' and inserting 
     ``subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2)''; and
       (II) in subclause (II), by striking ``to continually'' and 
     all that follows through ``performance'', and inserting ``to 
     make continuous and substantial improvement in the academic 
     and vocational and technical achievement'';

       (ii) by amending clause (v) to read as follows:
       ``(v) Agreement on state adjusted levels of performance for 
     subsequent years.--

       ``(I) 3rd and 4th program years.--Prior to the third 
     program year covered by the State plan, the Secretary and 
     each eligible agency shall reach agreement on the State 
     adjusted levels of performance for each of the core 
     indicators of performance for the third and fourth programs 
     years covered by the State plan, taking into account the 
     factors described in clause (vi).
       ``(II) 5th and 6th program years.--Prior to the fifth 
     program year covered by the State plan, the Secretary and 
     each eligible agency shall reach agreement on the State 
     adjusted levels of performance for each of the core 
     indicators of performance for the fifth and sixth programs 
     years covered by the State plan, taking into account the 
     factors described in clause (vi).
       ``(III) Agreements incorporated into state plan.--The State 
     adjusted levels of performance agreed to under this clause 
     shall be considered the State adjusted levels of performance 
     for the State for such years and shall be incorporated into 
     the State plan.'';

       (iii) in clause (vi)(II), by inserting ``and substantial'' 
     after ``continuous''; and
       (iv) in clause (vii)--

       (I) by striking ``clause (vi)(II)'' and inserting ``clause 
     (vi)''; and
       (II) by striking ``under clause (iii) or (vi)'' and 
     inserting ``under clause (iii) or (v)''.

       (c) Local Levels of Performance.--Section 113(b) is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Local levels of performance.--
       ``(A) Local adjusted levels of performance for core 
     indicators of performance.--
       ``(i) In general.--Each eligible recipient shall establish 
     in the local plan submitted under section 134, levels of 
     performance for each of the core indicators of performance 
     described in paragraph (2)(A) and (B), as appropriate for the 
     eligible recipient, for vocational and technical education 
     activities authorized under this title. The levels of 
     performance established under this subparagraph shall, at a 
     minimum--

       ``(I) be expressed in a percentage or numerical form, so as 
     to be objective, quantifiable, and measurable; and
       ``(II) require the eligible recipient to make continuous 
     and substantial improvement in the academic and vocational 
     and technical achievement of vocational and technical 
     education students.

       ``(ii) Identification in the local plan.--Each eligible 
     recipient shall identify, in the local plan submitted under 
     section 134, levels of performance for each of the core 
     indicators of performance for the first 2 program years 
     covered by the local plan.
       ``(iii) Agreement on local adjusted levels of performance 
     for first 2 years.--The eligible agency and each eligible 
     recipient shall reach agreement on the levels of performance 
     for each of the core indicators of performance, for the first 
     2 program years covered by the local plan, taking into 
     account the levels identified in the local plan under clause 
     (ii) and the factors described in clause (v). The levels of 
     performance agreed to under this clause shall be considered 
     to be the local adjusted level of performance for the 
     eligible recipient for such years and

[[Page H2907]]

     shall be incorporated into the local plan prior to the 
     approval of such plan.
       ``(iv) Agreement on local adjusted levels of performance 
     for subsequent years.--

       ``(I) 3rd and 4th program years.--Prior to the third 
     program year covered by the local plan, the eligible agency 
     and each eligible recipient shall reach agreement on the 
     local adjusted levels of performance for each of the core 
     indicators of performance for the third and fourth program 
     years covered by the local plan, taking into account the 
     factors described in clause (v).
       ``(II) 5th and 6th program years.--Prior to the fifth 
     program year covered by the local plan, the eligible agency 
     and each eligible recipient shall reach agreement on the 
     local adjusted levels of performance for each of the core 
     indicators of performance for the fifth and sixth program 
     years covered by the local plan, taking into account the 
     factors described in clause (v).
       ``(III) Agreements incorporated into local plan.--The local 
     adjusted levels of performance agreed to under this clause 
     shall be considered to be the local adjusted levels of 
     performance for the eligible recipient for such years and 
     shall be incorporated into the local plan.

       ``(v) Factors.--The agreement described in clause (iii) or 
     (iv) shall take into account--

       ``(I) how the levels of performance involved compare with 
     the local adjusted levels of performance established for 
     other eligible recipients taking into account factors 
     including the characteristics of participants when the 
     participants entered the program and the services or 
     instruction to be provided; and
       ``(II) the extent to which such levels of performance 
     promote continuous and substantial improvement on the 
     indicators of performance by such eligible recipient.

       ``(vi) Revisions.--If unanticipated circumstances arise 
     with respect to an eligible recipient resulting in a 
     significant change in the factors described in clause (v), 
     the eligible recipient may request that the local adjusted 
     levels of performance agreed to under clause (iii) or (iv) be 
     revised. The eligible agency shall issue objective criteria 
     and methods for making such revisions.
       ``(B) Levels of performance for additional indicators.--
     Each eligible recipient may identify in the local plan, local 
     levels of performance for any additional indicators of 
     performance. Such levels shall be considered to be the local 
     levels of performance for purposes of this title.
       ``(C) Local report.--
       ``(i) Content of report.--Each eligible recipient that 
     receives an allotment under section 111 shall annually 
     prepare and submit to the eligible agency a report 
     regarding--

       ``(I) the progress of such recipient in achieving the local 
     adjusted levels of performance on the core indicators of 
     performance; and
       ``(II) in the case of an eligible recipient that receives 
     funds described in section 112(a) for activities described in 
     section 135(b)(3), the progress in achieving the local 
     adjusted levels of performance on the core indicators of 
     performance with respect to tech-prep program participants.

       ``(ii) Data.--Each eligible recipient shall--

       ``(I) disaggregate data for each of the indicators of 
     performance under section 113(b)(2) for the categories of 
     students enumerated under section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that are 
     served under this Act; and
       ``(II) identify and quantify any disparities or gaps in 
     performance between any such category of students and the 
     performance of all students served by the eligible recipient 
     under the Act.

       ``(iii) Rules for reporting of data.--The disaggregation of 
     data under clause (ii) shall be required except in a case in 
     which the number of students in a category is insufficient to 
     yield statistically reliable information or in which the 
     results would reveal personally identifiable information 
     about an individual student.
       ``(iv) Availability.--The report described in clause (i) 
     shall be made available to the public through a variety of 
     formats, including electronically through the Internet.''.
       (d) State Report.--Section 113(c) (20 U.S.C. 2323(c)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
     (4) and (5), respectively, and inserting after paragraph (1) 
     the following:
       ``(2) Data.--Each eligible agency under this subsection 
     shall--
       ``(A) disaggregate data for each of the indicators of 
     performance under section 113(b)(2) for the categories of 
     students enumerated under section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that are 
     served under this Act; and
       ``(B) identify and quantify any disparities or gaps in 
     performance between any such category of students and the 
     performance of all students served by the eligible agency 
     under the Act.
       ``(3) Rules for reporting of data.--The disaggregation of 
     data under paragraph (2) shall be required except in a case 
     in which the number of students in a category is insufficient 
     to yield statistically reliable information or in which the 
     results would reveal personally identifiable information 
     about an individual student.''; and
       (2) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by striking ``special populations'' and inserting 
     ``each of the populations described in section 3(25) and the 
     populations described in section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i) of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6311(h)(1)(C)(i))''; and
       (B) by striking ``have made'' and inserting ``has made''.

     SEC. 9. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

       (a) Program Performance Information.--Section 114(a)(3) (20 
     U.S.C. 2324(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ``in the 
     aggregate'' after ``international comparisons''.
       (b) Evaluation and Assessment.--Section 114(c) (20 U.S.C. 
     2324(c)) is amended--
       (1) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
       ``(2) Independent advisory panel.--The Secretary shall 
     appoint an independent advisory panel, consisting of academic 
     and vocational and technical education educators, 
     administrators, experts in evaluation, research, and 
     assessment, representatives of labor organizations, 
     businesses, parents, guidance and counseling professionals, 
     and other individuals with relevant expertise, to advise the 
     Secretary on the implementation of the assessment described 
     in paragraph (3), including the issues to be addressed and 
     the methodology of the studies involved to ensure the 
     assessment adheres to the highest standards of quality. The 
     advisory panel shall transmit to the Secretary and to 
     Congress an independent analysis of the findings and 
     recommendations resulting from such assessment. The Federal 
     Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
     panel established under this subsection.'';
       (2) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``the implementation 
     of the'' after ``and assessment of'';
       (B) in subparagraph (B)--
       (i) by inserting ``but shall not be limited to'' after 
     ``paragraph (1) shall include'';
       (ii) by striking clauses (i), (ii), (iv), and (vii) and 
     redesignating clauses (iii), (v), (vi), and (viii) as clauses 
     (i) through (iv), respectively;
       (iii) in clause (i) (as so redesignated), by striking ``, 
     and academic, curricula in vocational and technical education 
     programs,'' and inserting ``education (such as meeting State 
     established teacher certification or licensing 
     requirements)''; and
       (iv) in clause (ii) (as so redesignated)--

       (I) by striking ``and employment outcomes'' and all that 
     follows through ``including analyses of'' and inserting ``and 
     vocational and technical education achievement and employment 
     outcomes of vocational and technical education students, 
     including analyses of'';
       (II) in subclause (I), by striking ``and tech-prep 
     students'' and inserting ``and students participating in the 
     activities described in section 135(b)(3)'';
       (III) in subclause (II), by striking ``academic, and 
     vocational and technical, education'' and inserting 
     ``rigorous and challenging academic and vocational and 
     technical education, including a review of the effect of 
     integrated rigorous and challenging academic and vocational 
     and technical education on the achievement of students''; and
       (IV) in subclause (III), by inserting ``, particularly 
     those in which math and science skills are critical,'' after 
     ``high-skill careers''; and

