A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of "Career and Technical Education Month".

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 67 Supporting the goals and ideals of ‘‘Career and Technical Education Month’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 15, 2023 Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. YOUNG, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BEN- NET, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BRAUN, Mrs. BRITT, Mr. BROWN, Mr. BUDD, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COONS, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. DAINES, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. ERNST, Mrs. FEIN- STEIN, Mr. FETTERMAN, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. HAGERTY, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. HICKENLOOPER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. KELLY, Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. LUJA´N, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MAR- SHALL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. PETERS, Mr. REED, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROM- NEY, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SMITH, Mr. THUNE, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. VANCE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WELCH, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following resolution; which was consid- ered 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:14 Feb 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR67.ATS SR67 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 67 ATS States in the next decade, including to design, build, and operate transportation, housing, utilities, and tele- communications; Whereas current global economic uncertainty and volatility have fundamentally shifted entire industries within foundational sectors of the economy of the United States, creating significant demands for high-quality and effi- cient educational opportunities to ensure a quick and eq- uitable 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, mathe- matics, nursing, allied health, construction, information technology, energy sustainability, and many other career fields that are vital in keeping the United States competi- tive 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, in the United States, more than 1⁄2 of all jobs re- quire some level of postsecondary education, but less than a bachelor’s degree; Whereas nearly 12,000,000 students are enrolled in CTE across the United States at the secondary and postsec- ondary levels, with CTE programs in thousands of com- prehensive high schools, area technical centers, and ca- reer academies and in nearly 1,000 2-year colleges; Whereas CTE matches employability skills with workforce de- mand and provides relevant academic and technical VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:14 Feb 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR67.ATS SR67 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 67 ATS coursework leading to credentials of value for secondary, postsecondary, 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; Whereas secondary CTE is associated with a lower prob- ability of dropping out of high school and a higher likeli- hood of graduating on time; Whereas, according to an American Federation of Teachers poll, 94 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 Edu- cation for the 21st Century Act (Public Law 115–224; 132 Stat. 1563), which supports investment and program improvement in secondary and postsecondary CTE pro- grams 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, 2023, marks the 106th 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 Fed- eral investment in secondary CTE and laid the founda- tion for the bipartisan, bicameral support for CTE that continues as of February 2023: Now, therefore, be it VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:14 Feb 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR67.ATS SR67 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 67 ATS Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) supports the designation of February 2023 2 as ‘‘Career and Technical Education Month’’ to cele- 3 brate career and technical education across the 4 United States; 5 (2) supports the goals and ideals of Career and 6 Technical Education Month; 7 (3) recognizes the importance of career and 8 technical education in preparing a well-educated and 9 skilled workforce in the United States; and 10 (4) encourages educators, school counselors, 11 guidance and career development professionals, ad- 12 ministrators, and parents to promote career and 13 technical education as a respected educational path- 14 way for students. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:14 Feb 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR67.ATS SR67 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS