Expressing support for designation of September 23, 2009, as "National Job Corps Day".

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 766 and ask for its immediate consideration.

For the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during the consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3631, the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, under suspension of the rules. It allows this body to consider time-sensitive legislation under an expedited process to shield millions of Medicare beneficiaries from harmful premium increases for the coming year.

Due to the struggles facing our economy today, many seniors will not receive Social Security COLAs this year, even though the Medicare part B premiums will still rise. The Medicare Premium Fairness Act addresses this problem by protecting Medicare beneficiaries from bearing the burden of increased premiums because of an economic downturn largely outside of their control. And it does so without adding to the deficit.

Without today's bill, seniors who are new to the Medicare program will see their monthly premiums jump dramatically. Other part B recipients will shoulder an unfairly large share of cost increases because of the way current law requires part B to be funded. Cash- strapped States will be forced to bear the burden of higher Medicare costs for dual-eligible beneficiaries.

For these reasons, I believe my colleagues will agree with me that inaction is not an option here today. As our country begins to climb back out of one of the largest recessions in recent memory, now is the worst possible moment to saddle our seniors with increased premiums.

Many respected outside groups agree with this statement and have endorsed the Medicare Premium Fairness Act. AARP, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, and the Alliance for Retired Americans have all endorsed H.R. 3631.

These groups understand that we're living through a time when rising costs have threatened the health care people in this country have and deserve. This is true for Medicare beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries alike.

For this reason, making health care more affordable for all Americans is our top priority. And protecting and strengthening Medicare is an essential part of this vision. I urge my colleagues to support today's rule and the underlying bill so that beneficiaries can continue to see their doctors; so that they can continue to afford their prescriptions, especially medications; so that they can continue to have money to spend and cycle back through our recovering economy.

By acting quickly and decisively on today's bill, we underscore our commitment to preserve Medicare for millions of people who have earned the security it represents and who count on the stability and the dignity it provides. In doing so, we will keep our collective promise to stand with America's seniors as they age and to ensure they have the health care they need to live long and fruitful lives.

We must never forget that Medicare is an essential part of our country's social contract. It guarantees that America's seniors will not be forced to fend for themselves when the economy momentarily turns sour or when they get sick or as they age. This is the living legacy of the Medicare program, and it is a legacy we build upon today.

But we do not have much time to act, Mr. Speaker. We must pass this legislation before October 1. This is so that the Social Security Administration can program updated premiums into a system in time to ensure that Medicare premium increases do not hit seniors in their pocketbooks and in their doctors' offices. Speed and bipartisan cooperation are of essence if we are to avoid this problem.

The suspension authority this rule provides will allow the House to move quickly and decisively to move this fix over to the Senate. The sooner we have this bill on the President's desk, the better off millions of Medicare beneficiaries will be. I urge my colleagues to recognize that passing this bill quickly is in the best interest of our constituents, of the Medicare program, and of our country.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The rule before us today allows the House to consider a very important and time-sensitive piece of legislation under suspension of the rules. It will help this body expedite a bill that most of us recognize needs to be passed as quickly as possible. Because there will be no Social Security COLA this year, millions of seniors will see their part B premiums rise with no offsetting bump in Social Security benefits.

Now is not the time to turn our back on people who depend on Medicare for essential health care services. This is particularly true as we continue our drive to make health insurance, including Medicare, more stable, secure, and affordable for everyone in this country. I urge my colleagues to consider the needs of the Medicare-dependent constituents. Vote for the previous question and for the rule, and approve the underlying legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 163, which expresses support for the designation of September 23, 2009 as National Job Corps Day. The Job Corps is an essential program that provides vocational training for thousands of young Americans each year, helping to integrate them into the U.S. workforce.

