[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 11, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE PRE-APPRENTICE AND APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING ACT OF 
                                  2011

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2011

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship 
Training Act of 2011 requires states to use the one half of one percent 
of funds now available under 23 USC 140(b) for federal highway 
construction training, which is necessary to combat a serious skills 
shortage as the current cohort of journeymen and other skilled workers 
is retiring, and also counters the effects of past discrimination in 
the construction industry. The current surface transportation law, TEA-
21 (23 USC 140), permits states to use one-half of one percent of 
highway funds to administer highway construction training, but the 
states are not required to do so. In fact, most states do not commit 
transportation and infrastructure funds to training, and training that 
does occur is spotty. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 
has already set an important precedent for my bill by specifically 
including training funds, at my request, in the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act (ARRA), with $3 million specifically targeted for 
training in the General Services Administration section of the bill. 
Also included in ARRA was $20 million for federal highway training 
programs.
  The bill is also necessary to finally afford minorities and women the 
opportunity to gain a first foothold in the high-wage construction 
industry, as part of the cohort replacing retiring construction 
workers. Although deliberate exclusion has largely receded, a 
significant training deficit in the skilled construction trades 
remains.
  As the large cohort of baby-boom construction workers begin to 
retire, the bill will help meet the nation's need to train a new 
generation, from every race and background. At the same time, the bill 
also will ensure compliance with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. 
Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bar 
discrimination in the use of government dollars.

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