       (C) in subparagraph (C)--
       (i) in clause (i)--

       (I) by striking ``the Committee on Education and the 
     Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
     on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate'' and inserting 
     ``Congress''; and
       (II) by striking ``2002'' and inserting ``2009'' both 
     places it appears; and

       (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``the Committee on 
     Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, 
     the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate,'' 
     and inserting ``Congress'';
       (3) in paragraph (5)(A)--
       (A) by striking ``to carry out research'' each place it 
     appears, and inserting ``to carry out scientifically based 
     research'';
       (B) in clause (i), by inserting ``scientifically based'' 
     after ``programs, including'';
       (C) in clause (ii), by inserting ``that are integrated with 
     rigorous and challenging academic education'' after 
     ``implementation of vocational and technical education 
     programs''; and
       (D) in clause (iii)(I), by inserting ``and the integration 
     of those systems with the academic education system'' after 
     ``technical education systems'';
       (4) in paragraph (6)--
       (A) by striking:
       ``(6) Demonstrations and dissemination.--
       ``(A) Demonstration program.--The'', and inserting:
       ``(6) Demonstrations and dissemination.--The''; and
       (B) by striking subparagraph (B); and
       (5) in paragraph (8), by striking ``this section'' and all 
     that follows and inserting ``subsections (a), (b), and (c) of 
     this section, such sums as may be necessary for each of 
     fiscal years 2006 through 2011.''
       (c) Incentive Grants for Eligible Agencies.--Section 114 is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(d) Incentive Grants for Eligible Agencies.--
       ``(1) In general.--From funds reserved under section 
     111(a)(1)(C), the Secretary may award grants to eligible 
     agencies for exemplary performance in carrying out programs 
     under this Act. Such awards shall be based on an eligible 
     agency exceeding State adjusted levels of performance 
     established under section 113(b) and showing sustained or 
     significant improvement.
       ``(2) Special consideration.--In awarding these grants, the 
     Secretary may consider--
       ``(A) an eligible agency's success in effectively 
     developing connections between secondary education and 
     postsecondary education and training;
       ``(B) an eligible agency's integration of rigorous and 
     challenging academic and technical coursework; and
       ``(C) an eligible agency's progress in having special 
     populations participating in vocational and technical 
     education meet State adjusted levels of performance.
       ``(3) Use of funds.--The funds awarded to an eligible 
     agency under this subsection may be used to carry out any 
     activities authorized under section 124, including 
     demonstrations of innovative programs.''.

[[Page H2908]]

     SEC. 10. OUTLYING AREAS, NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS, AND 
                   TRIBALLY CONTROLLED INSTITUTIONS.

       (a) Assistance for the Outlying Areas.--Section 115 (20 
     U.S.C. 2325) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 115. ASSISTANCE FOR THE OUTLYING AREAS.

       ``(a) Outlying Areas.--From funds reserved pursuant to 
     section 111(a)(1)(A), the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) make a grant in the amount of $660,000 to Guam;
       ``(2) make a grant in the amount of $350,000 to each of 
     American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands; and
       ``(3) make a grant in the amount of $160,000 to the 
     Republic of Palau.
       ``(b) Remainder.--Subject to the provisions of subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall make a grant of the remainder of 
     funds reserved pursuant to section 111(a)(1)(A), in equal 
     proportion, to each of Guam, American Samoa, and the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, for the purpose 
     of providing direct vocational and technical educational 
     services, including--
       ``(1) teacher and counselor training and retraining;
       ``(2) curriculum development; and
       ``(3) the improvement of vocational and technical education 
     and training programs in secondary schools and institutions 
     of higher education, or improving cooperative education 
     programs involving both secondary schools and institutions of 
     higher education.
       ``(c) Restriction.--The Republic of Palau shall cease to be 
     eligible to receive funding under this section upon entering 
     into an agreement for extension of United States educational 
     assistance under the Compact of Free Association after the 
     date of enactment of the Vocational and Technical Education 
     for the Future Act.''.
       (b) Native American Program.--Section 116 (20 U.S.C. 2326) 
     is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting a period at the end of 
     paragraph (5); and
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``subsection (d)'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (c)''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``(other than in 
     subsection (i))''.
       (c) Tribally Controlled Institutions.--Section 117 (20 
     U.S.C. 2327) is amended--
       (1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
       ``(b) Uses of Grants.--Amounts made available under this 
     section shall be used for vocational and technical education 
     programs for Indian students and for institutional support 
     costs of the grant, including the expenses described in 
     subsection (e).'';
       (2) in subsection (c), by inserting after paragraph (2) the 
     following:
       ``(3) Indirect costs.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law or regulation, the Secretary shall not require the use 
     of a restricted indirect cost rate for grants issued under 
     this section.'';
       (3) by striking subsection (g) and redesignating 
     subsections (h) and (i) as subsections (g) and (h), 
     respectively; and
       (4) in subsection (h) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by striking ``$4,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``the 4 succeeding fiscal years'' and 
     inserting ``fiscal years 2006 through 2011''.
       (d) Occupational and Employment Information.--Section 118 
     (20 U.S.C. 2328) is amended--
       (1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
       ``(b) State Level Activities.--
       ``(1) Designated entity.--In order for a State to receive a 
     grant under this section, the eligible agency and the 
     Governor of the State shall jointly designate an entity in 
     the State responsible for conducting the activities in this 
     subsection.
       ``(2) Application.--The jointly designated agency shall 
     submit an application to the Secretary at the same time the 
     State submits its state plan under section 122. The 
     application shall be in such a manner and be accompanied by 
     such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. At 
     a minimum, the application shall describe how the jointly 
     designated agency will assist the eligible agency in meeting 
     its adjusted levels of performance under section 113(b).
       ``(3) Activities.--The jointly designated agency shall 
     conduct activities--
       ``(A) to provide support for career guidance and academic 
     counseling programs designed to promote improved career and 
     education decision making by students (and parents, as 
     appropriate) regarding education and training options and 
     preparations for high skill, high wage occupations;
       ``(B) to make available to students, parents, teachers, 
     administrators, and counselors, and improve accessibility to, 
     information and planning resources that relate academic and 
     vocational and technical educational preparation to career 
     goals and expectations;
       ``(C) to equip teachers, administrators, and counselors 
     with the knowledge, skills, and occupational information 
     needed to assist students and parents with educational and 
     other postsecondary opportunities and education financing;
       ``(D) to assist appropriate State entities in tailoring 
     resources and training for use by such entities;
       ``(E) to improve coordination and communication among 
     administrators and planners of programs authorized by this 
     Act and by section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 
     49l-2) at the Federal, State, and local levels to ensure 
     nonduplication of efforts and the appropriate use of shared 
     information and data; and
       ``(F) to provide ongoing means for customers, such as 
     students and parents, to provide comments and feedback on 
     products and services and to update resources, as 
     appropriate, to better meet customer requirements.'';
       (2) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ``an identification'' 
     and inserting ``a description''; and
       (3) in subsection (f), by striking ``1999 through 2003'' 
     and inserting ``2006 through 2011''.

     SEC. 11. STATE ADMINISTRATION.

       Section 121 (20 U.S.C. 2341) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 121. STATE ADMINISTRATION.

       ``(a) Eligible Agency Responsibilities.--The 
     responsibilities of an eligible agency under this title shall 
     include--
       ``(1) coordination of the development, submission, and 
     implementation of the State plan, and the evaluation of the 
     program, services, and activities assisted under this title, 
     including preparation for nontraditional fields;
       ``(2) consultation with the Governor and appropriate 
     agencies, groups, and individuals including parents, 
     students, teachers, representatives of businesses, labor 
     organizations, eligible recipients, State and local 
     officials, and local program administrators, involved in the 
     planning, administration, evaluation, and coordination of 
     programs funded under this title;
       ``(3) convening and meeting as an eligible agency 
     (consistent with State law and procedure for the conduct of 
     such meetings) at such time as the eligible agency determines 
     necessary to carry out the eligible agency's responsibilities 
     under this title, but not less than four times annually; and
       ``(4) the adoption of such procedures as the eligible 
     agency considers necessary to--
       ``(A) implement State level coordination with the 
     activities undertaken by the State boards under section 111 
     of Public Law 105-220; and
       ``(B) make available to the service delivery system under 
     section 121 of Public Law 105-220 within the State a listing 
     of all school dropout, postsecondary, and adult programs 
     assisted under this title.
       ``(b) Exception.--Except with respect to the 
     responsibilities set forth in subsection (a), the eligible 
     agency may delegate any of the other responsibilities of the 
     eligible agency that involve the administration, operation, 
     supervision of activities assisted under this title, in whole 
     or in part, to one or more appropriate State agencies.''.

     SEC. 12. STATE PLAN.

