[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1252-S1253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 416--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF CAREER AND 
                       TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH

  Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Young, Mr. 
Barrasso, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Brown, Ms. 
Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. 
Daines, Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. 
Heitkamp, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr. King, 
Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Perdue, Mr. 
Peters, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rounds, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, 
Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 416

       Whereas a competitive global economy requires workers who 
     are prepared for skilled professions;
       Whereas, according to Deloitte and the Manufacturing 
     Institute, 84 percent of executives agree that there is a 
     talent shortage in manufacturing in the United States, 
     including talent for front-line worker jobs such as 
     machinists, operators, craft workers, distributors, and 
     technicians;
       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 nearly 12,000,000 students are enrolled in CTE 
     across the country with CTE programs in thousands of CTE 
     centers, comprehensive high schools, career academies, and 
     CTE high schools, and nearly 1,600 2-year colleges;

[[Page S1253]]

       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 have significantly higher 
     achievement in reading, mathematics, and science than 
     students at schools with less integrated programs; and
       Whereas February 23, 2018, marks the 101st 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 2018: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates February 2018 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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