Louis Stokes: “I rise in support of H.R. 2264. First, I want to commend our chairman, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter], and our…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 2264. First, I want to commend our chairman, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter], and our ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], for their joint efforts in producing what I think is an excellent bill. This year's bill includes enhanced funding for a number of critical quality of life programs that we can be especially proud of. For example, the bill funds for the first time the Youth Opportunity Areas Initiative. The program would be funded at $125 million. This employment training program is long overdue and is absolutely essential to effectively addressing the continuing double-digit unemployment and the underemployment among our Nation's out-of-school youth. These are young people that in many instances have given up on the system and on themselves and they have been allowed to waste away. Our Nation cannot afford to give up on any of its citizens. It is for this reason that I am pleased that our colleagues from the authorizing committee are working to fully authorize this program.”