       Section 122 (20 U.S.C. 2342) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``5-year period'' and 
     inserting ``6-year period'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``5 year State plan'' 
     and inserting ``6-year period''; and
       (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``(including employers, 
     labor organizations, and parents)'' and inserting 
     ``(including charter school authorizers and organizers, 
     employers, labor organizations, parents, students, and 
     community organizations)'';
       (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``teachers, eligible 
     recipients, parents, students, interested community members'' 
     and inserting ``academic and vocational and technical 
     education teachers, eligible recipients, charter school 
     authorizers and organizers, parents, students, interested 
     community members (including parent and community 
     organizations), institutions of higher education'';
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (D) as 
     subparagraphs (B) through (E), respectively, and inserting 
     before such subparagraphs (as so redesignated) the following:
       ``(A) the development of model sequences of courses for 
     vocational and technical content areas that--
       ``(i) incorporate both secondary and postsecondary 
     education elements;
       ``(ii) include rigorous and challenging academic content 
     and vocational and technical content in a coordinated, 
     nonduplicative progression of courses that align secondary 
     education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare 
     sudents to succeed in postsecondary education;
       ``(iii) lead to a postsecondary 1-year certificate, 
     associate or baccalaureate degree, or a proficiency 
     credential in conjunction with a secondary school diploma; 
     and
       ``(iv) may be adopted by local educational agencies and 
     postsecondary institutions to be offered as an option to 
     students (and their parents as appropriate), when choosing 
     future coursework;'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``and how the eligible agency will distribute information 
     identifying eligible recipients that offer elements of the 
     model sequences of courses'' before the semicolon;
       (iii) by amending subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated) to 
     read as follows:
       ``(C) the criteria that will be used by the eligible agency 
     to evaluate and approve eligible recipients for funds under 
     this title, including criteria to assess the extent to which 
     the local plan will promote continuous and substantial 
     improvement in academic achievement and technical skill 
     attainment;'';
       (iv) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated)--

       (I) by inserting ``, both academically and technically,'' 
     after ``students''; and
       (II) by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``, and how 
     participating students will be made aware of such 
     opportunities;'';

       (v) in subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``aligned with rigorous and challenging academic content'' 
     before the semicolon; and
       (vi) by inserting after subparagraph (E) (as so 
     redesignated) the following:
       ``(F) the process through which the eligible agency will 
     develop the secondary or postsecondary elements of the model 
     sequences of courses described in subparagraph (A);

[[Page H2909]]

       ``(G) the role that any eligible recipients successfully 
     implementing the activities described in section 135(b)(3) 
     will play in assisting other eligible recipients in 
     establishing agreements and plans for coordinating the 
     offering of model sequences of courses to students at both 
     the secondary and postsecondary levels;
       ``(H) how funds will be used effectively to link secondary 
     and postsecondary academic and vocational and technical 
     education in a manner that increases student academic and 
     vocational and technical achievement; and
       ``(I) how the eligible agency will report the integration 
     of rigorous and challenging academics in vocational and 
     technical education programs in order to adequately evaluate 
     the quality of such integration;'';
       (B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
       ``(2) describes how comprehensive professional development 
     (including initial teacher preparation and activities that 
     support recruitment) for vocational and technical, academic, 
     guidance, and administrative personnel will be provided, 
     especially professional development that--
       ``(A) promotes the integration of rigorous and challenging 
     academic and vocational and technical education curriculum 
     development;
       ``(B) increases the percentage of teachers that meet 
     teacher certification or licensing requirements;
       ``(C) increases the academic and industry knowledge of 
     vocational and technical education teachers; and
       ``(D) encourages applied learning that contributes to the 
     academic and vocational and technical knowledge of the 
     student;'';
       (C) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``academic and 
     vocational and technical'' after ``parents,'';
       (D) in paragraph (5)(A)--
       (i) by inserting ``(especially as pertaining to math, 
     science, and technology)'' after ``academic and technical 
     skills''; and
       (ii) by striking ``core academic, and vocational and 
     technical, subjects'' and inserting ``core academic subjects 
     (as defined in section 9101(11) of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(11))), and 
     vocational and technical subjects'';
       (E) in paragraph (11), by inserting ``and technology'' 
     after ``equipment'';
       (F) by striking paragraph (19) and redesignating paragraphs 
     (12) through (18) as paragraphs (13) through (19), 
     respectively;
       (G) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following:
       ``(12) describes how the eligible agency will ensure that 
     any entity in the State that purchases equipment with funds 
     under this Act will dispose of that equipment in such a 
     manner as to ensure that any personally identifiable 
     information contained in that equipment will be totally 
     destroyed prior to, or as part of, the disposition;'';
       (H) in paragraph (18) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``training and employment'' and inserting ``fields''; and
       (I) by redesignating paragraphs (20) and (21) as paragraphs 
     (22) and (23), respectively, and inserting after paragraph 
     (19) (as so redesignated) the following:
       ``(20) describes how the eligible agency will award grants, 
     on a competitive basis or on the basis of a formula 
     determined by the eligible agency, using funds described in 
     section 112 (a) (1) for activities described in section 
     135(b)(3);
       ``(21) describes how the eligible agency will carry out 
     measurable, sustainable, and coordinated tech-prep activities 
     in the State (as described in section 135(b)(3)), with funds 
     allocated under section 112(a), that are developed in 
     consultation with the entities described in subsection (b)(1) 
     and that effectively prepare students for post-secondary 
     education or employment in high-demand occupations through a 
     seamless program of study consisting of appropriate advanced 
     academic and technical courses that include a minimum of 2 
     years of secondary school preceding graduation and a minimum 
     of 2 years of higher education or an apprenticeship program 
     of at least 2 years following secondary instruction;''; and
       (4) by striking subsections (d) and (f) and redesignating 
     subsection (e) as subsection (d).

     SEC. 13. IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

       Section 123 (20 U.S.C. 2343) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 123. IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

       ``(a) State Program Improvement.--
       ``(1) Plan.--If a State fails to meet the agreed upon State 
     adjusted levels of performance required under section 
     113(b)(3), the eligible agency shall develop and implement a 
     program improvement plan (with special consideration to 
     performance gaps identified under section 113(c)(2)) in 
     consultation with the appropriate agencies, individuals, and 
     organizations for the first program year succeeding the 
     program year in which the eligible agency failed to meet the 
     State adjusted levels of performance, in order to avoid a 
     sanction under paragraph (3).
       ``(2) Technical assistance.--If the Secretary determines 
     that an eligible agency is not properly implementing the 
     eligible agency's responsibilities under section 122, or is 
     not making substantial progress in meeting the purposes of 
     this Act, based on the State's adjusted levels of 
     performance, the Secretary shall work with the eligible 
     agency to implement improvement activities consistent with 
     the requirements of this Act.
       ``(3) Subsequent action.--
       ``(A) In general.--If an eligible agency fails to meet the 
     State adjusted levels of performance and the purposes of this 
     Act, has not implemented an improvement plan as described in 
     paragraph (1), has shown no improvement within 1 year after 
     implementing an improvement plan as described in paragraph 
     (1), or has failed to meet the State adjusted levels of 
     performance and the purposes of this Act for 2 or more 
     consecutive years, the Secretary may, after notice and 
     opportunity for a hearing, withhold from the eligible agency 
     all, or a portion of, the eligible agency's allotment under 
     this title.
       ``(B) Waiver for exceptional circumstances.--The Secretary 
     may waive the sanction in subparagraph (A) due to exceptional 
     or uncontrollable circumstances, such as a natural disaster 
     or a precipitous and unforeseen decline in the financial 
     resources of the State.
       ``(4) Funds resulting from reduced allotments.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall use funds withheld 
     under paragraph (3) for a State served by an eligible agency, 
     to provide (through alternative arrangements) services and 
     activities within the State to meet the purposes of this Act.
       ``(B) Redistribution.--If the Secretary cannot 
     satisfactorily use funds withheld under paragraph (3), then 
     the amount of funds retained by the Secretary as a result of 
     a reduction in an allotment made under paragraph (3) shall be 
     redistributed to other eligible agencies in accordance with 
     section 111.
       ``(b) Local Program Improvement.--
       ``(1) Local evaluation.--Each eligible agency shall 
     evaluate annually, using the local adjusted levels of 
     performance described in section 113(b)(4), the vocational 
     and technical education activities of each eligible recipient 
     receiving funds under this title.
       ``(2) Plan.--
       ``(A) In general.--If, after reviewing the evaluation, the 
     eligible agency determines that an eligible recipient is not 
     making substantial progress in achieving the local adjusted 
     levels of performance, or that an eligible recipient 
     demonstrates under section 113(b)(4)(C) persistent or a 
     widening of performance gaps between multiple categories of 
     students served by the eligible recipient in comparison to 
     all students in the State served under the Act, the eligible 
     agency shall--
       ``(i) conduct an assessment of the educational needs that 
     the eligible recipient shall address to overcome local 
     performance deficiencies;
       ``(ii) enter into an improvement plan agreement with an 
     eligible recipient based on the results of the assessment, 
     for the first program year succeeding the program year in 
     which the eligible recipient failed to meet the local 
     adjusted levels of performance, which plan shall demonstrate 
     how the local performance deficiencies will be corrected and 
     include strategies for professional development and 
     instructional and other programmatic innovations of 
     demonstrated effectiveness, giving special consideration to 
     performance gaps identified under section 113(b)(4)(C); and
       ``(iii) conduct regular evaluations of the progress being 
     made toward reaching the local adjusted levels of performance 
     as described in section 113(b)(4) and progress on 
     implementing the improvement plan.
       ``(B) Consultation.--The eligible agency shall conduct the 
     activities described in paragraph (2) in consultation with 
     teachers, parents, other school staff, appropriate agencies, 
     and other appropriate individuals and organizations.
       ``(3) Technical assistance.--If the eligible agency 
     determines that an eligible recipient is not properly 
     implementing the eligible recipient's responsibilities under 
     section 134, or is not making substantial progress in meeting 
     the purpose of this Act, based on the local adjusted levels 
     of performance, the eligible agency shall provide technical 
     assistance to the eligible recipient to assist such recipient 
     in carrying out the improvement activities consistent with 
     the requirements of this Act.
       ``(4) Subsequent action.--
       ``(A) In general.--If an eligible recipient fails to meet 
     the local adjusted levels of performance as described in 
     section 113(b)(4) and the purposes of this Act, has not 
     implemented an improvement plan as described in paragraph 
     (2), has shown no improvement within 1 year after 
     implementing an improvement plan as described in paragraph 
     (2), or has failed to meet the local adjusted levels of 
     performance and the purposes of this Act for 2 or more 
     consecutive years, the eligible agency may, after notice and 
     opportunity for a hearing, withhold from the eligible 
     recipient all, or a portion of, the eligible recipient's 
     allotment under this title.
       ``(B) Waiver for exceptional circumstances.--The eligible 
     agency may waive the sanction under this paragraph due to 
     exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances such as a natural 
     disaster or a precipitous and unforeseen decline in the 
     financial resources of the State.
       ``(5) Funds resulting from reduced allotments.--The 
     eligible agency shall use funds withheld under paragraph (4) 
     to continue to provide (through alternative arrangements) 
     services and activities in the area served by such recipient 
     to meet the purpose of this Act.''.

     SEC. 14. STATE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES.

       Section 124 (20 U.S.C. 2344) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``learning'' and 
     inserting ``education'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by inserting ``, and the required math and science 
     education,'' after ``use of technology in vocational and 
     technical education''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (B)--

       (I) by inserting ``(including the math and science 
     knowledge that provides a strong basis for such skills)'' 
     after ``technical skills''; and
       (II) by striking ``and telecommunications field'' and 
     inserting ``fields, including nontraditional fields'';

       (C) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) by inserting ``at the secondary and postsecondary 
     levels'' after ``academic, guidance, and administrative 
     personnel'';
       (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (D) as 
     subparagraphs (C) through (F), respectively, and inserting 
     before such subparagraphs (as so redesignated) the following:
       ``(A) will provide inservice and preservice training for 
     vocational and technical education

[[Page H2910]]

     teachers in the integration and use of rigorous and 
     challenging academics with vocational and technical subjects;
       ``(B) are high quality, sustained, intensive, and 
     classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting 
     impact on classroom instruction and the teacher's performance 
     in the classroom, and are not 1-day or short-term workshops 
     or conferences;'';
       (iii) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated)--

       (I) by inserting ``scientifically based'' after ``based 
     on''; and
       (II) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a semicolon;

       (iv) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``assist students in meeting'' and inserting ``improve 
     student achievement in order to meet''; and
       (v) by amending subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated) to 
     read as follows:
       ``(E) will support education programs for teachers of 
     vocational and technical education in public schools and 
     other public school personnel who are involved in the direct 
     delivery of educational services to vocational and technical 
     education students to ensure that teachers and personnel--
       ``(i) stay current with the needs, expectations, and 
     methods of industry;
       ``(ii) meet teacher certification or licensing 
     requirements, especially in core academic subjects as defined 
     in section 9101(11) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(11));
       ``(iii) effectively develop integrated rigorous and 
     challenging academic and vocational and technical education 
     curriculum;
       ``(iv) develop a high level of academic and industry 
     knowledge and skills necessary to provide effective 
     instruction in vocational and technical education; and
       ``(v) effectively use applied learning that contributes to 
     the academic and vocational and technical knowledge of the 
     student; and'';
       (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``integration of 
     academics'' and all that follows through ``core academic,'' 
     and inserting ``provision of rigorous and challenging 
     academics that are integrated with vocational and technical 
     education to ensure achievement in the core academic subjects 
     (as defined in section 9101(11) of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(11))),'';
       (E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``training and 
     employment'' and inserting ``fields'';
       (F) in paragraph (6), by inserting ``and complete a model 
     sequence of courses, as described in section 122(c)(1)(A)'' 
     after ``technical skills'';
       (G) in paragraph (7), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (H) in paragraph (8), by striking the period and inserting 
     ``; and''; and
       (I) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
       ``(9) technical assistance for eligible recipients.''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking paragraph (1), and redesignating paragraphs 
     (2) through (10) as paragraphs (1) through (9), respectively, 
     and paragraphs (11) and (12) as paragraphs (12) and (13), 
     respectively;
       (B) in paragraph (9) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``that prepare individuals academically and technically for 
     current and emerging occupations in demand'' after 
     ``education courses''; and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(10) awarding incentive grants to eligible recipients for 
     exemplary performance in carrying out programs under this 
     Act, which awards shall be based on--
       ``(A) eligible recipients exceeding challenging performance 
     measures established under section 113(b) in a manner that 
     reflects sustained or significant improvement;
       ``(B) eligible recipients effectively developing 
     connections between secondary education and postsecondary 
     education and training;
       ``(C) the adoption and integration of rigorous and 
     challenging academic and technical coursework;
       ``(D) an eligible recipient's progress in having special 
     populations participating in vocational and technical 
     education programs meet local adjusted levels of performance; 
     or
       ``(E) other factors relating to the performance of the 
     eligible recipient under this Act as the eligible agency 
     determines are appropriate;
       ``(11) providing for activities to support entrepreneurship 
     education and training;''.

     SEC. 15. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TO SECONDARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

       Section 131 (20 U.S.C. 2351) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a) and redesignating 
     subsections (b) through (i) as subsections (a) through (h), 
     respectively;
       (2) in subsection (a) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Special'' and 
     ``for Succeeding Fiscal Years''; and
       (B) by striking ``for fiscal year 2000 and succeeding 
     fiscal years''; and
       (3) in subsection (b) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by striking ``subsection (b)'' and inserting 
     ``subsection (a)''; and
       (B) by striking ``(42 U.S.C. 9902(2))'' and inserting ``(42 
     U.S.C. 9902(2)))''.

     SEC. 16. ELIMINATION OF REDISTRIBUTION RULE.

       Section 133 (20 U.S.C. 2353) is amended by striking 
     subsection (b) and redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
     subsections (b) and (c), respectively.

     SEC. 17. LOCAL PLAN FOR VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
                   PROGRAMS.

       Section 134(b) (20 U.S.C. 2354(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and local'' after 
     ``State'';
       (2) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) as 
     subparagraphs (B) through (D), respectively, and inserting 
     before such subparagraphs the following:
       ``(A) offer the appropriate courses of at least one of the 
     model sequences of courses described in section 124(c)(1), as 
     appropriate to the eligible recipient responsible for that 
     element of the sequence;'';
       (B) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated)--
       (i) by inserting ``rigorous and challenging'' after 
     ``integration of''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``subjects (as defined by section 
     9101(11) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(11)))'' after ``core academic''; and
       (C) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``rigorous and'' after ``taught to the same'';
       (3) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (10) as 
     paragraphs (5) through (11), respectively, and inserting 
     after paragraph (3) the following:
       ``(4) describe how comprehensive professional development 
     (including initial teacher preparation) for vocational and 
     technical, academic, guidance, and administrative personnel 
     will be provided that promotes the integration of rigorous 
     and challenging academic and technical education (including 
     curriculum development);'';
       (4) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) by inserting ``academic and vocational and technical'' 
     after ``students,''; and
       (B) by inserting ``(including the eligible recipients that 
     offer elements of the model sequence of courses)'' after 
     ``such individuals and entities''; and
       (5) in paragraph (8) (as so redesignated)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; and'' and 
     inserting a semicolon;
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and'' after the 
     semicolon; and
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
       ``(C) will provide activities to prepare special 
     populations, including single parents and displaced 
     homemakers, for high skill, high wage occupations that will 
     lead to self-sufficiency;''.

     SEC. 18. LOCAL USE OF FUNDS.

       Section 135 (20 U.S.C. 2355) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``to ensure learning in 
     the core academic'' and inserting ``as established in the 
     State-developed model sequences of courses described in 
     section 122(c)(1)(A) to ensure learning in the core academic 
     subjects (as defined by section 9101(11) of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(11)))'';
       (B) by striking paragraph (8);
       (C) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (7) as 
     paragraphs (4) through (9), respectively, and inserting after 
     paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) link secondary vocational and technical education and 
     postsecondary vocational and technical education, including 
     offering model sequences of courses and implementing tech-
     prep programs consistent with the activities described in 
     paragraph (3);
       ``(3) support tech-prep programs (if the eligible recipient 
     receives the funds from the eligible agency under section 
     112(a)(1)) that--
       ``(A) are carried out under an articulation agreement 
     between the participants in a consortium, which shall 
     include--
       ``(i) a local educational agency, an intermediate 
     educational agency or area vocational and technical education 
     school serving secondary school students, or a secondary 
     school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
       ``(ii)(I) a nonprofit institution of higher education that 
     offers--
       ``(aa) a 2- or 4-year degree program, or a 2-year 
     certificate program, and is qualified as an institution of 
     higher education pursuant to section 102 of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002) (except those 
     institutions described in section 102(a)(1)(C) of such Act), 
     including an institution receiving assistance under the 
     Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 
     1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and a tribally controlled 
     postsecondary vocational and technical institution; or
       ``(bb) a 2-year apprenticeship program that follows 
     secondary instruction, if such nonprofit institution of 
     higher education is not prohibited from receiving assistance 
     under part B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.) pursuant to the provisions of 
     section 435(a)(3) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1083(a)); or
       ``(II) a proprietary institution of higher education that 
     offers a 2-year associate degree program and is qualified as 
     an institution of higher education pursuant to section 102 of 
     the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002), if such 
     proprietary institution of higher education is not subject to 
     a default management plan required by the Secretary,

     and may include nonprofit organizations that provide eligible 
     recipients with technology and programs to enhance math and 
     science skills, employers, and labor organizations;
       ``(B) consist of a minimum of 2 years of secondary school 
     preceding graduation and a minimum of 2 years of higher 
     education, or an apprenticeship program of at least 2 years, 
     following secondary instruction;
       ``(C) meet academic standards developed by the State, 
     including standards developed under section 1111 of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6311) for secondary students, and support proficiency in 
     mathematics, science, reading, writing, communications, and 
     technologies;
       ``(D) are comprised of model sequences of courses that 
     integrate rigorous and challenging academics and vocational 
     and technical education;

