WASHINGTON (Aug. 15, 2006) — President Bush has signed legislation that renews funding for the Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, despite his administration's opposition to it.
The Perkins Act, which is strongly supported by the automotive aftermarket, provides money to the states for grants to schools that offer vocational and career training on the secondary and post-secondary levels, including training for auto technicians.
The Bush administration has tried the past two fiscal years to eliminate funding for the Perkins Act, claiming that more good can be done through more general education grants. A House-Senate compromise in July, however, allowed the law to be renewed.
The Perkins Act provided $1.18 million in state grants for vocational education last year, according to the Automotive Service Association.