Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROKITA. Well, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his kind words. He is a dear friend. I have looked forward to our work together so far and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I have been to probably a hundred schools in my time in public service. I have seen the best of schools, and I have seen the worst of schools. The one thing that I am seeing more and more, not only in our K-12 schools but in others after that, is the need for career and technical education and the need for reform in that area.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I am not talking about the shop class of old or anything like that. In fact, what we are seeing now is a completely different model.

As Indiana's Governor Pence cited in a congressional hearing last year, today's CTE, today's career and technical education, is not about, if not plan A, then plan B. It is about having two plan As. And that is exactly what today's CTE courses are bringing to the forefront.

Technological advances are constantly changing the kinds of jobs that are available, as well as the skills needed to succeed in those careers. That is why career and technical education is so important. It provides opportunities for students to gain those specific skills and prepare them to navigate the changing workforce.

Now, through a number of commonsense measures, Mr. Speaker, this bill is delivering the reforms that will provide the flexibility to State and local leaders to meet those unique local needs, build stronger engagement with employers, and ensure that CTE programs are delivering results. So I thank Representatives Thompson and Clark for working together to move this bill forward.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill and help more people gain the skills and hands-on experience that are critical to succeeding in today's workforce.

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