[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 58 (Thursday, May 5, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 4, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union 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:

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 366, the 
Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act, which 
reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education 
Act. For over 20 years, the programs authorized in this bill have 
offered students across America the opportunity to develop their 
academic and technical skills.
  Perkins supports vocational education programs that prepare students 
for both postsecondary education and the careers of their choice. H.R. 
366 maintains many of the aspects of the current legislation that have 
made these programs successful. In my home state of Rhode Island, 
federal funding is instrumental in the operations of nine regional 
centers, each offering a different mix of technical training programs. 
Additional career and technical programs are provided in numerous 
comprehensive high schools and at post-secondary institutions 
throughout the state. These services are an integral component of 
education in Rhode Island and I strongly support a continued federal 
role in career and technical education.
  The bill we are voting on today incorporates several new ``local uses 
of funds'' that will help postsecondary programs serve their students 
better--particularly adults that take the initiative to return to 
school, enrolling in community college career and technical education 
programs.
  I want to take this opportunity to express one reservation about the 
reauthorization. The merger of the Tech Prep program into the Basic 
State Grants will result in the loss of a separate line item for Tech 
Prep. Although the bill seeks to ensure continued funding for Tech Prep 
activities, community colleges fear that the end result will be the 
loss of those funds, rather than an addition to the Basic State Grants. 
Tech Prep programs utilize a proven, successful school-to-work 
transition strategy to assist students making the connection between 
school arid employment. I hope that a dedicated funding stream for Tech 
Prep will be reinstated in the conference on this bill with the Senate.
  With this in mind, I thank the House leadership for pursuing the 
reauthorization of the Perkins Act and encourage my colleagues to vote 
in favor of H.R. 366.

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