[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12503-12504]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        COMBATING DRUG EPIDEMIC

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, I

[[Page 12504]]

was proud to vote in favor of a package of bills intended to crack down 
on the epidemic of heroin use and opioid abuse across our Nation. I was 
even happier to see that legislation pass the House and Senate with 
broad bipartisan support before being signed into law by the President.
  The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act will help make grant 
funding available to State and local governments, create a task force 
to review physician prescribing guidelines and make sure babies born 
opioid-dependent receive quality care.
  While this is a step in the right direction, I continue to be 
impressed by the efforts of community members in my district to help 
turn the tide against this epidemic.
  Townhall meetings have been held across Pennsylvania's Fifth 
Congressional District in places such as Bradford, McKean County; and 
Ridgway, Elk County. Another meeting is planned for this evening in 
Centre County. These meetings, along with hearings held across the 
State by the Pennsylvania House Majority Policy Committee, are great 
steps in the battle against drugs and saving lives.


                        Providing Opportunities

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, later today on this House 
floor, we will be considering what I would very accurately describe as 
an opportunity bill.
  We hear the media talk about how in the middle of this campaign 
election season that Congress really is not productive. I would argue 
to the contrary, and I point to this bill. It is a bill I am very proud 
of.
  Mr. Speaker, we all know individuals in our communities, perhaps in 
our own families, who are in need of opportunity. We probably know 
young people who, as they go off this time of year to school, are not 
inspired. Maybe their heads are on their desk. They don't learn in the 
typical fashion that traditional education teaches of lecture and 
classrooms, but if you put them in an environment where they can use 
their hands and do applied academics--career and technical education 
training--they are inspired, they look forward to getting out of bed in 
the morning, and they excel.
  We probably all know people--perhaps we are related to folks--who 
find themselves this morning stuck in unemployment. As we gathered 
around the breakfast table, they were gathered around the breakfast 
table just trying to figure out how to make ends meet since they have 
lost their job for whatever reasons, probably no fault of their own, 
and they need a strategy to be able to get back on their feet. They 
need a strategy to be able to provide for their families. A greater 
opportunity is what they are seeking.
  We probably know folks as well--certainly people who we serve and 
people in our communities--who have been stuck in the web of poverty 
for generations, intergenerational poverty, with no exit ramp and with 
no exit strategy.
  This opportunity bill today is one that I encourage all of my 
colleagues to support. The culture today has so much emphasis on the 
theory that people need a 4-year degree to be successful in this 
country. However, we have a huge gap of technical and vocational jobs 
that are good-paying jobs and family-sustaining jobs that aren't being 
filled. Job creators cannot find individuals who are qualified and 
trained to be able to fill those positions. I call that the skills gap. 
Today we can take a tremendous step in closing the skills gap.
  I have introduced a bill that will be considered on the floor today, 
the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century 
Act, which, incidentally, is scheduled later today for a vote. This 
legislation reauthorizes and modernizes--more importantly, modernizes--
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to help more 
Americans enter the workforce with the skills necessary to compete and 
succeed in high-wage, high-demand careers.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. It starts career awareness earlier 
recognizing that kids have access to technology and will begin to 
provide career and technical education awareness in the lower middle 
schools. It brings business and industry to the table so when we invest 
and do offer career and technical education training, it leads to a job 
at the end of the day, whether it is a result of a certificate earned, 
a credential that is provided, or training that is completed, and it 
serves individuals of all ages.
  So I just ask and encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting 
the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century 
Act on this House floor later today.

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