Title: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of "Career and Technical Education Month".
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of February 2022 as Career and Technical Education Month to celebrate career and technical education across the United States.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 515 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 515

  Supporting the goals and ideals of ``Career and Technical Education 
                                Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 15, 2022

   Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Young, Mr. Portman, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
 Barrasso, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
 Boozman, Mr. Braun, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Carper, 
  Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cramer, Mr. 
     Crapo, Mr. Daines, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Ernst, Mrs. 
  Feinstein, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Hagerty, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
 Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, 
   Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Kelly, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. 
 Lujan, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Merkley, 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, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, 
 Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, 
and Mr. Wyden) 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 at least 15,000,000 new workers will be needed for the United States' 
        infrastructure in the next decade, including designing, building, and 
        operating transportation, housing, utilities, and telecommunications;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has displaced millions of workers in the United 
        States and fundamentally shifted entire industries within foundational 
        aspects of the economy, creating significant demands for high-quality 
        and efficient upskilling and reskilling 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, 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 the United States has 30,000,000 jobs providing an average income of 
        $55,000 per year that do not require a bachelor's degree yet 
        increasingly require some level of postsecondary education;
Whereas over 11,000,000 students are enrolled in CTE across the country at the 
        secondary and postsecondary levels, with CTE programs in thousands of 
        CTE centers, comprehensive high schools, career academies, and CTE high 
        schools, and nearly 1,000 2-year colleges;
Whereas CTE matches employability skills with workforce demand and provides 
        relevant academic and technical coursework leading to industry-
        recognized credentials for secondary, postsecondary, and adult learners;
Whereas CTE affords students the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and 
        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, 96 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), which supports program improvement in secondary 
        and postsecondary CTE programs in all 50 States, the District of 
        Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and outlying 
        areas; and
Whereas February 23, 2022, marks the 105th 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 2022: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the designation of February 2022 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 option 
        for students.
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