[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 150 (Monday, September 22, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H8503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IRONWORKER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NATIVE AMERICANS

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6685) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide 
an annual grant to facilitate an iron working training program for 
Native Americans.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6685

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. IRON WORKING TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NATIVE 
                   AMERICANS.

       (a) In General.--To the extent funds are made available for 
     this purpose, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
     the Bureau of Indian Affairs, shall annually provide a grant 
     to an eligible entity to provide an iron working training 
     program for members of federally recognized Indian tribes. An 
     eligible entity that receive a grant under this section shall 
     provide a program that meets the requirements of subsection 
     (b) and may require such other criteria of the program and 
     participants of the program as the eligible entity considers 
     appropriate to further the goals of the program.
       (b) Requirements.--A program funded by a grant under this 
     section shall--
       (1) provide specialized training in iron working skills to 
     adult members of federally recognized Indian tribes;
       (2) provide classroom and on-the-job training; and
       (3) facilitate job placement for participants upon 
     successful completion of the requirements of the program.
       (c) Eligible Entity.--To be eligible for a grant under this 
     section, an entity shall--
       (1) have proven experience in providing successful iron 
     working training programs to Native American populations; and
       (2) have the facilities necessary to carry out such a 
     program with a grant provided under this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, H.R. 6685 would provide an authorization 
for appropriations that has been made for many years for an Interior 
Department program which makes grants available to fund a Native 
American ironworker training program. This program would provide 
members of federally recognized Indian tribes with both classroom and 
on-the-job ironwork training.
  With unemployment rates increasing to a staggering rate of over 80 
percent on some Indian reservations, this program is desperately 
needed. It will provide the program participants with the knowledge and 
the ability to join a skilled labor force as a career.
  I want to commend our colleague Mr. Lynch of Massachusetts for his 
hard work and for his dedication to this piece of legislation, and I 
ask my colleagues to support its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 6685 reauthorizes a vital educational grant program to train 
members of federally recognized Indian tribes to become ironworkers. By 
the way, they are outstanding ironworkers, and they always have been. 
They built the City of New York and New Jersey, itself, and I have to 
recognize their capabilities.
  This apprentice program has trained thousands of Native Americans 
over the years, providing graduates with careers, earning above-average 
wages. Graduates of this program have been a significant source of 
economic support in their tribal communities. I urge my colleagues to 
support this legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I urge 
all Members to support this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6685.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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