[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S429-S430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 67--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF ``CAREER AND 
                      TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH''

  Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Young, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. 
Bennet, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
Braun, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Brown, Mr. Budd, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, Mr. 
Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Ms. Collins, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. 
Cortez Masto, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Daines, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. 
Durbin, Ms. Ernst, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. 
Grassley, Mr. Hagerty, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. 
Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Kelly, Mr. King, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Manchin, Mr. 
Marshall, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Mr. Risch, Mr. Romney, Ms. 
Rosen, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, 
Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Vance, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Welch, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 67

       Whereas a competitive global economy requires workers who 
     are prepared for skilled professions;
       Whereas not fewer than 17,000,000 new workers will be 
     needed to support the infrastructure sector of the United 
     States in the next decade, including to design, build, and 
     operate transportation, housing, utilities, and 
     telecommunications;
       Whereas current global economic uncertainty and volatility 
     have fundamentally shifted entire industries within 
     foundational sectors of the economy of the United States, 
     creating significant demands for high-quality and efficient 
     educational opportunities to ensure a quick and equitable 
     recovery;
       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, art and design, 
     mathematics,

[[Page S430]]

     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, in the United States, more than \1/2\ of all jobs 
     require some level of postsecondary education, but less than 
     a bachelor's degree;
       Whereas nearly 12,000,000 students are enrolled in CTE 
     across the United States at the secondary and postsecondary 
     levels, with CTE programs in thousands of comprehensive high 
     schools, area technical centers, and career academies and in 
     nearly 1,000 2-year colleges;
       Whereas CTE matches employability skills with workforce 
     demand and provides relevant academic and technical 
     coursework leading to credentials of value for secondary, 
     postsecondary, and adult learners;
       Whereas CTE affords students the opportunity to cultivate 
     the knowledge and skills to earn the 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, 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; 132 Stat. 
     1563), which supports investment and program improvement in 
     secondary and postsecondary CTE programs in all 50 States, 
     the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
     the United States Virgin Islands, and outlying areas; and
       Whereas February 23, 2023, marks the 106th anniversary of 
     the signing of the Act of February 23, 1917 (39 Stat. 929, 
     commonly known as the ``Smith-Hughes Vocational Education Act 
     of 1917''), 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 2023: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of February 2023 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, school counselors, guidance and 
     career development professionals, administrators, and parents 
     to promote career and technical education as a respected 
     educational pathway for students.

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