Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Career and Technical Education Caucus, I rise in strong support of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. This bipartisan bill, Mr. Speaker, is long overdue. The Carl D. Perkins CTE Act, the primary Federal investment in CTE, has not been reauthorized in over a decade. I want to thank my colleagues, particularly Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member Scott, Representative Thompson, and Representative Krishnamoorthi for their leadership and collaboration on this important bill, and a particular thanks to my co-chair of the CTE Caucus, Mr. Thompson, for his outstanding leadership and partnership on this issue over the years. Mr. Speaker, CTE provides students of all ages with the skills they need to succeed in high-demand, high-paying, high-skilled jobs. At a time right now when hundreds of thousands of jobs in manufacturing, IT, and other skilled trades remain unfilled, Congress has a responsibility to empower workers with appropriate education and training. If we fail to modernize and invest in CTE, we will be unable to build a skilled workforce, and American businesses will pay the price. H.R. 2353 aligns CTE programs with industry needs, promotes work- based learning, and supports career counselors. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). The time of the gentleman has expired.”