The Job Corps was created under the Department of Labor in 1964 as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty. The Job Corps was modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was established during the Great Depression in an effort to house, train, and find employment for young people. Like the CCC before it, Job Corps seeks not only to provide vocational training but also to teach life skills and build character in participants. The Job Corps helps to foster professionalism by maintaining a strict zero-tolerance policy with regards to criminal activity for admitted participants as well as a code of conduct that includes rules for appearance.

I am proud of the four Job Corps campuses in my home state of Texas. Job Corps has a regional headquarters in Dallas, Texas and operates campuses in the North, Central, South, and West regions of Texas. The Gary Job Corps center in San Marcos, Texas was inaugurated in 1964 by President Johnson. Today, the Gary campus has the largest GED program in the state of Texas. The Job Corps has provided thousands of Texans with the education and training they need to be successful at work and in life.

I also want to mention the job fairs that I have hosted in my district of Houston, TX to help counter rising unemployment, designed to help all in need, including the young people that Job Corps assists. At the job fair in Houston last weekend, over 50 companies and government agencies attended and held on-site interviews. These events were incredible successes and embodied the spirit of the Job Corps program.

Over its 45 year history, the Job Corps has helped nearly 3 million young people join the American workforce. The Job Corps operates 123 campuses across the United States, assisting nearly 60,000 students each year. The Job Corps is a refuge for high school dropouts, providing academic remediation and empowering them to join the workforce through career preparation and development. For that reason, the Job Corps has been called the largest and most successful high school dropout recovery program in the U.S.

The success of the Job Corps program in changing the lives of its participants is evident in the following statistics. After eight months in the Job Corps program, the average participant will have a high school diploma and an improved literacy level. Seventy-five percent of Job Corps graduates will secure employment or enter into military service.

The benefits of the Job Corps go beyond the impact on the lives of the youth who participate in the program. The Job Corps enhances the workforce in communities across the country by partnering with labor organizations and employers to develop specifically requested skills. These partnerships include internships and other hands-on training experiences that enhance the youth participants' employability. The benefits of Job Corps also extend to the community where youths perform millions of hours of community service, instilling the value of giving- back to the community.

Finally, it is important that we note that National Job Corps Day also honors the 15,000 staff members who work hard to ensure that the participants get the best training possible. Without the hard work of these men and women, Job Corps would not have been able to help millions of young people enter the workforce and become productive citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 163) expressing support for designation of September 23, 2009, as ``National Job Corps Day''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Oversight Committee, I am pleased to present House Concurrent Resolution 163 for consideration. This legislation expresses support for the designation of September 23, 2009, as ``National Job Corps Day.''

The measure before us was introduced on July 8, 2009, by my colleague, Representative Jerry Moran of Kansas, and it was favorably reported out of the Oversight Committee on September 10, 2009, by unanimous consent. Additionally, this legislation currently enjoys the support of over 65 Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 163 supports the designation of September 23 as ``National Job Corps Day.'' Administered by the United States Department of Labor, the Job Corps is the Nation's largest career technical training and educational program for young people over the age of 16. The Job Corps offers a wide array of services, including career planning, on-the-job training, job placement, residential housing, food services, and driver education.

Since its inception via the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act, the Job Corps has provided countless young Americans with the academic, vocational and social skills training needed to help them obtain meaningful jobs and to pursue further educational opportunities.

In light of the recent economic crisis, the various services and programs offered by the Job Corps have never been more important for America's youth and for the entire Nation. The Job Corps helps to ensure that America's workforce remains capable of handling the challenges of our rapidly changing world.

Notably, the Job Corps boasts 123 centers nationwide, including centers in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Of these 123 centers, my own congressional district is the proud home of the Job Corps' Boston regional office. This terrific regional office oversees Job Corps centers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

In closing, I am delighted to support House Concurrent Resolution 163, and I urge all of our friends and Members to join me in recognizing the continuing success of the Job Corps.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support the designation of September 23, 2009, as National Job Corps Day by agreeing to House Concurrent Resolution 163.

