COLLINS WORKS TO RESTORE FUNDS TO PERKINS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senator Susan Collins is working to restore funding to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Educational Act program, which benefits high school and community college students in Maine and throughout the nation. Working with a bipartisan group of her colleagues, Senator Collins is urging Senate leaders to reject the Administration's proposed 25 percent funding cut, which would reduce funding by approximately $300 million.

The proposed $300 million cut to Perkins is not new. Last year''s budget included a similar reduction in Perkins funding. During consideration of the budget last year, Senator Collins was the only Republican Senator to vote in favor of an amendment to increase Perkins funding by $300 million. Unfortunately, the amendment failed by a single vote. However, due to Senator Collins support for the program, the appropriators restored $300 million to the program in FY2004. The letter is hoped to have a similar impact on FY2005 funding.

In a joint letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee that oversees education spending, the Senator Collins wrote, "The Perkins program provides crucial funds for career and technical education in the United States. It helps high school students and those pursuing postsecondary education and training gain necessary skills to compete in a changing economy. It also aids our nation's employers by strengthening the American workforce."

She added, "The Perkins program is particularly important today, as workers struggle to gain the necessary skills to succeed in our knowledge-and skills-based economy and employers struggle to secure a qualified workforce. The Perkins program provides valuable support to local school districts as they work to provide students with a quality career and technical education that will prepare them for the 21st century workforce."

The letter urges the appropriators to continue to support program funding levels and was signed by 37 Senators.

Perkins funding is crucial to Maine. Last year, Maine received approximately $5.8 million under the Perkins Voc Ed State Grants and another $536,000 under the Perkins Tech-Prep State Grants. Of this funding, approximately $2.3 million will support community colleges in Maine, and another $2.3 million will support high school programs. In Maine, a portion of these funding streams are also used to support adult education programs. Cuts to the program could impact the number of students these educational programs serve as well as the quality of education available to the students.