Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, in November of last year, I stood in this Chamber to support this legislation, the bipartisan National Apprenticeship Act. The House passed it, but the Senate failed to put it up for a vote. We need to seize this opportunity. Revitalizing our apprenticeship system is not a Democratic or Republican priority. It is a national priority for workers across our country. It is essential to our task of building an economy that provides a wider, sturdier bridge to the middle class. For every dollar invested in our registered apprenticeship system, we see a return of $28 in benefits. But the U.S. invests only $195 of public money per apprentice, while our Canadian neighbors spend $1,300 per apprentice. We are leaving too many communities behind and at risk of getting outpaced in the world economy. Now is the time to invest in the American worker. This bill makes long-term investments and provides grants for employers to incentivize the hiring of apprentices, and it provides workers with the opportunity to earn while they learn and obtain portable credentials without incurring significant debt. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.”