[[Page H2911]]

       ``(E) provide technical preparation in a career field such 
     as engineering technology; applied science; a mechanical, 
     industrial, or practical art or trade; agriculture; health 
     occupations; business; applied economics; advanced 
     manufacturing; or other high-skill, high-wage, high-demand 
     occupations as determined by the State;
       ``(F) use, if appropriate and available, work-based or 
     worksite learning in conjunction with academic and vocational 
     and technical education;
       ``(G) use educational technology and distance learning, as 
     appropriate, to involve all the consortium partners more 
     fully in the development and operation of programs;
       ``(H) facilitate and promote close working relationships 
     among eligible recipients to ensure that programs within a 
     geographic area are closely integrated with tech-prep program 
     activities;
       ``(I) are sustainable and use performance indicator data, 
     described in section 113, to inform program quality;
       ``(J) include academic and career counseling for 
     participants that provides information to students (and 
     parents, as appropriate) regarding tech-prep programs and 
     supports student progress in completing tech-prep programs;
       ``(K) include in-service training for teachers that--
       ``(i) provides for joint training for teachers in tech-prep 
     programs; and
       ``(ii) is designed to ensure that teachers and 
     administrators stay current with the needs, expectations, and 
     methods of business and all aspects of an industry; and
       ``(L) provide students with transferable credit between the 
     consortium members, as described in subparagraph (A), and may 
     include programs that allow secondary programs to be co-
     located on postsecondary campuses;'';
       (D) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated)--
       (i) by inserting ``, and the related math and science 
     education'' after ``use of technology in vocational and 
     technical education'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (B)--

       (I) by inserting ``(including the math and science 
     knowledge that provides a strong basis for such skills)'' 
     after ``technical skills''; and
       (II) by striking ``and telecommunications field'' and 
     inserting ``fields''; and

       (iii) in subparagraph (C)--

       (I) by striking ``work'' and inserting ``collaborate''; and
       (II) by inserting ``that improve the math and science 
     knowledge of students'' after ``mentoring programs'';

       (E) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated)--
       (i) by striking ``teachers,'' and inserting ``secondary and 
     postsecondary teachers, instructors,''; and
       (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``in effective 
     teaching skills based on research'' and inserting ``in 
     effective integration of rigorous and challenging academic 
     and vocational and technical education, in effective teaching 
     skills based on scientifically based research''; and
       (F) by inserting after paragraph (9) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(10) provide activities to prepare special populations, 
     including single parents and displaced homemakers, for high 
     skill, high wage occupations that will lead to self 
     sufficiency.''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, regarding the range 
     of postsecondary options available, including for adult 
     students who are changing careers or updating skills'' before 
     the semicolon;
       (B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``, including the 
     establishment and operation of special arrangements with 
     industry partners that allow qualified industry professionals 
     to serve as faculty in postsecondary programs'' before the 
     semicolon;
       (C) in paragraph (8), by striking ``aides'' and inserting 
     ``aids and publications'';
       (D) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``that address the 
     integration of academic and vocational and technical 
     education and'' after ``teacher preparation programs'';
       (E) by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (14) as 
     paragraphs (12) through (16), and paragraph (15) as paragraph 
     (19), respectively, and inserting after paragraph (9) the 
     following:
       ``(10) to develop and expand postsecondary program 
     offerings that are accessible by students, including the use 
     of distance education;
       ``(11) to provide activities to support entrepreneurship 
     education and training;'';
       (F) in paragraph (12) (as so redesignated), by inserting 
     ``, including development of new proposed model sequences of 
     courses for consideration by the eligible agency and courses 
     that prepare individuals academically and technically for 
     current and emerging occupations that are in demand, and dual 
     enrollment opportunities by which secondary vocational and 
     technical education students could obtain postsecondary 
     credit to count towards an associate or baccalaureate 
     degree'' before the semicolon;
       (G) by amending paragraph (16) (as so redesignated) to read 
     as follows:
       ``(16) to support training in nontraditional fields;''; and
       (H) by inserting after paragraph (16) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(17) to provide accurate information relating to the 
     availability of supportive services available in an area 
     served by the eligible recipient, and referral to such 
     services, as appropriate;
       ``(18) to support the activities described in subsection 
     (b)(3); and''.

     SEC. 19. REPEAL OF TECH-PREP EDUCATION ACT.

       Title II (20 U.S.C. 2071 et seq.) is repealed.

     SEC. 20. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

       (a) Redesignation of Title III.--
       (1) Redesignation.--Title III (20 U.S.C. 2391 et seq.) is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking section 318;
       (B) by redesignating such title as title II of such Act; 
     and
       (C) by redesignating sections 311 through 317 as section 
     211 through 217 and sections 321 through 325 as sections 221 
     through 225, respectively.
       (2) Table of contents amendment.--The table of contents in 
     section 1(b) is amended--
       (A) by striking the items relating to title III; and
       (B) by amending the items relating to title II to read as 
     follows:

                     ``TITLE II--GENERAL PROVISIONS

              ``Part A--Federal Administrative Provisions

``Sec. 211. Fiscal requirements.
``Sec. 212. Authority to make payments.
``Sec. 213. Construction.
``Sec 214. Voluntary selection and participation.
``Sec. 215. Limitation for certain students.
``Sec. 216. Federal laws guaranteeing civil rights.
``Sec. 217. Participation of private school children and personnel.

               ``Part B--State Administrative Provisions

``Sec. 221. Joint funding.
``Sec. 222. Prohibition on use of funds to induce out-of-State 
              relocation of businesses.
``Sec. 223. State administrative costs.
``Sec. 224. Limitation on Federal regulations.
``Sec. 225. Student assistance and other Federal programs.''.

       (b) Fiscal Requirements.--Section 211(b) (20 U.S.C. 
     2391(b)) (as so redesignated) is amended by inserting after 
     paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
     term `preceding fiscal year' means the Federal fiscal year or 
     the 12-month fiscal period used by a State for official 
     reporting purposes, prior to the beginning of the Federal 
     fiscal year in which funds are available for obligation by 
     the Secretary.''.
       (c) Participation of Private School Children and 
     Personnel.--Section 217 (as so redesignated) is amended to 
     read as follows:

     ``SEC. 217. PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN AND 
                   PERSONNEL.

       ``(a) Participation on Equitable Basis.--
       ``(1) In general.--To the extent consistent with the number 
     of children in the school district of a local educational 
     agency that is eligible to receive funds under this Act, or 
     that serves the area in which a program assisted under this 
     Act is located, who are enrolled in private nonprofit 
     elementary schools and secondary schools, or, with respect to 
     instructional or personnel training programs funded by an 
     eligible agency, the local educational agency, after 
     consultation with appropriate private school officials--
       ``(A) shall provide, on an equitable basis and as may be 
     necessary, for the benefit of such children in such schools, 
     secular, neutral, and nonideological services (or other 
     benefits), materials, and equipment, including the 
     participation of the teachers of such children (and other 
     educational personnel serving such children) in training 
     programs; or
       ``(B) if such services, materials, and equipment are not 
     feasible or necessary in one or more such private schools (as 
     determined by the local educational agency after consultation 
     with the appropriate private school officials), shall provide 
     such other arrangements as will assure equitable 
     participation of such children in the purposes and benefits 
     of this Act.
       ``(2) Application of requirements.--The requirements of 
     this section relating to the participation of children, 
     teachers, and other personnel serving such children shall 
     apply to programs carried out under this Act by an eligible 
     agency or local educational agency, whether directly or 
     through grants to, or contracts with, other public or private 
     agencies, institutions, or organizations.
       ``(b) Equal Expenditures.--
       ``(1) In general.--Expenditures for programs under 
     subsection (a) shall be equal (consistent with the number of 
     children to be served) to expenditures for programs under 
     this Act for children enrolled in the public schools of the 
     local educational agency.
       ``(2) Concentrated programs.--When funds available to a 
     local educational agency under this Act are used to 
     concentrate programs on a particular group, attendance area, 
     or grade or age level, the local educational agency shall, 
     after consultation with the appropriate private school 
     officials, assure the equitable participation in both the 
     purposes and benefits of such programs for children enrolled 
     in private schools who are included within the group, 
     attendance area, or grade or age level selected for such 
     concentration, taking into account the needs of the 
     individual children and other factors that relate to the 
     expenditures referred to in paragraph (1).
       ``(c) Administrative Requirements.--
       ``(1) Funds, materials and equipment.--
       ``(A) Funds.--The control of funds expended under this 
     section shall be administered by a public agency.
       ``(B) Materials and equipment.--The title to materials and 
     equipment provided under this section, shall remain with a 
     public agency for the uses and purposes provided in this Act
       ``(2) Provision of services.--Services provided under this 
     Act shall be provided by employees of a public agency or 
     through contract by such a public agency with a person, 
     association, agency, organization, institution or corporation 
     that, in the provision of such services, is independent of 
     the private school and of any religious organizations, and 
     such employment or contract shall be under the control and 
     supervision of such a public agency. The funds utilized under 
     this section shall not be commingled with State or local 
     funds.
       ``(3) Timing and content of consultation.--The consultation 
     required under this section shall include meetings of agency 
     and private school officials and shall occur before the 
     eligible agency and local educational agency makes any 
     decision that affects the opportunities of eligible private 
     school children to participate in

