[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7081]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      CROSSLAND VOCATIONAL CENTER

  (Ms. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the 45th anniversary of 
the dedication of the Crossland Vocational Center located in Prince 
George's County, Maryland.
  On April 27, 1967, President Lyndon Johnson dedicated the Crossland 
Vocational Center at Crossland High School in Maryland. President 
Johnson, as he landed his helicopter on what is now known as 
Presidential Field, used the dedication to mark the 50th anniversary of 
the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917, which provided Federal support for 
vocational schools and helped form separate State boards for vocational 
education.
  President Johnson stated during his dedication, ``Once we considered 
education a public expense. We know now that it is a public 
investment.'' I couldn't agree more.
  The world we live in has never been more competitive. Other countries 
are making investments in their infrastructure, space agencies, and tax 
codes. We must do the same. We must have an education system that 
prepares our children for success in the 21st century, and we must do 
this with our community colleges and in conjunction with building and 
trade unions, beginning at vocational schools like Crossland Vocational 
Center.
  From President Johnson's vision in 1967 to President Obama's 
commitment today, we have the future in our hands.

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