Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Career and Technical Education Month; and let me say how proud I am to work alongside my colleague, Congressman G.T. Thompson of Pennsylvania, my good friend and fellow cochair of the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus. CTE is an investment in the future of our economy, our workforce, and our country. From skills training in high schools to community colleges and professional programs, CTE plays a key role for workers at every age. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2014, which passed in January, increased authorization amounts for Perkins by $53 million for FY 2014. Now, that is a sharp contrast in terms of the cuts that had taken place in CTE and Perkins since 2010; so with that, I urge my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to fully fund Perkins in the upcoming fiscal year and to make important investments in career training. Now, all too often, Mr. Speaker, I hear from Rhode Island employers that they have job openings right now, but are unable to find local skilled workers with the expertise necessary to fill the position. Closing the skills gap is an important step to making sure that workers fit the needs of expanding industries. With that, I look forward to continuing my partnership with Congressman G.T. Thompson; and I urge all of my congressional colleagues to join the CTE Caucus; and I ask them to fully support funding Perkins in FY15.…”