[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 515 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 515

   Supporting the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education 
                                 Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 27, 2020

   Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Young, Mr. 
Barrasso, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
Braun, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. 
  Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Daines, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. 
 Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Ms. Ernst, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, 
   Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Jones, Mr. King, Ms. 
 Klobuchar, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Manchin, Ms. McSally, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
Romney, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, 
 Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Wyden, and Mrs. Fischer) submitted 
      the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Supporting the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education 
                                 Month.

Whereas a competitive global economy requires workers who are prepared for 
        skilled professions;
Whereas, in the next several years, an estimated 3,000,000 new workers will be 
        needed in infrastructure positions in the United States, including in 
        positions for designing, building, and operating transportation, 
        housing, utilities, and telecommunications facilities;
Whereas career and technical education (referred to in this preamble as ``CTE'') 
        ensures that competitive and skilled workers are ready, willing, and 
        capable of holding jobs in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand career 
        fields such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, nursing, 
        allied health, construction, information technology, energy 
        sustainability, and many other career fields that are vital in keeping 
        the United States competitive in the global economy;
Whereas CTE helps the United States meet the very real and immediate challenges 
        of economic development, student achievement, and global 
        competitiveness;
Whereas the United States has 30,000,000 jobs with an average income of $55,000 
        per year that do not require a bachelor's degree yet increasingly 
        require some level of postsecondary education;
Whereas over 11,800,000 students are enrolled in CTE across the country at 
        secondary and postsecondary institutions, with CTE programs in thousands 
        of CTE centers, comprehensive high schools, career academies, and CTE 
        high schools, and nearly 1,000 2-year colleges;
Whereas CTE matches employability skills with workforce demand and provides 
        relevant academic and technical coursework leading to industry-
        recognized credentials for secondary, postsecondary, and adult learners;
Whereas CTE affords students the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and 
        credentials needed to secure careers in growing, high-demand fields;
Whereas secondary CTE is associated with a lower probability of dropping out of 
        high school and a higher likelihood of graduating on-time;
Whereas CTE students were significantly more likely than non-CTE students to 
        report having developed problem-solving, project completion, research, 
        math, college application, work-related, communication, time management, 
        and critical thinking skills during high school;
Whereas, according to an American Federation of Teachers poll, 94 percent of 
        parents approve of expanding access to CTE and other programs that 
        prepare students for jobs;
Whereas students at schools with highly integrated rigorous academic and CTE 
        programs are significantly more likely to meet college and career 
        readiness benchmarks than students at schools with less integrated 
        programs;
Whereas, in 2018, Congress affirmed the importance of CTE by passing the 
        Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act 
        (Public Law 115-224), which supports program improvement in secondary 
        and postsecondary CTE programs in all 50 States, the District of 
        Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and outlying 
        areas;
Whereas 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of State CTE leadership by Advance CTE 
        (formerly known as the ``National Association of State Directors of 
        Career Technical Education Consortium'' or ``NASDCTEc''); and
Whereas February 23, 2020, marks the 103d anniversary of the signing of the Act 
        of February 23, 1917 (commonly known as the ``Smith-Hughes Vocational 
        Education Act of 1917'') (39 Stat. 929, chapter 114), which was the 
        first major Federal investment in secondary CTE and laid the foundation 
        for the bipartisan, bicameral support for CTE that continues as of 
        February 2020: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates February 2020 as ``Career and Technical 
        Education Month'' to celebrate career and technical education 
        across the United States;
            (2) supports the goals and ideals of Career and Technical 
        Education Month;
            (3) recognizes the importance of career and technical 
        education in preparing a well-educated and skilled workforce in 
        the United States; and
            (4) encourages educators, guidance and career development 
        professionals, administrators, and parents to promote career 
        and technical education as a respected option for students.
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