[[Page H2912]]

     programs under this Act. Such meetings shall include a 
     discussion of service delivery mechanisms (including third 
     party contractors) and shall continue throughout 
     implementation and assessment of services under this Act.
       ``(d) Waiver and Bypass Procedures.--
       ``(1) State prohibition.--If an eligible agency or local 
     educational agency is prohibited, by reason of any provision 
     of law, from providing for the participation in programs of 
     children enrolled in private elementary schools and secondary 
     schools as required by subsections (a) through (c), the 
     Secretary shall waive such requirements for the agency 
     involved and shall arrange for the provision of services to 
     such children through arrangements that shall be subject to 
     the requirements of this section.
       ``(2) Failure to comply.--If the Secretary determines that 
     an eligible agency or a local educational agency has 
     substantially failed, or is unwilling, to provide for the 
     participation on an equitable basis of children enrolled in 
     private elementary schools and secondary schools as required 
     by subsections (a) through (c), the Secretary may waive such 
     requirements and shall arrange for the provision of services 
     to such children through arrangements that shall be subject 
     to the requirements of this section.
       ``(3) Payment from state allotment.--When the Secretary 
     arranges for services under this subsection, the Secretary 
     shall, after consultation with the appropriate public school 
     and private school officials, pay the cost of such services, 
     including the administrative costs of arranging for those 
     services, from the appropriate allotment of the eligible 
     agency under this Act.
       ``(4) Duration of determination.--Any determination by the 
     Secretary under this section shall continue in effect until 
     the Secretary determines that there will no longer be any 
     failure or inability on the Act of the eligible agency or 
     local educational agency to meet the requirements of 
     subsections (a) through (c).
       ``(5) Review of determination.--The Secretary shall not 
     take any final action under this section until the eligible 
     agency and the local educational agency affected by such 
     action have had an opportunity, for not less than 45 days 
     after receiving written notice thereof, to submit written 
     objections and to appear before the Secretary or the 
     Secretary's designee to show cause why that action should not 
     be taken.
       ``(e) Withholding of Allotment or Allocation.--Pending 
     final resolution of any investigation or complaint that could 
     result in a waiver under subsection (d)(1) or (d)(2), the 
     Secretary may withhold from the allotment or allocation of 
     the affected eligible agency or local educational agency the 
     amount estimated by the Secretary to be necessary to pay the 
     cost of services to be provided by the Secretary under such 
     subsection.
       ``(f) Prior Determination.--Any bypass determination by the 
     Secretary under Title I or Title IX of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 shall, to the extent 
     consistent with the purposes of this Act, apply to programs 
     under this Act until such determinations terminate or 
     expire.''.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. No amendment to the committee amendment is in 
order except those printed in House Report 109-69. Each amendment may 
be offered only in the order printed in the report, by a Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered read, shall be debatable 
for the time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by 
the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and 
shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
  It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed in House 
Report 109-69.


                 Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Castle

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Castle:

       Page 10, line 23, strike ``not less than the amount 
     allotted'' and insert ``an amount equal to the amount 
     allotted''.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 254, the gentleman 
from Delaware (Mr. Castle) and a Member opposed each will control 7\1/
2\ minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Before discussing the amendment, I, too, would like to thank all the 
staff who worked on this. We sit here and we say nice things about 
these bills, and I think that the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Woolsey) and I and others in the room who have worked on these bills 
know that without our staffs they simply would not be done in the same 
detail, the same execution. But all those on the committee who the 
gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) referred to I particularly 
thank. They do a great job on our Committee on Education and the 
Workforce. I am very grateful to them and to my staff who helped with 
this as well. It is the reason we get legislation, I think, that we can 
all pretty much agree to on the floor of the House of Representatives.
  My amendment before us, Mr. Chairman, is very simple. It would make 
an important clarification to the underlying bill. As we have heard, 
H.R. 366 consolidates the funding streams of Tech-Prep and the basic 
State grant, but still requires States to fund Tech-Prep activities. I 
have worked with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to draft 
this amendment that will clarify our intent. This amendment simply 
explains that Tech-Prep activities are held harmless to the amount that 
was appropriated to the Tech-Prep program in fiscal year 2005.
  Evidence suggests that under current law, the Tech-Prep program has 
not worked as anticipated and designed. The intent of the program is 
for high schools and postsecondary institutions to draft agreements 
that allow for a nonduplicative, seamless transition for students.
  The rationale behind consolidating the programs was to streamline the 
funding stream. We can all agree that Tech-Prep is an important 
component of technical and vocational education, which is what this 
amendment is intended to clarify by ensuring Tech-Prep activities are 
still funded. In order to prohibit the inadequacies of the past, H.R. 
366 incorporates program improvements to ensure that Tech-Prep 
activities will include credit transfer agreements, ensuring that 
secondary vocational and technical education students can move easily 
into postsecondary education, a necessary exercise for those students 
who decide to go on to some form of postsecondary education or 
training.
  I urge my colleagues to support my simple and technical amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to clearly not oppose this 
amendment, and I claim the time in opposition, and I yield myself such 
time as I may consume. I would echo what the gentleman on the other 
side of the aisle have said about our good and wonderful staffs. I do 
not know what we would do without them, and I thank them very much, our 
wonderful staff and the Republican staff.
  I want to thank, again, the chairman of my subcommittee, the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), for letting me work with him in a 
bipartisan way on this bill and for offering this amendment. As I noted 
in my opening statement, I do not think that merging Tech-Prep programs 
into the basic State grant is good policy, and I would prefer that this 
amendment allow proportional increases for Tech-Prep funding as overall 
funding increases, because as things get more expensive, it is pretty 
hard to flat fund. But I hope we will address this as the bill moves 
forward.
  I need to say, though, that I appreciate the commitment of the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) to hold Tech-Prep funding harmless 
at the fiscal year 2005 level, and I do agree with his amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
  (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this 
time.
  I too want to commend everyone on the committee and the staff in 
regards to the bipartisan process of bringing the vocational education 
bill to the floor for reauthorization. I think it is pretty self-
evident that those of us who do have career and tech colleges in our 
district understand the true value that they bring in preparing the 
workforce for the future, and the incredible involvement that they have 
in our community, the leadership that they provide, the economic 
development and spin-off opportunities that arise from them.
  Just one example: we had before the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce a little bit earlier this year President Bill Ihlenfeldt, who 
is president of the Chippewa Valley Tech College in my congressional 
district in western Wisconsin. They have just launched and broken 
ground on a new nanotechnology center that they are moving forward on, 
clearly trying to advance the skills of our workers in the region on 
what could be the next ``new'' thing in regards to economic 
opportunities, job creation, cutting-edge

[[Page H2913]]

science and engineering, and technological discoveries in this new 
nanotechnology center.
  Every bill, as the chairman of the committee expressed, may not be a 
perfect bill; but this one is good. It could be better. This amendment 
makes it a little bit better, and I commend my colleague and friend 
from Delaware for offering the amendment to clarify the language that 
at least for the next fiscal year we will be looking at level funding 
for the Tech-Prep program.
  During markup of the legislation in committee, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney) and I offered an amendment that would have 
restored and kept in tact the separate identity as well as the separate 
funding stream for the Tech-Prep program. We were not doing this just 
willy-nilly in support of the status quo, but we were doing it in 
response to those who have worked with the Tech-Prep program, the 
feedback that we were getting from outside organizations, and the 
leadership of the tech education system in the country, about the 
importance of maintaining Tech-Prep as a separate, distinct identity 
with a separate funding stream, which the Senate bill recognizes and is 
moving forward on.
  They fear, as I do and others who supported the amendment in 
committee, that by removing it as a separate entity, by merging it into 
the general grant program, we are going to lose focus, lose attention, 
lose incentives for these programs to continue to function in the 
highly successful manner in which they have. I think, hopefully, we 
will have a chance to come back and address that issue in conference 
once the Senate completes their work.
  But I would encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. I 
would encourage them to support the underlying bill. I think it is an 
important investment in regards to maintaining our ability to be 
creative and innovative as a society. Right now, we are just leaving 
too many students behind. There was a recent report submitted to 
Congress that showed that because of tuition increases and fees, with 
the cutbacks in financial aid programs at the Federal and State level, 
with the eroding value of the Pell grant, that 48 percent of low-income 
students are not going on to postsecondary education opportunities, 
whether it is a career or technical college, whether it is a 4-year 
college or university. In short, we are leaving too many students 
behind at the exact time when we cannot afford to leave anyone behind.
  Just a few weeks ago, under the leadership of the gentleman from 
California (Chairman McKeon), some of us on the Education Committee had 
a chance to do an education tour of China. China is getting it. China 
is trying to propel themselves into the modern economy of the 21st 
century. This whole globalization that is going on and the trade 
debates that we have is not so much a race to the bottom with weak 
labor and environmental standards as it is a race to the top. And China 
is a country, having just come from there, that is not content at just 
being good at copying what we make and mass producing it. They want to 
be good at the cutting-edge research of technology and science and 
medicine, and they are making major investments in their education 
infrastructure today that we have never seen before.
  They are graduating eight times the number of engineers that we are 
in our own country. Unless we are willing to accept a fate which may 
lead us to a less competitive position with countries like China and 
India that are making this conversion in regards to their education 
system, we need to recognize the value of a vocational and technical 
education system, the reauthorization of this bill, the higher 
education bill, which we will hopefully have an opportunity to bring up 
later in the year; and offer a new New Deal for the American people, 
for the workers and the students and our children by holding out hope 
and a promise that they will be able to develop the skills and the 
qualities that they need to survive and to succeed in what is a very 
integrated, competitive playing field throughout the world today.
  This, I think, is an important and significant step to making that 
investment. Hopefully, through the work the Senate and the conference 
committee later this year will do, we will be able to improve some of 
the provisions in this bill to make it even better. But this amendment 
is worthy of support, the bill is worthy of bipartisan support, so that 
we can at least be moving in the right direction in regards to the 
global competition that we are all facing, but especially the students 
who are in the audience here today and the rest of our children, so 
that they know that they are going to have the ability to compete in a 
global marketplace.
  Again, I commend the leadership on the committee for the work done on 
this bill, and I encourage support of the amendment and the underlying 
legislation.

