[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 102 (Friday, July 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CARL D. PERKINS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2006

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I had hoped that, today, we would 
have passed the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Educational 
Improvement Act. It is unfortunate that, yet again, we have not been 
able to muster enough support to discuss the vitality of Vocational and 
Technical Education in our country. Education has always been the 
golden key to a democracy. Our forefathers realized this, and we must 
realize this as we continue to move forward into this information age. 
There is no excuse, in this day and age, for a government to be 
derelict in its duties to provide education and opportunity to its 
citizens. It is even more important today, as jobs dwindle from the 
bombardment of cheap foreign competition, to realize that the welfare 
of our nation rests upon the shoulders of the educated and skilled 
laborers. The Carl D. Perkins Act is a giant step in realizing our 
duty, as Congress, to Americans. It is a pathway that guides the vast 
resources of America to the Americans who need them.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  July 28, 2006--On Page E 1599 the following appeared: SUPPORT 
FOR VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION HON. DANNY K. DAVIS OF 
ILLINOIS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, July 28, 2006 Mr. 
DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I had
  
  The online version should be corrected to read: Carl D. Perkins 
Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2005 SPEECH OF 
HON. DANNY K. DAVIS OF ILLINOIS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Thursday, July 27, 2006 Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I had


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  It is not a coincidence that Illinois and twenty-two other States 
were awarded incentive grants from the Department of Education in 2003 
for exceeding their performance level--our programs are working, but 
they need to be improved. With an unemployment level of 4.5 percent in 
Illinois and 4.6 percent throughout United States, it is essential for 
us to work now to create comprehensive plans to prepare our youth and 
adults for the future, by building their academic and technical skills.
  Furthermore, we must not stop with youth and adult education and job 
training; we must expand the discussion of education an job 
opportunities to other Americans--those who are incarcerated and who 
will later be released. It has been reported that 62 percent of those 
individuals released from state prisons will be rearrested within three 
years. If we do not tackle this dire issue with real solutions we will 
have silently condoned a vicious cycle that destroys communities.
  As we begin our recess, it is important to recognize that we can no 
longer afford to put the discussion of education on the back burner. It 
is, and always will be, one of my top priorities.

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