Hearing live. The speaker the house will be in order. Pursuant to the order of the house of january 3, 2017, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. The chair will alternate recognition between the parties. All time shall be equally allocated between the parties and in no event shall debate continue beyond 1 50 p. M. Each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip shall be limited to five minutes. The chair recognizes the the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. Foxx, for five minutes. Ms. Foxx thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is good news that the jobless rate has dropped to 4. 3 . The lowest level in more than a decade. However, we still face tough challenges in building an economy that supplies employers with the talent needed to be competitive and educating workers with the skills needed for success in todays economy. Because our economy increasingly requires a more skilled work force, the ses into the middle class. To solve these challenges, we need a strong, demanddriven Work Force Development system that aligns education with the needs of employers. That is why the committee on education and the work force, which i am proud to chair, recently advanced with unanimous support legislation that will strengthen skills focused education and help equipment more students with the skills they need to achieve success. However, the Real Solutions lie outside of washington. That is why im pleased the private sector is leading the way so that workers and industries have the skills to compete and prosper in the global economy. I want to commend Companies Like j. P. Morgan chase, toyota, i. B. M. , boeing, and so many others for their commitment to creating publicprivate partnerships aimed at closing our skills gap and helping americas employers and workers succeed. Recently i had the opportunity to join a round table discussion with Work Force Development experts from a wide array of nonprofits, educational institutions, and Work Force Development leaders. They are working with employers to build sustainable and robust pipelines of talent to fill growing needs in critical sectors such as health care and technology. Communities across the country are looking to power their businesses with talent from their local communities. And they are doing this by developing partnerships that focus on Employer Engagement strategies, creating or expanding career pathways, reducing barriers to employment, and more effectively connecting students and graduates to jobs. Helping people gain the skills they need to compete in the work force is also a powerful approach to expanding access to opportunity and promoting economic mobility. Because even as the economy improves, there are still Vulnerable People at risk of being left behind. Without the right skills and meaningful post secondary credentials, these young people face entering the work force without very bright prospects, or worse, unemployed and out of school. We also need to create more opportunities for workers to obtain goodpaying jobs that require more than a High School Diploma but less than a college degree. This can help reduce unemployment by aligning Education Programs with the skills employers need. As an example, j. P. Morgan chases new rgan Youth Initiative begins in high school and ends with post secondary credentials and lead to longterm careers. Young people can gain the skills needed to enter highpaying occupations in growing fields such as robotics, medical science, and coding to build a promising future. Failing to prepare young people with the right skills and education for these jobs is a missed opportunity for them personally, for our country, and our economy. By working together on Educational Initiatives like new skills for youth, employers, nonprofits, and educational institutions can drive economic growth, promote in er mobility, communities throughout the contry, and help more americans achieve a lifetime country, and help more americans achieve a lifetime of suck its. I shield back of success. I yield back, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee, mr. Cohen, for five minutes. Mr. Cohen thank you, mr. Speaker. Personally i could not take this microphone on this occasion and not remember scalises injuries and wish him and his family well and the other victims of the cowardly and horrific assault on our colleagues and on our government last week in virginia. But i came here specifically to honor seven americans who died on the u. S. S. Fitzgerald. Seven United States naval soldiers died when the fitzgerald collided with the japanese freighter. And there was a story this morning in the New York Times, another on the daily beast, im sure there are others, that caught my attention. New york times story showed the divergent backgrounds of these seven sailors. One came they are all americans, but one has roots in okinawa, anothers roots were in the philippines, another vietnam, another guatemala. And there was an ohioan, and a named an, and a sailor martin from maryland. They are representative of our United States navy. From different backgrounds, given an opportunity to serve our country, some because they are helping their families, some to gain citizenship, but all to serve our nation. And all seven of these gentlemen lost their lives. I had the honor of going on a aval sub about 10 days ago, to providence. And i saw the camaraderie on that ship. There were no caucasian sailors or africanamerican sailors or Asian American or latin american. There werent gay or straight sailors. They were United States sailors. United states navy personnel. And they come together in the camaraderie to serve our country and serve each other as shipmates in a way that is gratifying to witness and special for our nation. I want to mention who these soldiers were because they need to be memorialized here. Xavier martin was from maryland. Shinga douglas, okinawa, san diego, california. Riggsby, palmyra, virginia. The philippines. Grandfather who was filipino served in our United States feaf. Now tran haun vietnam, oakville, connecticut. Noah henderson was from texas by way of guatemala. And finally, gary rim jr. From ohio. The daily beast told me something about gary that i wouldnt have garnered from the New York Times story that was so wonderful as it described the backgrounds and the rainbow that these seven men made of america. Gary rim was due to be finish his service in three months. And he considered everybody on that ship, all the sailors, his kids. Had he no children of his own. He had no children of his own. But the sailors were his kids. And he rescued up to 20 sailors to see to it after the crash that they survived. Then went to try to rescue six others. Its at that point gary rim lost his life. He lost his life serving his shipmates as he called them, his kids, his fellow sailors. They were shipmates and sailors, United States naval personnel. Hey werent filipinos or vietnamese or any other description. Gary rim jr. Was a hero trying to save others. The other six were heroes, too. Serving our country and they lost their life. It was a great experience to be in providence. And the Naval Air Base which serves our country and personnel and recruitment purposes. Im honored to be in this congress, but more honored to represent people of the United States naval academy. I thank those seven for their valiant efforts and for giving their lives to the service of our country. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. Pursuant to clause 12a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until 2 00 p. M. Job offer before they can receive a High School Diploma. Ayor emanuel will discuss that proposal at the National Press club in washington, d. C. , at 1 00 eastern time. Live here on it cspan. Now on cspan, a conversation from todays washington on job training programs. Washington journal continues. Host Anthony Carnevale is a professor at georgetown university. The administration is making a push, looking at apprenticeship programs in the United States. Wher i