Recognizing the efforts of postsecondary institutions offering career and technical education to educate and train workers for positions in high-demand industries.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 880) recognizing the efforts of career and technical colleges to educate and train workers for positions in high demand industries, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 880 into the Record.

I rise today in support of H. Res. 880, which recognizes the efforts of career and technical education colleges that educate and train workers for positions in high-demand industries. This resolution supports partnerships between career and technical colleges, employers, and students so that students can be prepared to enter high demand technical fields.

Career and technical education colleges help students apply practical information learned in the classroom to employment. CTE schools serve a diverse set of students. They serve secondary students who need job skills to transition into the workplace and employees who need to upgrade their skills for new technologies. Employers work with CTE programs to hire fully competent, well-trained workers for professional technical positions.

As America has evolved from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy, the globalization of business and industry requires workers to acquire core knowledge and skills that can be applied in a wide and rapidly changing variety of work settings.

With the changing business industry, employers want more competent, skilled workers, but they are having a difficult time finding these workers. More than 80 percent of respondents in the 2005 National Association of Manufacturers Skills Gap Report indicate that employers are experiencing a shortage of qualified workers. CTEs are situated to respond rapidly to changing job market demand to prepare potential employees.

Along with CTEs, community colleges help spur the economy and provide a skilled workforce that contributes more than $31 billion to the Nation's economy. This year, community colleges in this country will award more than 500,000 associate degrees and 270,000 associate certificates.

In September of this year, the House of Representatives passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. This bill includes an unprecedented investment of $10 billion into community colleges by encouraging partnerships between community colleges, States, businesses, job training, and adult education programs, and by creating a new competitive grant program for community colleges to improve instruction, bolster student services and implement other innovative reforms. Community colleges play an important role in career and technical education, and in many communities are leading the way in providing workforce development programs that meet the needs of local businesses.

Madam Speaker, I again wish to express my support for H. Res. 880, and I thank Congressman Cassidy for bringing this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers on our side, so with my gratitude to Mr. Cassidy, I urge my colleagues to approve this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam 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.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 880, recognizing the efforts of post-secondary institutions offering career and technical education to educate and train workers for positions in high-demand industries.

Post-secondary institutions that offer career and technical education are an incredibly valuable resource to our communities. These institutions enable adults in the community to improve their lives by furthering their education in order to improve their employability and working life. Career and technical education enables students to learn specific skills or earn a certificate or a degree that employers require or prefer.

Many institutions that offer career and technical education also have valuable connections with employers in the community. These connections allow these institutions to better serve their students. Employers in high-demand industries are able to communicate with post-secondary institutions what skills, certificates and degrees they expect potential employees to exhibit. The close relationship between post- secondary institutions that offer career and technical education and employers provide students, and potential employees, with a valuable advantage.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 15.6 million new jobs will be added to the labor force between 2006 and 2016. These industries and employers also benefit from the unique relationship between post-secondary institutions that offer career and technical education and local business leaders. The relationship enables industries and businesses to communicate where there are experience and employment gaps and what skills they require for such positions.

Post-secondary institutions that offer career and technical education provide students and the business community with an invaluable connection.

I am honored to support this resolution, and I ask my colleagues to join me.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, due to illness, I was unable to be present in the Capitol for votes on Thursday, November 5, 2009. However, had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on:

1. Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for H.R. 2868--Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009;

2. H. Res. 885--Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2868-- Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009;

3. H. Res. 868--Honoring and recognizing the service and achievements of current and former female members of the Armed Forces;

4. Senate Amendments to H.R. 3548--Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009;

5. H. Con. Res. 139--Congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation;

6. H.R. 1849--World War I Memorial and Centennial Act of 2009;

7. H.R. 3276--American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009;

8. H. Res. 878--Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Family Literacy Day;

And I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 880--Recognizing the efforts of career and technical colleges to educate and train workers for positions in high-demand industries.

Mr. Speaker, I regret missing floor votes today, Thursday, November 5, 2009. If I was present, I would have voted: ``yea'' on rollcall 856, On Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 885, Providing for consideration of H.R. 2868--Chemical Facility Anti- Terrorism Act of 2009; ``yea'' on rollcall 857, agreeing to H. Res. 885, Providing for consideration of H.R. 2868--Chemical Facility Anti- Terrorism Act of 2009; ``yea'' on rollcall 858, agreeing to H. Res. 868, Honoring and recognizing the service and achievements of current and former female members of the Armed Forces; ``yea'' on rollcall 859, to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 3547, the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act; ``yea'' on rollcall 860, agreeing to H. Con. Res. 139, Congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation; ``aye'' on rollcall 861, agreeing to H. Res. 880, Recognizing the efforts of career and technical colleges to educate and train workers for positions in high-demand industries.

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in three votes on the floor of the House of Representatives today because I was participating in a panel on public safety and housing as part of the White House Tribal Nations Conference.

The first vote was on the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3548-- Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

The second vote was H. Con. Res. 139--congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

The third vote was H. Res. 880--Recognizing the efforts of career and technical colleges to educate and train workers for positions in high- demand industries. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.