House Dear Colleague Letter To Preserve Perkins Funding

May 18, 2005

May 18, 2005 – In another strong show of bipartisan support for Perkins, Representatives Velasquez (D-NY), Boehlert (R-NY) and Spratt (D-SC) have sponsored a "Dear Colleague" letter urging their fellow representatives to preserve funding for Perkins.  These three House members are urging their colleagues to sign on to a letter to be sent to House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Chairman Ralph Regula (R-OH) and Ranking Member David Obey (D-WI).  This letter's title "Preserve Job Opportunities for Millions of Americans" highlights the widening skills gap and the important role career technical education has in making sure our country stays competitive. The letter specifically asks that Perkins be funded by no less than the FYO5 appropriation of $1.326 billion.

ACTION NEEDED: Contact your representative today and ask him/her to sign on to the Perkins Dear Colleague letter being sponsored by Representatives Velasquez, Boehlert and Spratt.

If your representative would like to sign on to the letter, staff should contact Julie Okoniewski with Representative Velazquez at (202) 225-2361, or Katie Waszkiewicz with Representative Boehlert (202) 225-3665 . No deadline for signatures has been set at this point in time. If you would like to see a copy of the letter, please contact Nichole Jackson at njackson@careertech.org .

SENATE HELP COMMITTEE PASSES WIA

After a very open and bipartisan process, the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously passed S. 1021, the Workforce Investment Act Amendments of 2005 (WIA). With the Senate tension running high due to judicial nominations, it is uncertain as to when S. 1021 will move to the floor.

This bill is very similar to the WIA reauthorization bill introduced earlier this year (S.9). And despite pressure from the Administration and the Department of Labor, “WIA Plus” is NOT included in the bill.  Unfortunately, S. 1021 still includes provisions for funding one stop infrastructure by granting Governors the authority to take funds from WIA partner programs.

To read a copy of this bill, go to www.thomas.loc.gov and type in S. 1021.
Download committee summary of S. 1021

HOUSE HOLDS HEARING ON HIGH SCHOOL REFORM

On May 17, the House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing on "High School Reform: Examining State and Local Efforts".  This hearing, which featured Governors W. Mitt Romney (R-MA) and Thomas Vilsack (D-IA), focused on state and local coordination and how to improve the connection between rigor and relevance in America's high schools.

Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) began the hearing by noting that this was the first of several hearings on high school reform and that the Committee is dedicated to working towards improving and reforming secondary education.  He further noted that attention to high schools did not necessarily mean an extension of No Child Left Behind. To read Chairman Boehner's opening statement, visit http://edworkforce.house.gov /hearings/109th/fc/highschool05 1705/osboehner.htm . 

During their testimony, both Governors noted the importance of reforming the nation's high schools and that they felt this reform was necessary if the U.S. is going to remain a global leader with a viable workforce.  To read Governor Vilsack's testimony, visit http://edworkforce.house.gov /hearings/109th/fc/highschool05 1705/vilsack.htm .  To read Governor Romney's testimony, visit http://edworkforce.house.gov /hearings/109th/fc/highschool05 1705/romney.htm .

"CTE PLAYS IMPORTANT ROLE" During Governor Vilsack's remarks, he noted how career technical education must play an integral part in high school reform, stating that "adding relevance to rigor is the key to success."  He further explained, "(o)ne reason [CTE] is so successful and popular with students is it provides relevance and practical application to student learning." 

Both Governors also said that one of the most effective ways to prevent high school students from dropping out and to increase relevance, particularly during the senior year, is to allow for dual credit, which allows students to earn college credit while in high school.

UPDATE:  SENATE DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

Thank you again to those of you who urged your senators to sign onto the “Dear Colleague” letter in support of fully funding Perkins.  This letter, which was addressed to the Senate Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Ranking Member Tom Harkin (D-IA), included 45 signatures:

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bond (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dewine (R-OH)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Jeff ords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Levin (D-MI)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Mukrowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Talent (R-MO)
Warner (R-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)

If you would like to see a copy of the final letter, please email Nichole Jackson at njackson@careertech.org . 

The Subcommittee is scheduled to begin education appropriations in mid-June, however there is a strong possibility that it could be pushed back until early fall.