Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Smucker for yielding. I really appreciate his leadership. I thank Congressman G.T. Thompson from Pennsylvania as well for his leadership. It is an honor to be here. Madam Speaker, in recent years, global economic trends have led to an ever-growing skills gap. While unemployment has fallen to 4.4 percent in my home State of Illinois, there is still a widening gap between the jobs that are open and the skills workers need. This has become apparent as I have traveled throughout my district listening to community representatives, businesses, parents, students, and higher education officials discuss the local state of the economy. I have been particularly concerned with the feedback I have received from businesses, who continue to report that there is a gap between the talent and skills they need in employees and what they can actually find. Shortages in skilled fields like machinists, technicians, operators, cybersecurity, and healthcare are impairing their ability to grow their businesses. There is much Congress can do to improve the skills of our labor force, which is why I was proud to partner with my good friend and fellow member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Congressman G.T. Thompson, in introducing H.R. 2353. Our bill reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins grant program through fiscal year 2023 and gives States and local governments the tools to better equip workers for higher paying middle class jobs in the 21st century.…”