                              {time}  1300

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I urge the support of the amendment by 
everybody.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 
printed in House Report 109-69.


                   Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Wu

  Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Wu:

       Page 56, line 15, strike ``paragraphs (12) through (13), 
     respectively'' and insert ``paragraphs (13) and (14), 
     respectively''.
       Page 57, line 21, strike the quotation mark and period and 
     insert:
       ``(12) support for initiatives to facilitate the transition 
     of sub-baccalaureate career and technical education students 
     into baccalaureate degree programs, including--
       ``(A) statewide articulation agreements between sub-
     baccalaureate degree granting career and technical 
     postsecondary educational institutions and baccalaureate 
     degree granting post-secondary educational institutions;
       ``(B) postsecondary dual and concurrent enrollment program;
       ``(C) academic and financial aid counseling; and
       ``(D) other initiatives to--
       ``(i) encourage the pursuit of a baccalaureate degree; and
       ``(ii) overcome barriers to participation in baccalaureate 
     degree programs, including geographic and other barriers 
     affecting rural students and special populations;''.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 254, the gentleman 
from Oregon (Mr. Wu) and a Member opposed each will control 7\1/2\ 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu).
  Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, we have heard much about America and Americans losing 
our competitive edge. In math and science, our fourth graders are among 
the best in the world. But, by their senior year in high school, they 
score near the bottom among all industrialized nations.
  This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that only 68 percent 
of the young people who start high school as freshmen ultimately 
graduate. The rest drop out of high school at some time, and for 
minorities, the drop-out rate is considerably higher.
  Our college drop-out rate is one of the highest in the world. The 
United States has dropped from first to fifth in the percentage of 
young adults with a college degree. Singapore has displaced in United 
States as the top economy in information technology competitiveness, 
and the number of patents awarded to Americans is declining.
  Collectively, these are all indicators for concern about our global 
competitiveness as a people, and as an economy. More than ever, we need 
rigorous, relevant career and technical education programs to help 
students prepare for post secondary education, and to address the 
shortage of highly skilled workers necessary to meet the demands of a 
contemporary workforce. A skilled and flexible workforce is essential 
to building a strong and dynamic economy and to maintaining our 
country's ability to compete in this increasingly globalized economy.
  I am very pleased to support H.R. 366, the Vocational Technical 
Education Act for the Future, because it does this through the 
promotion of a rigorous

[[Page H2914]]

curriculum, innovative learning environments, and relevant course work 
and training.
  However, as always, there is more to be done, and that is exactly 
what my amendment is aimed at. We must ensure that we do not leave 
career and technical education students behind a glass ceiling of lack 
of further training and education. We must encourage them to continue 
their training and education at a 4-year institution and hopefully 
continue on to a baccalaureate degree.
  By 2010, 80 percent of all jobs in this Nation will require secondary 
and post-secondary education and training, as a prerequisite for a job 
that supports a middle-class lifestyle. It is important that we do all 
we can to encourage career and technical education students to continue 
their education and training at a college or university.
  My amendment would do just that. Specifically, it would allow States 
to use funds under this bill to facilitate the transition of vocational 
and career education students into baccalaureate degree programs. This 
permissible use of activities would include Statewide agreements 
between career and technical schools, and colleges and universities to 
facilitate transfers of students, and to facilitate concurrent 
enrollment.
  It would permit dual and concurrent enrollment programs between 
career and technical schools and baccalaureate-granting institutions. 
It would encourage the joining of academic and financial aid 
counseling, and it would also encourage other initiatives for the 
pursuit of a baccalaureate degree, including overcoming geographic and 
special populations barriers.
  This language is contained in the Senate version of this bill. And I 
urge my colleagues to support this common sense amendment to H.R. 366.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, while I do not object to the gentleman's 
amendment, I would like to claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Boehner) will control the time.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment. Clearly those who take 
technical and vocational education programs ought to have the ability 
to take those credits and that time that they have invested in that 
program and be able to move on, if they choose, into, whether it is a 
2-year school or a 4-year school.
  What we have seen in the past, many students who were in vocational 
schools, technical schools, and who may have then decided to change 
their minds, did not have the ability to move on to get that 2-year 
degree or to get that certificate they may be looking for, or even a 4-
year degree. And I think that the articulation agreements that would be 
permissible under this bill, with the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu's) 
amendment, are growing from State to State.
  I know in Ohio, all of the State-sponsored schools now have an 
articulation agreement, a transfer of credit policy, as well, which I 
think will help facilitate students who want to continue their 
education at various schools. And I think the allowable use of funds in 
this amendment will, in fact, help students all over the country, and I 
am pleased to support the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu's) amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) 
the Chairman, and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) the chairman 
of the subcommittee, for their hard work on this bipartisan piece of 
legislation, and recognize the leadership of the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey) and for her hard work on this bill also.
  The intent of this amendment is exactly as the chairman laid out. 
People develop further ambitions, and maybe perhaps change their goals 
in life, and we ought to make it as easy as possible for folks to 
pursue their dreams as broadly as they can.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of our time.
  Let me just thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) for his 
amendment and thank him for working with us on this language. It is 
similar language to what is in the Senate bill. The gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Wu) is a valued member of our committee, and we have worked 
closely on a number of issues, and we are glad to support this 
amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Oregon (Mr. Wu).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider Amendment No. 3 
printed in House Report 109-69.


           Amendment No. 3 Offered by Ms. Millender-McDonald

  Ms. Millender-McDonald. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 3 offered by Ms. Millender-McDonald:
       Page 68, line 17, strike `` paragraph (19)'' and insert 
     ``paragraph (20)''.
       Page 69, line 23, strike ``and'.'' and insert a semicolon.
       Page 69, after line 23, insert the following:
       ``(19) for programs that assist in the training of 
     automotive technicians in diesel retrofitting, hybrid, 
     hydrogen, and alternative fuel automotive technologies; 
     and''.

  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 254, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) and a Member 
opposed each will control 7\1/2\ minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-
McDonald).
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, today I am offering an amendment that establishes an 
automotive technicians workers training program and makes eligible this 
particular program under the Vocational and Technology Education for 
the Future Act, the use of funds for establishing curricula to train 
automotive technicians to work on hybrid, hydrogen and alternative fuel 
technologies for the new automobile fleets sold in the United States.
  This amendment speaks to the true intent of the Perkins Act. It will 
graduate students into employable jobs that will have an immediate 
return on our educational system. Automotive technicians are in great 
demand. We need to educate the new generation of automotive workers so 
that they will be able to work on the new hybrid vehicles that are fast 
becoming a dominant part of the automotive marketplace.
  The numbers speak for themselves, Mr. Chairman. In 2004, close to 
90,000 hybrid vehicles were sold in the United States. Since the hybrid 
vehicles debut in the American market in 1999, U.S. hybrid sales have 
doubled every year. An estimated 10 percent of the 2 million mid-sized 
vehicles sold in 2006 will be hybrid vehicles.
  By 2007, it is estimated that over 400,000 hybrid vehicles will be 
sold in the United States. The American public is willing to invest in 
automobiles that incorporate environmentally sound technology. Whether 
consumers are motivated by environmental concerns, such as the health 
of their children, by rising fuel costs that causes further dependence 
on foreign oil, or by a combination of the two, the car dealerships are 
consistently selling out the hybrid vehicles.
  In order for this purchasing trend to continue, consumers need to be 
able to purchase hybrid automobiles with the knowledge that they are 
doing their part to help the environment along with the reassurance 
that they will be able to find high quality service. We need the work 
force to meet these new demands.
  Currently the average age of automotive technicians is 50 years old. 
As the Department of Labor has projected, we will need almost 32,000 
new automotive technicians a year for the next several years to service 
these new vehicles. Automotive technicians are high skilled, high wage 
and high demand.
  In my home State of California alone the need for new highly skilled 
technicians will outpace supply by 42,750. The need for technicians is 
expected to increase by 18 percent in the next year.

[[Page H2915]]

When this is added to an expected turnover rate of 34.5 percent, which 
is due to attrition, the true scope of educating new automotive 
technicians become apparent.
  This is a much needed training program, and a much needed amendment, 
and I ask my colleagues to support the amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, while I am not opposed to the amendment, I 
would like to claim the time in opposition to it.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Boehner) will control the time.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentlewoman's amendment. I appreciate 
her willingness to work with us on her amendment, to put it in a form 
that we think is acceptable. And while these activities are clearly 
allowed under the bill, the specific training that is outlined here, I 
think is, in fact, needed not only in her State of California, but all 
across the country, as we look at a lot of high skilled jobs that are 
out there, but yet no one to fill them.
  And I think if you look at vocational and technical education in a 
broader sense is intended to help provide the type of skills necessary 
in today's economy. We think the gentlewoman has a good amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) for offering this 
very important amendment. We hear a lot of talk, especially with every 
increasing gas prices of the need for alternative automotive fuel 
technologies.
  And we need to do more, because we are not developing the 
technologies nor the talent to develop the technologies. In fact, 
several Congresses ago, then Secretary Reich encouraged us to take more 
interest in high-tech automotive job training, noting then of the 
severe shortage of workers for the industry, and because cars and 
trucks are not simply machines, simply machines at that, we have to 
have a workforce of technicians who understand what is needed, or else 
we will all be in really big trouble, not just personally, but 
economically as a country.

