[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 20 (Thursday, February 16, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S1447]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     NASCAR-HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES CONSORTIUM

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 379, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 379) recognizing the creation of the 
     NASCAR-Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
     Consortium.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 379) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 379

       Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, while 
     there are 1,300,000 automotive technicians currently 
     employed, industry figures confirm that an additional 50,000 
     technicians are needed to fill open positions each year;
       Whereas the National Automotive Dealers Association reports 
     that 57 percent of the operating profit of automotive dealers 
     is generated by the parts and service departments of 
     automotive dealers;
       Whereas the findings of the National Automotive Dealers 
     Association reveal that dealers consider it difficult to 
     locate qualified technicians;
       Whereas 42 percent of all dealer technicians have been 
     engaged in that line of work for less than 1 year;
       Whereas the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, 
     Inc. (referred to in this preamble as ``NASCAR''), the NASCAR 
     Universal Technical Institute, and a collaboration of 
     Historically Black Colleges and Universities (referred to in 
     this preamble as ``HBCUs'') have agreed to create a 
     consortium to increase the number of quality job 
     opportunities available to African American students in key 
     racing and other related automotive business activities, 
     including automotive engineering and technology, automotive 
     safety, sports marketing, and other automotive industry 
     areas;
       Whereas the NASCAR-HBCUs Consortium is establishing a 
     formal plan to increase the number of quality job 
     opportunities available to African American students within 
     NASCAR in key racing and other related automotive business 
     activities through the NASCAR Universal Training Institute 
     and the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program;
       Whereas NASCAR has agreed to enhance their identification 
     of employment opportunities, including internships, full time 
     jobs, entry level management positions, part-time jobs for 
     college students, and post-graduate job placement for 
     students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at 
     partner HBCUs;
       Whereas the NASCAR-HBCUs Consortium has developed a program 
     to increase the awareness, access, and participation of 
     African American students in the NASCAR Universal Training 
     Institute and NASCAR Diversity Internship Program for the 
     racing and other related automotive industries; and
       Whereas the NASCAR-HBCUs Consortium will seek opportunities 
     to establish and enhance the funding of targeted job 
     development activities by partner HBCUs, and generate support 
     for the HBCUs in their efforts to enhance curriculum 
     development in sports marketing, finance, human resource 
     management, and other automotive industry areas: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the National Association for Stock Car Auto 
     Racing, Inc. (referred to in this resolution as ``NASCAR''), 
     the NASCAR Universal Technical Institute, and a collaboration 
     of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (referred to 
     in this resolution as ``HBCUs''), for their creation of a 
     consortium to increase the number of quality job 
     opportunities available to African American students in key 
     racing and other related automotive business activities;
       (2) commends HBCUs, including Alabama A&M University, 
     Alabama State University, Bethune Cookman College, Howard 
     University, North Carolina A&T University, Talladega College, 
     and Winston-Salem State University, for their efforts to 
     increase the number of quality job opportunities available to 
     African American students in key racing and other related 
     automotive business activities; and
       (3) encourages the Departments of Education and Labor and 
     other appropriate agencies of the Federal Government to 
     provide suitable assistance and support to ensure the success 
     of that effort.

                          ____________________