III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 550 

Supporting the goals and ideals of ‘‘Career and Technical Education Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 8 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 7), 2024 

Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. YOUNG, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BUDD, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. BRITT, Mr. BROWN, Ms. 

CANTWELL, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CASSIDY, Ms. 

COLLINS, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CRAPO, 

Mr. DAINES, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. FETTERMAN, Mr. 

GRASSLEY, Mr. HAGERTY, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. 

HICKENLOOPER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. 

LANKFORD, Mr. LUJA ́N, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MARSHALL, 

Mr. MERKLEY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. PETERS, Mr. REED, 

Mr. RISCH, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. 

SCOTT of South Carolina, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SMITH, Mr. THUNE, Mr. 

TILLIS, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. 

WICKER, Mr. WYDEN, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BRAUN, and 

Ms. ERNST) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of ‘‘Career and Technical 

Education Month’’. 

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 through 2031, including to design, build, and opVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Feb 09, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR550.ATS SR550

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•SRES 550 ATS 

erate transportation, housing, utilities, and telecommunications; 

Whereas advancements in technology have fundamentally 

changed critical economic sectors of the United States 

and the global economy, creating significant, new demand 

for high-wage, high-quality, and efficient education and 

training opportunities; 

Whereas career and technical education (referred to in this 

preamble as ‘‘CTE’’) ensures that a competitive and 

skilled workforce is ready, willing, and capable of holding 

jobs in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand career fields; 

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, it is forecast that nearly 1⁄3

of all jobs will require some level of postsecondary education, but less than a bachelor’s degree, by 2031; 

Whereas 11,500,000 students are enrolled in CTE programs 

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 over 1,000 two-year colleges; 

Whereas CTE aligns with labor market demand and provides 

students with employability skills and relevant academic 

and technical coursework leading to credentials of value 

for secondary and postsecondary education levels 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; 


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Whereas secondary CTE is associated with a lower probability of dropping out of high school and a higher likelihood of graduating high school on time; 

Whereas, according to a recent national survey conducted by 

the Hunt Institute and Lake Research Partners, 94 percent of parents and voters favor increased opportunities 

for students to access workforce training and related opportunities to cultivate skills needed for a career; 

Whereas students at schools with highly integrated, rigorous 

academics 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 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, 2024, marks the 107th anniversary of 

the signing of the Act of February 23, 1917 (39 Stat. 

929, chapter 114, commonly known as the ‘‘SmithHughes 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 2024: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the designation of February 2024 

3 as ‘‘Career and Technical Education Month’’ to celeVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Feb 09, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR550.ATS SR550

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1 brate career and technical education across the 

2 United States; 

3 (2) supports the goals and ideals of Career and 

4 Technical Education Month; 

5 (3) recognizes the importance of career and 

6 technical education in preparing a well-educated and 

7 skilled workforce in the United States; and 

8 (4) encourages educators, school counselors, 

9 guidance and career development professionals, ad10 ministrators, and parents to promote career and 

11 technical education as a respected educational path12 way for students. 

Æ 


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