[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 17, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4367-H4368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CAUCUS

  (Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania was recognized to address the House for 
5 minutes.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, as the co-chair of the 
bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am proud to be an 
advocate for CTE and the work we do to support job training, 
apprenticeships, and CTE programs.
  Skills-based education provides learners of all ages with career-
ready skills, giving individuals the tools to succeed and restoring the 
rungs on the ladder of opportunity.
  From agriculture to the arts and from marketing to manufacturing,

[[Page H4368]]

CTE programs work to develop America's most valuable resource: its 
people. A highly skilled workforce is important to the success of our 
American economy.
  That is why, together with the CTE Caucus co-chair, Congresswoman 
Bonamici, I introduced two bills that increase career counseling for 
students and adult learners.
  The Counseling for Career Choice Act would expand K-12 career 
counseling services and provide more resources focused on financial 
literacy, registered apprenticeships, dual enrollment programs, 
internships, and even financing for college or other postsecondary 
education.

  Career counseling gives students the tools that they need to make 
well-informed decisions about their futures. When we equip school 
counselors with the resources necessary, we can help close our Nation's 
skills gap and let students find the pathway to fulfilling careers.
  The Counseling for Career Choice Act ensures that middle and high 
school students are made fully aware of their career and educational 
options prior to graduation so that they are aware of all the 
opportunities before them.
  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 college.
  For adult learners, we introduced the Creating Opportunities to 
Thrive and Advance Act, or COTA Act for short, to help spread the word 
about career counseling through public outreach.
  COTA amends title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 
or WIOA, to bolster career guidance for adults.
  For the first time, this bill would allow for public outreach such as 
public service announcements, social media campaigns, job fairs, and 
other means to educate the public on workforce development programs.
  Mr. Speaker, we must be able to tell the public about the resources 
available to them. Increasing access to career opportunities is a good 
investment, and the COTA Act will give individuals the resources they 
need to take the next step in their careers.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support both bills and to join 
the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus today.

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