[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H788-H789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY AS CTE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, February is Career and 
Technical Education Month. As co-chair of the Career and Technical 
Education Caucus and a senior member of the Committee on the Education 
and the Workforce, I have long been aware of the importance of career 
and technical education programs that provide learners of all ages 
career-ready skills.
  From agriculture to the arts, from marketing to manufacturing, CTE 
programs work to develop America's most valuable resources: its people. 
Together, with Representative Jim Langevin, my CTE Caucus co-chair, we 
will introduce a resolution officially designating February as CTE 
Month.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to sign on as 
cosponsors because CTE truly benefits all Americans.
  CTE is taught in a range of settings, from high schools and area 
technical centers to technical and 2-year community colleges. In total, 
12.5 million high school and college students are enrolled in CTE 
programs across the Nation.
  Just last week, President Trump expressed his commitment to CTE 
during his first State of the Union Address. President Trump said: 
``Let us invest in workforce development and job training. Let us open 
great vocational schools so our future workers can learn a craft and 
realize their full potential.''
  Fortunately, the House unanimously passed the Strengthening Career 
and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act last June. I authored 
this bill with Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi. It aims to close the 
skills gap by modernizing Federal investment in CTE programs and 
connecting educators with industry stakeholders.
  This is the first major overhaul to the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
Technical Education Improvement Act since 2006. We are currently 
working with our colleagues in the Senate to bring up this bipartisan 
bill for consideration so we can get this important reauthorize signed 
into law.
  The Perkins Act is important for educational institutions as well as 
businesses. Small-business owners rely upon Perkins programs to 
increase the number of skilled candidates in emerging sectors. Future 
workers in fields such as manufacturing, information technology, 
healthcare, and agriculture also rely on career and technical education 
to obtain the skills necessary for high-skill, high-wage, family-
sustaining careers. Essentially, Mr. Speaker, we are providing the 
education tools to equip a 21st century workforce.
  CTE has established itself as a path that many high-achieving 
students choose in pursuit of industry certifications and hands-on 
skills that they can use right out of high school in skills-based 
education programs or in college. By modernizing the Federal investment 
in CTE programs, we will be able to connect more educators with 
industry stakeholders and close the skills gap that exists in this 
country. There are good jobs out there, but people need to be qualified 
to get them.

[[Page H789]]

  Mr. Speaker, we have all met young people who haven't been inspired 
in a traditional classroom setting. We all know people who have lost 
jobs or are underemployed and are looking for good-paying, family-
sustaining jobs.
  We all know people who are aspiring for a promotion but keep falling 
short year after year. We all know people who are living in poverty. 
Maybe their families have been living in poverty for generations, for 
so long they can't even remember what put them there in the first 
place. A career in technical education is a pathway forward for each 
and every one of these people. CTE gives people from all walks of life 
an opportunity to succeed.

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