[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 106 (Thursday, August 3, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S8879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        YOUTHBUILD TRANSFER ACT

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 472, S. 3534.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3534) to amend the Workforce Investment Act of 
     1998 to provide for a YouthBuild program.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the passage of 
the YouthBuild Transfer Act, S. 3534, as amended. I am pleased at the 
widespread support that this bill has received and want to especially 
thank Senator Kennedy, the ranking member of the Health, Education, 
Labor and Pensions Committee, and Senators DeWine, Kerry and Murray.
  This bill transfers the Youth Build program from the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development to the Department of Labor, as an 
amendment to the Workforce Investment Act, WIA. YouthBuild was enacted 
in 1992. It provides programs for young adults aged 16 to 24 to build 
or rehabilitate housing for homeless or low-income individuals in their 
communities while they study to earn their high school diploma or GED. 
These youth gain occupational and technical skills while building their 
knowledge to help them become and remain productive participants in the 
workplace.
  By transferring YouthBuild to DOL, the program will be more closely 
aligned with and benefit from collaboration with the larger workforce 
system at the State and local levels. It will continue to serve those 
young adults most in need of these services, and enable them to serve 
their communities by building affordable housing, and assist them in 
transforming their own lives and roles in society.
  YouthBuild assists young adults not currently enrolled in school gain 
needed education, skills and knowledge. The skill and literacy 
requirements of today's and tomorrow's workplace cannot be met if we do 
not provide everyone access to lifelong education, training and 
retraining.
  I am hopeful that this bill will be signed into law quickly so that 
the YouthBuild program can continue to successfully help young adults 
across the country acquire the knowledge and skills they need in the 
21st century global economy.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Enzi 
amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a 
third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, 
and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 4879) was agreed to.
  (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of 
Amendments.'')
  The bill (S. 3534), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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