Expressing support for approximately doubling funding for Federal career and technical education programs.

Expressing support for approximately doubling funding for Federal career and technical education programs.

Whereas, for many Americans, this post-COVID economic boom is an opportunity to reskill and upskill, with American workers changing jobs and even professions in historic numbers;

Whereas the landscape of the 21st century economy is changing, as emerging new technologies and shifting demands create new opportunities and challenges;

Whereas there remains a crucial and unaddressed need to train the workforce of this new economy;

Whereas now is the time to invest in American workers, as the tremendous economic energy of the post-COVID recovery presents an unparalleled opportunity to retrain and realign the American workforce for the new economy, while also providing American workers with the necessary skills to earn higher wages and attain long-term job security; and

Whereas the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) is the primary Federal law developing and supporting career and technical education programs in secondary and postsecondary education: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) affirms the importance of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and other career and technical education programs for training the skilled workforce of the future and for increasing the earning potential and job security of American workers;

(2) recognizes that the authorized annual funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), amounting to $1,439,848,000 in fiscal year 2024, is insufficient to address the need brought on by the long-term economic realignment and the near-term COVID–19 pandemic; and

(3) urges the Committee on Education and Workforce to authorize $13,000,000,000 in new spending for programs under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and innovative evidence-based career and technical education over the next 10 years, equaling approximately double the amount currently authorized by Congress to such programs.