Kline In The News
House Bill Would Reauthorize Program to Address ‘Skills Gap’
States would have more flexibility to train students and workers for jobs in sectors where employees are most needed under a bipartisan bill introduced Tuesday in the House. The House Education and the Workforce committee’s bill would reauthorize a billion-dollar program titled the “Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act” that was last authorized in 2006 (PL 109-270).
House Bill Would Reauthorize Program to Address ‘Skills Gap’ By Emily Wilkins, CQ Roll Call States would have more flexibility to train students and workers for jobs in sectors where employees are most needed under a bipartisan bill introduced Tuesday in the House.The House Education and the Workforce committee’s bill would reauthorize a billion-dollar program titled the “Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act” that was last authorized in 2006 (PL 109-270). Bill sponsors Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Katherine M. Clark, D-Mass., said the bill was important to close what is known as the skills gap – the difference between the millions of job openings and the unemployed Americans who lack the training to perform those jobs. Providing Americans with those skills has never been more important, said House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline, R-Minn. “Career and technical education can provide incredible opportunities for Americans – especially younger Americans – to pursue good-paying jobs in industries critical to our economy,” Kline said in a statement. “This bipartisan legislation will help more individuals seize those opportunities and achieve a lifetime of success.” The bill would give state and local officials more flexibility in how they use the federal funding received through the program, reducing the influence of the federal government. Under the bill, the education secretary would not be able to withhold funds if a state fails to meet certain performance targets. Instead, states would set performance goals with input from education leaders as well as business leaders who, according to the bill's authors, can ensure the programs are training students for the jobs most needed. The legislation would make it easier for states and localities to apply for funding by simplifying requirements for states and giving local education providers a form to fill out rather than submitting their own plan. The Senate is working on its own version of the bill, and renewing the program is a top priority for Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. “Perkins is next up of our education bills,” he told the National School Boards Association earlier this month. “Sen. [Michael B. Enzi, R-Wyo.] and Sen. [Bob Casey, D-Pa.] have taken the lead on that within our committee. Sen. [Patty Murray, D-Wash.] and I are working on it . . . it’s a priority both in the House and the Senate.” Business leaders have urged Congress to pass an update to the law. Several companies, such as Toyota and IBM, have partnered with education programs in states and localities to ensure graduates have the skills they need. “Our country needs to make innovative educational programs the rule, not the exception,” said Stanley S. Litow, vice president of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs at IBM in a statement. “By updating and reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, Congress has an opportunity to ensure our students achieve strong academic and career preparation in the nation’s fastest growing industries." |