I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 163. This legislation designates tomorrow, September 23, 2009, as ``National Job Corps Day.'' I introduced this resolution to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Job Corps and to recognize the program for its successes.

I firmly believe that the world is changed one person at a time. At Job Corps' 123 centers across the country, the program is changing lives each day. Close to three-quarters of the students who enroll in Job Corps are high school dropouts. Many have never held a full-time job. These young people come from difficult circumstances, with skills and abilities not yet discovered or fully developed.

Yet, Job Corps recognizes the potential in these individuals. It gives them the opportunity to improve their education and learn an employable skill. It provides the care, encouragement, and support these youths need to turn their lives around.

In an average 8 month stay at Job Corps, the majority of students leave with a high

school diploma or equivalency and improve their literacy by more than two grade levels. About 75 percent of Job Corps graduates secure employment or enter the military.

Young people need Job Corps now more than ever. While it can be difficult for a young person who lacks the proper skills and education to find work in good economic times, it becomes even more of a challenge in times of economic uncertainty. The unemployment rate in August for those ages 16 to 19 was a staggering 25.5 percent. For 20 to 24 year olds, the jobless rate was just over 15 percent.

While Job Corps reaches some 60,000 youths each year, it cannot serve all those in need. Sadly, many young people still fall through the cracks and the cost to these individuals and society is immense.

Studies tell us that over the course of the next decade, the 12 million students who are projected to drop out of high school will cost our economy more than $3 trillion.

Here on this floor, we have been talking a lot lately about health care. Studies show that each class of dropouts costs states $17 billion in publically-subsidized health care over the course of their lives.

In addition, individuals lacking more than a high school education make up close to the entirety of our Nation's prison population and account for 90 percent of incarceration spending.

But it's about more than dollars and cents. It's about more than employment statistics. It's about people. It's about helping people achieve a better life. And that is what Job Corps does.

Young people are our country's future. We have a responsibility to care for and educate them. Job Corps helps us do that.

So I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and join me in recognizing Job Corps for the work it does for young people who need it most.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 163, legislation commending Job Corps on their 45th Anniversary and declaring September 23, 2009 as ``National Job Corps Day.''

For 45 years, Job Corps has served our Nation's at-risk youth by providing desperately needed residential, academic and vocational services to help economically disadvantaged students secure a job and build critical life skills. As a co-chair of the Friends of Job Corps Caucus, I proudly support Job Corps and salute this unique program for helping nearly three million youth pursue their dreams of an independent life.

One of our country's most significant challenges is helping America's forgotten youth. Thirty percent of our youth do not graduate from high school and 40 percent of those who do complete high school are unprepared for work or higher education. Taken together, this means that an astounding three out of five American youth leave traditional schools without the skills they need to succeed in work or post- secondary education.

The Job Corps model remains out-of-school youths' best chance for success. For over four decades, Job Corps has been considered the Nation's largest and most successful dropout recovery program. Each year, more than 60,000 youths choose to enroll in Job Corps to receive the support they need. The vast majority of students leave with a GED or high school diploma and over 85 percent of Job Corps graduates obtain jobs, enlist in the military or pursue higher education.

In addition to helping students, Job Corps stimulates the economy through local economic activity. Job Corps funding is immediately invested in local economies across the nation through its 15,000 staff and the money local centers spend regionally on supplies and services. Every dollar invested in Job Corps stimulates $1.91 in local economic activity.

I have seen first-hand the difference the Job Corps program has made in my own district through my work with the Quentin Burdick Job Corps Center in Minot, North Dakota. This center serves approximately 250 students in the region, and has been one of the top performing centers in the country for over five years. I am proud of the work the Burdick Job Corps Center has done in my community, giving disadvantaged youths the skills they need to succeed in today's workforce--at no cost to them or their families.

For all of these reasons, I want to commend Job Corp students and staff on their 45th anniversary, and urge my colleagues to join me today in supporting this important resolution.