Recognizing Computer Science Education Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Computer Science Education Week. In 2009, this opportunity for awareness was established to highlight the many ways computer science education benefits individuals as well as entire industries.

Computer Science Education Week is a chance for students of all ages to learn about the importance and benefits of computer science and the endless professional opportunities that abound with a skills-based education.

I am co-chair of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, and it has been a pleasure to work across the aisle to support important educational programs like investments in computer science.

Our Nation is in desperate need of skilled workers, and career and technical education is a win-win. It can offer rewarding professional futures for learners of all ages, while simultaneously closing the Nation's skills gap.

An industry that can particularly benefit from a skilled workforce, and especially those trained in computer science, is cybersecurity.

H.R. 1592, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act, is a bill I am proud to cosponsor with my Career and Technical Education Caucus co- chair, Congressman Jim Langevin from Rhode Island.

The Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act seeks to develop a critical infrastructure workforce that is well-trained to handle cyber threats from bad actors. H.R. 1592 authorizes $10 million to create a competitive grant program within the Department of Education to incorporate cybersecurity education into new and existing career and technical education programs. The bill also requires the Department of Education to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security to better support cybersecurity education programs.

COVID-19 demonstrated how much we rely on a skilled and trained workforce, and sadly, the personal lives and careers of many Americans have been uprooted as a result of the virus. Far too many people lost their jobs through no fault of their own. That is why I was eager to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 7032, the Skills Renewal Act.

This legislation would help displaced workers gain new skills and advance their careers upon reentry into the workforce. The bill would create a $4,000 fully refundable skills training credit to cover a wide range of career and technical education programs.

Mr. Speaker, we need a workforce that can meet modern technical demands, and students who choose a career in technical education are best suited for that challenge. Through career and technical educational programs like computer science, we can begin to close our Nation's skills gap and help individuals restore the rungs on the ladder of opportunity.

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