[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 107 (Thursday, June 22, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H5054-H5055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPORT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Mrs. Roby) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. ROBY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my full support for H.R. 
2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st 
Century Act.
  For more than 30 years, Federal funding, known as Perkins funding, 
has helped support career and technical education programs at the State 
and local level. This legislation reauthorizes that funding and makes 
needed improvements to ensure Perkins dollars are spent efficiently and 
effectively.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a big believer in career tech programs for three 
simple reasons: They help prepare students for rewarding careers; they 
ensure American workers have the tools necessary for skilled trades 
that are foundational to our society; and they boost our economy by 
providing a quality workforce.
  When it comes to higher education, we all know that there has been a 
silent stigma attached to not completing an academic degree at a 4-year 
university. For years, we were afraid to say that college isn't for 
everybody, when the truth is, career tech programs can actually lead 
many Americans to better quality of life.
  Thankfully, I believe those days are over. Efforts like Mike Rowe's 
``Go Build Alabama'' campaign has been tremendously successful in 
raising awareness and dispelling myths about the jobs that exist in 
skilled trades. This rising generation is showing signs of being more 
entrepreneurial, with a

[[Page H5055]]

willingness to work outside the box. Our programs have greatly improved 
over the years to offer training for careers our students are actually 
interested in.
  Mr. Speaker, my State of Alabama is blessed with a strong network of 
community colleges offering a wide array of career training. Alabama 
Community College System has more than 79,000 students enrolled in CTE 
programs, and over 70 public high schools in Alabama are now offering 
CTE courses. They are working hand in glove with industry to make sure 
that the training matches the jobs that will be waiting for students 
when they complete their courses.
  I visited one such program recently in Tallassee, a small town in 
central Alabama. Tallassee High School administrators have worked 
tirelessly to build a program that serves the growing needs of local 
students. The city and county are working together to improve 
facilities and make sure students have access to transportation.
  Up until now, students in Tallassee have had to take a bus 30 minutes 
away to Wetumpka, or even an hour away to Montgomery to Trenholm State, 
to access these career tech courses. Now, thanks to the hard work of 
Tallassee's leaders and educators, students are beginning to access 
these programs right in their own hometown.
  I visited another thriving career-type program a few months ago in 
Geneva, a small town in Alabama's Wiregrass region. Geneva High School 
has partnered with the Alabama National Guard, whose local armory 
serves as a training site for high-demand skills, such as automotive 
technology, welding, aviation maintenance, and health science. Students 
from city and county schools can get ahead on their college coursework 
via dual enrollment with Lurleen B. Wallace Community College or 
Enterprise State.
  Geneva and Tallassee are not alone in their commitment to our 
students. Dothan's Wallace Community College offers training in 16 
high-demand career fields. Wallace takes their programs to the next 
level by combining traditional study with hands-on experience. Their 
criminal justice program, for example, utilizes a virtual law 
enforcement training simulator, the only of its kind on an Alabama 
college campus.

  These programs serve as a model, not only for the State of Alabama 
but for the Nation as a whole. Their successes demonstrate the 
potential career-type programs hold.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is so much more than just funding. It makes 
important improvements to our career tech policy, including: 
simplifying the application process that community and State leaders 
have to navigate in order to receive Federal funds; providing more 
flexibility to administrators so they can adjust to the needs of the 
students and the industry; improving accountability and transparency to 
ensure that the programs that we are funding actually deliver results; 
and, lastly, ensuring a limited Federal role in education, just as we 
did in the new K-12 law.
  Mr. Speaker, with the modern workplace changing at a rapid pace, it 
is imperative that educators and facilities keep up. With this bill, 
these programs can continue to successfully connect today's students 
with the careers of tomorrow.
  Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to take the next step in career 
and technical education today. The Strengthening Career and Technical 
Education for the 21st Century Act will help equip our students with 
skills, knowledge, and experience they need to start their careers.
  I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this 
legislation and support our future workforce.

                          ____________________