Press Releases

Today, the House passed H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21^st Century Act. The bill would reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act for the first time in more than ten years, empower state and local leaders, modernize career and technical education (CTE) programs for today’s jobs, and help students throughout the country obtain the skills needed to find long-term, meaningful employment.

Following passage of the bill, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Skilled American Workforce Caucus, Congressman French Hill (AR-02) and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), released the following statements:

“I hear from employers in Arkansas regularly about the issues they have filling important and well-paying jobs at their companies due to the ‘skills gap,’ which accounts for nearly six million unfilled jobs in the United States. Our challenge in Congress is alerting people that these good jobs exist and promoting policies that offer American workers and students different types of training to match our diverse job market. Today’s bipartisan vote is just an example of Congress doing our part to help our young people better prepare for their futures.” – Congressman French Hill

“In order to grow our country’s skilled workforce and close the skills gap, federal investment in high-quality career and technical education is a must. This bill will help support skilled job education programs, apprenticeships, and ensure open doors of opportunity for historically underserved students. Today’s bipartisan effort is vital towards closing our country’s skills gap and filling millions of good-paying jobs. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, over the next decade our nation will need to fill up to 3.5 million manufacturing jobs. However, 2 million of those will go unfulfilled due to this growing skills gap.  The numbers are clear and the need is great.  I am proud to support this legislation that helps to invest in American workers and strengthens us as a nation.” – Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence

Watch Hill and Lawrence Talk Skilled Workforce on MSNBC