[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H733-H734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO CAREER FUND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the critical 
role of community colleges and the role that they play in economic 
recovery and the continued growth of our communities across the Seventh 
Congressional District of Alabama and this entire Nation.
  In the Seventh Congressional District, the State of Alabama, and this 
country, the most important issue is job creation. In parts of the 
Seventh Congressional District that I am so privileged to represent, 
unemployment rates are as high as 16 percent.
  This persistent, high unemployment number demonstrates the importance 
of career training and development. It also points to the critical role 
that our community colleges play in our Nation's growth. The junior 
colleges, our community college system, play a vital role in developing 
our Nation's greatest resource--our people.
  A lasting partnership between the private sector and community 
colleges is key to creating an economy built to last. These 
partnerships ensure that future workers are being prepared to take 
advantage of every opportunity in the employment sector as we recover 
in this economy. In order to win the future, we must continue to out-
innovate, out-educate, and out-compete our global competitors.
  I want to commend the President on his recent release of a blueprint 
to train 2 million workers for high-demanding industries through our 
Community College to Career Fund.

                              {time}  1040

  The new $8 billion Community College to Career Fund would promote the 
development of community college partnerships that would train skilled 
workers for unfilled jobs. What a great way to not only promote our 
community colleges but also help to train future workers.
  As America regains its position as the world's preeminent innovator 
and developer, the need for a trained, skilled workforce becomes even 
greater. This proposed fund would support the training of workforce 
development all throughout our Nation. The Community College to Career 
Fund will also institute a ``pay for performance'' in job training. 
This new initiative will serve as an incentive to businesses that will 
provide and help them provide workforce training.
  It will also help individuals find employment while encouraging 
businesses to assist workers in this endeavor. This is critically 
important, and it is not only enough to train our workers, but we must 
also ensure that they can find jobs right here in America.
  In addition, through this job-training fund, State and local 
governments will be allowed to apply for grants that will help them 
recruit businesses to their States. This incentive to locate businesses 
right here in America will help create jobs, discourage outsourcing, 
and encourage insourcing. We have to start making things right here in 
America and promote that endeavor. We must create an environment that 
gives more Americans a fair shot at achieving the American Dream, a 
dream that the unemployed in my district and across this Nation are 
waiting to grasp. They just need opportunities and resources.
  The Community College to Career Fund will inspire and train the next 
generation of entrepreneurs. These workers could be responsible for the 
next Google, the next Apple, Microsoft or other cutting-edge 
technology. It

[[Page H734]]

will promote American exceptionalism and will propel this Nation back 
to the forefront of workforce development.
  The President's blueprint to build a highly skilled workforce through 
our community college system is the right thing to do. It will allow 
community colleges in my district, for example, Shelton State and 
Wallace State Community Colleges, greater access to resources to 
educate those ready and willing to take jobs--highly skilled jobs in 
our workforce.
  At this time, these initiatives are critically important because we 
in America can ill afford to be left behind when it comes to 
innovation. I believe that the President's blueprint should be 
applauded and supported. I know that in my own district, Mercedes Benz, 
a very important employer in my district, has taken such initiatives to 
another level. They've encouraged high school students, giving them a 
chance to learn how to use their machines and participate in a program; 
and they've also said that upon completion, 75 percent of those 
students will actually have a job in the Mercedes Benz plant in Vance, 
Alabama.
  I think initiatives such as this should be encouraged. It's 
critically important that we not only support the private sector in 
their endeavors to create public partnerships with our community 
colleges, but also to grow our economy and help this recovery effort 
actually exist.
  So I support these endeavors, and I support the President in this 
initiative. I look forward to working with the President on this 
initiative and supporting this initiative in this House, and I ask and 
urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support such an 
initiative.

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