[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 26, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1494-S1495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 79--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, 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, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Hirono, 
Mr. Hoeven, Mrs.

[[Page S1495]]

Hyde-Smith, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
Manchin, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Peters, Mr. Roberts, 
Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. 
Wicker, Mr. Wyden, and Ms. Ernst) submitted the following resolution; 
which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 79

       Whereas a competitive global economy requires workers who 
     are prepared for skilled professions;
       Whereas, in the next decade, 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 nearly 12,200,000 students are enrolled in CTE 
     across the country at the secondary and postsecondary levels, 
     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, last year, 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; 
     and
       Whereas February 23, 2019, marks the 102d 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 2019: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates February 2019 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.

  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, our Nation's continued economic progress 
and the social mobility of our citizens are contingent on the education 
and skills of the American workforce and its ability to adjust and 
fulfill the needs of the 21st century economy. Career and technical 
education (CTE) programs are an essential piece of every student's 
education, providing them access to the important knowledge, skills, 
and credentials needed to obtain careers in rapidly growing, high-
demand fields. Today, approximately 12.2 million students across the 
Nation are enrolled in CTE programs offered by thousands of career 
academies, comprehensive high schools, CTE high schools, community 
colleges, and CTE centers. Through intentionally designed applied 
learning, these students gain workplace skills and technical training 
that mirror in-demand positions in the workforce.
  In the coming decade, a projected 3 million skilled workers will be 
needed to fill infrastructure positions in the United States, including 
jobs related to designing, building, and operating transportation, 
housing, telecommunication, and utilities facilities. CTE programs 
intentionally match employability skills with workforce demands, 
lowering the probability of students dropping out of high school and 
increasing their likelihood of graduating on time. These skills-based 
training programs will help fill the estimated 30 million U.S. jobs 
available with an average income annual income of $55,000 that do not 
require a bachelor's degree yet necessitate some level of postsecondary 
education.
  Across Virginia, I hear from manufacturers frustrated by the shortage 
of qualified skilled production employees--roles that require the 
training and instruction provided in CTE classrooms. It is essential 
that we elevate the important role of CTE in the country's ability to 
meet the interconnected challenges of economic development, student 
achievement, and global competitiveness. Last year, Congress affirmed 
the importance of CTE by passing the Strengthening Career and Technical 
Education for the 21st Century Act which supports CTE programs in 
secondary and postsecondary education.
  Today, with my Senate CTE Caucus co-chairs Senator Portman, Senator 
Baldwin, and Senator Young and 47 colleagues in the Senate, I am 
pleased to introduce a bipartisan resolution to designate February as 
Career and Technical Education (CTE) month. CTE Month encourages 
students, parents, counselors, educators, and school leaders to learn 
more about the diverse educational opportunities offered in their 
communities, and recognize the valuable role of CTE in developing a 
well-educated and highly skilled workforce in the United States.
  By formally recognizing CTE Month through this resolution, it is our 
aim to raise greater awareness of the importance of improving access to 
high-quality CTE for millions of America's students and our nation's 
ongoing economic competitiveness.

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