NASCAR-Historically Black Colleges and Universities Consortium

Topics:  NASCAR

United States Senate
Congressional Record
February 16, 2006

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 379, which was submitted earlier today.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 379) recognizing the creation of the NASCAR-Historically Black Colleges and Universities Consortium.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

The resolution (S. Res. 379) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to.

The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

S. RES. 379

Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, while there are 1,300,000 automotive technicians currently employed, industry figures confirm that an additional 50,000 technicians are needed to fill open positions each year;

Whereas the National Automotive Dealers Association reports that 57 percent of the operating profit of automotive dealers is generated by the parts and service departments of automotive dealers;

Whereas the findings of the National Automotive Dealers Association reveal that dealers consider it difficult to locate qualified technicians;

Whereas 42 percent of all dealer technicians have been engaged in that line of work for less than 1 year;

Whereas the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘NASCAR’’), the NASCAR Universal Technical Institute, and a collaboration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘HBCUs’’) have agreed to create a consortium to increase the number of quality job opportunities available to African American students in key racing and other related automotive business activities, including automotive engineering and technology, automotive safety, sports marketing, and other automotive industry areas;

Whereas the NASCAR-HBCUs Consortium is establishing a formal plan to increase the number of quality job opportunities available to African American students within NASCAR in key racing and other related automotive business activities through the NASCAR Universal Training Institute and the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program; Whereas NASCAR has agreed to enhance their identification of employment opportunities, including internships, full time jobs, entry level management positions, part-time jobs for college students, and post-graduate job placement for students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at partner HBCUs;

Whereas the NASCAR-HBCUs Consortium has developed a program to increase the awareness, access, and participation of African American students in the NASCAR Universal Training Institute and NASCAR Diversity Internship Program for the racing and other related automotive industries; and Whereas the NASCAR-HBCUs Consortium will seek opportunities to establish and enhance the funding of targeted job development activities by partner HBCUs, and generate support for the HBCUs in their efforts to enhance curriculum development in sports marketing, finance, human resource management, and other automotive industry areas: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) recognizes the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (referred to in this resolution as ‘‘NASCAR’’), the NASCAR Universal Technical Institute, and a collaboration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (referred to in this resolution as ‘‘HBCUs’’), for their creation of a consortium to increase the number of quality job opportunities available to African American students in key racing and other related automotive business activities;

(2) commends HBCUs, including Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Bethune Cookman College, Howard University, North Carolina A&T University, Talladega College, and Winston-Salem State University, for their efforts to increase the number of quality job opportunities available to African American students in key racing and other related automotive business activities; and

(3) encourages the Departments of Education and Labor and other appropriate agencies of the Federal Government to provide suitable assistance and support to ensure the success of that effort.