                              {time}  1315

  This amendment would ensure that regardless of changes in fuel 
technology, we will have the workforce we need; and I encourage my 
colleagues to support it.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman, the 
ranking member, and all of the subcommittee chairs and ranking members 
for their support for this very needed amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. There being no further amendments, the question 
is on the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as 
amended.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Feeney) having assumed the chair, Mr. Culberson, Acting Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 366) to 
amend the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 
1998 to strengthen and improve programs under that Act, pursuant to 
House Resolution 254, he reported the bill back to the House with an 
amendment adopted by the Committee of the Whole.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  Is a separate vote demanded on the amendment to the committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute adopted by the Committee of the 
Whole? If not, the question is on the amendment.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


     Motion To Recommit Offered By Mr. George Miller of California

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to 
recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I am, Mr. Speaker, in its present 
form.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:
       Mr. George Miller of California moves to recommit the bill, 
     H.R. 366, to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 
     with instructions to report the bill back to the House 
     forthwith with the following amendment:
       Page 8, line 20, strike the closed quotation mark and 
     following period and insert the following:
       ``(e) Prohibition on Use of Funds for Propaganda.--
     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no funds 
     authorized under this Act may be used--
       ``(1) to pay journalists or media commentators, or any 
     organization owned or controlled by a journalist or media 
     commentator, for publicity or propaganda purposes related to 
     this Act, or any services related to such publicity or 
     propaganda; or
       ``(2) for the production of any television or radio news 
     segment or program related to this Act unless the segment or 
     program includes a clear notification to the audience that 
     the segment or program was prepared or funded by the Federal 
     government.''.

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I 
ask unanimous consent that the motion be considered as read and printed 
in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as Members have heard, the purpose of this amendment is 
to make sure that no monies expended under this act will be used to pay 
for propaganda by members of the media.
  Specifically, my motion requires that the prepackaged news stories 
put together with Federal funds must be disclosed to viewers. This 
portion of the motion was offered as an amendment to the supplemental 
by Senator Byrd and was passed 98 to 0.
  The motion also prohibits using public funds to pay journalists or 
media commentators to promote the views of the agency, which directly 
addresses the Armstrong Williams propaganda fiasco.
  The Department of Education Inspector General recently issued a 
report that I requested that concludes that the Department squandered 
hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in a contract with Ketchum 
Communications and a subcontract with media commentator Armstrong 
Williams.
  Specifically, the Inspector General found that Department officials 
involved in the Armstrong Williams contract made poor management 
decisions, exercised poor judgment and oversight, and paid for work 
that did not reach its intended audience, and paid for work that the 
Department never received. The report notes that the covert editorial 
comments by Armstrong Williams in support of No Child Left Behind were 
specifically required by Department work orders, and confirmed by 
activity reports submitted by Mr. Williams.
  In my view, the Federal Government was defrauded out of hundreds of 
thousands of dollars in this case. An even greater concern is this may 
not be an isolated case in the Department of Education. The Inspector 
General is preparing the release of a second report in coming weeks 
that will review a number of highly questionable activities regarding 
the use of propaganda by

[[Page H2916]]

the Department of Education officials. We must stop this act of the 
abuse of taxpayer funds.
  This motion to recommit is very simple. Members can vote for it and 
report the bill back to the House, and then we can pass the bill. It is 
a simple choice. Do we want to use education dollars for the education 
of our children, or do we want to use it for propaganda? This amendment 
says we shall not use it for propaganda; we shall not pay news 
commentators to engage in propaganda on behalf of the Department of 
Education.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, covert propaganda has no place in our 
democracy. Today we encourage the formation of democracies in countries 
that have long suffered under the brutality of totalitarian regimes.
  America ought to set an example that the governments of democratic 
societies do not resort to propagandizing and misinformation campaigns 
with taxpayer dollars. That is exactly what this administration has 
been doing.
  The Education Department secretly paid conservative commentator 
Armstrong Williams $241,000 of taxpayer funds. The purpose? To promote 
the President's No Child Left Behind education law.
  The administration has also paid two other columnists. They produced 
fake news reports to promote the President's controversial Medicare and 
marriage initiatives. The GAO has found these video news releases 
violate existing law.
  The campaigns of misinformation share two things. They lead the 
public to believe that the conclusions are reached by independent 
voices when they are not. They advocate for a controversial piece of 
the administration's agenda that has failed to win public support.
  This is a dangerous precedent. Our government's agenda should be able 
to stand on its own two feet. The President has said as much. This 
motion would end this undemocratic, un-American effort.
  I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her support. Again, the 
choice is very simple here: whether or not at a time when education 
programs are being cut in the Federal budget that we passed last week, 
whether or not we will now decide not to use these hard-earned 
education dollars, hard-paid-for education dollars by the taxpayers 
that we represent to develop propaganda that they shall be restricted 
to the uses for which this program was passed, and that is the 
vocational education of our students in this country.
  I urge the support of this motion.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I claim time in opposition to the motion to 
recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the amendment that the Democrat leadership is talking 
about would not do a single thing to improve educational opportunities 
for American students.
  The Democrat leadership amendment has nothing to do with the 
bipartisan legislation that is being debated on the floor today. It is 
a partisan cheap shot aimed at the administration. It really has no 
place in this bill.
  When USA Today first reported on the Armstrong Williams contract in 
January, I immediately supported the gentleman from California's (Mr. 
George Miller) request for an independent investigation by the 
Education Department's Inspector General.
  That investigation has taken place and the Inspector General has 
concluded that nothing illegal or unethical took place.
  Now, what happened with respect to the Armstrong Williams contract 
was stupid; but passing laws to outlaw stupidity is not Congress' job.
  Now, the new education Secretary has taken decisive action to ensure 
that what happened in the Armstrong Williams case does not happen 
again. But I think what we see here today is what I said earlier, a 
partisan cheap shot aimed at the administration. It does not belong in 
this bill. I urge my colleagues to reject the motion to recommit.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the 
yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clauses 8 and 9 of rule XX, this 
15-minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by 5-minute 
votes on passage of H.R. 366, if ordered, and on motions to suspend the 
rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 127 and H. Res. 195.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 197, 
nays 224, not voting 12, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 153]

                               YEAS--197

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Baca
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady (PA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carson
     Case
     Chandler
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (TN)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Ford
     Frank (MA)
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick (MI)
     Kind
     Kucinich
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lynch
     Maloney
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Menendez
     Michaud
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murtha
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Price (NC)
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sabo
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanders
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz (PA)
     Scott (GA)
     Serrano
     Sherman
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Spratt
     Stark
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor (MS)
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Towns
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Wexler
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn

                               NAYS--224

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Andrews
     Bachus
     Baker
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bass
     Beauprez
     Biggert
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boustany
     Bradley (NH)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chocola
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Cox
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Cunningham
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeLay
     Dent
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Everett
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Fitzpatrick (PA)
     Flake
     Foley
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Granger
     Graves
     Green (WI)
     Hall
     Harris
     Hart
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hostettler
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hyde
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Istook
     Jenkins
     Jindal
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Keller
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MN)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe

[[Page H2917]]


     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     LoBiondo
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McMorris
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nunes
     Nussle
     Osborne
     Otter
     Oxley
     Paul
     Pearce
     Pence
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pombo
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Royce
     Ryan (WI)
     Ryun (KS)
     Saxton
     Schwarz (MI)
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simmons
     Simpson
     Smith (NJ)
     Sodrel
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Turner
     Upton
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--12

     Brown (OH)
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Gutknecht
     Larson (CT)
     Melancon
     Rogers (MI)
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Scott (VA)
     Smith (TX)
     Weiner
     Weldon (PA)

                              {time}  1350

  Messrs. ADERHOLT, SHADEGG, HYDE, BAKER and COLE of Oklahoma changed 
their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  Mr. CUELLAR changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the motion to recommit was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  Stated for:
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 4, 
2005, I was unavoidably detained due to a prior obligation.
  I request that the Congressional Record reflect that had I been 
present and voting, I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 153, 
``yea'' (On Motion to Recommit with Instructions on H.R. 366, the 
Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act).


                          personal explanation

  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the Record show that although I 
was recorded as having voted ``nay'' on the May 4, 2005 recorded vote 
regarding the motion to recommit H.R. 366 (rollcall 153), I intended to 
vote ``yea.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Feeney). The question is on the passage 
of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 416, 
noes 9, not voting 8, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 154]

                               AYES--416

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Andrews
     Baca
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldwin
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Barton (TX)
     Bass
     Bean
     Beauprez
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boustany
     Boyd
     Bradley (NH)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carson
     Carter
     Case
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Chocola
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Cox
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis (TN)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     DeLay
     Dent
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Farr
     Fattah
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Fitzpatrick (PA)
     Flake
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Gerlach
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green (WI)
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall
     Harman
     Harris
     Hart
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hyde
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jenkins
     Jindal
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MN)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick (MI)
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Maloney
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinney
     McMorris
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Menendez
     Mica
     Michaud
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nunes
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Osborne
     Otter
     Owens
     Oxley
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pelosi
     Pence
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sanders
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz (PA)
     Schwarz (MI)
     Scott (GA)
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simmons
     Simpson
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Sodrel
     Solis
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                                NOES--9

     Bartlett (MD)
     Feeney
     Franks (AZ)
     Garrett (NJ)
     Hensarling
     Hostettler
     Paul
     Royce
     Sensenbrenner

                             NOT VOTING--8

     Brown (OH)
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Larson (CT)
     Scott (VA)
     Towns
     Weiner
     Weldon (PA)

                              {time}  1359

  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________