Political Quotes

“I rise today to address the issue of school to work. I share many of the sentiments that have already been expressed by my colleagues. Today, students who do not pursue a college degree, face great challenges in finding a job which is personally and financially rewarding. The issue before us is how to do we better assist these young people find gainful employment and make the transition from school-to-work? Only 25 percent of all high school graduates go on to college. The remaining students enter the work force with only a high school diploma and limited skills. At one time, low-skill, high-wage manufacturing jobs were abundant. This is no longer the case. Today, individuals without a college degree earn significantly less than individuals with a college degree and that gap is widening each year. I agree with my colleagues that we need to build a better partnership between our schools and businesses to determine what skills are needed in the increasingly competitive economy. We then must target students at need and equip them with the necessary skills. My question is do we need another Federal jobs program to achieve this goal? I don't believe so and that is why I am not able to support S. 1361, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. There are 154 existing Federal jobs-related programs which cost the Treasury over $20 billion annually.”