Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act of 2025

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today as we consider bills that will strengthen the SBA and work to broaden services available to small businesses. These firms employ roughly half of the private workforce, create two-thirds of all new jobs, and generate almost half of our Nation's economic activity.

These aren't just statistics. They are the foundation of our local economies, providing essential services, from plumbers and electricians to physicians, and making towns and cities across the country attractive places to live and work.

They don't work on just their own behalf. They create millions of neighborhood jobs and reinvest in their local communities, from funding Little League teams to engaging in philanthropy.

Over the past 4 years under the Biden administration, we saw a surge in startups, as over 21 million new small businesses were created, the vast majority of which were created by women, including women of color. These acts of hope for the future make our economy stronger and give us reason to celebrate.

Unfortunately, the past few months have caused extreme uncertainty in the small business community. With so many new businesses starting, there is much more we could do on Capitol Hill to support their growth and flourishing.

That is why I am pleased we are here to consider seven bipartisan bills that aim to strengthen SBA services, restore trust and accountability, and expand resources for disabled entrepreneurs.

Turning to our first bill, while college affords opportunity for so many of our students, it isn't the only path to success. For students who are looking for in-demand skills that prepare them directly for the workforce, career and technical education programs can offer viable alternatives. These programs collaborate directly with local private- sector businesses and tailor curricula to the needs of the community.

At a time when newly graduated students are seeing higher unemployment rates than the broader labor force, small businesses that rely on certain skills are still unable to find qualified workers. By directing small business development centers and women's business centers to provide educational information to small businesses about career and technical education programs, this bill will go a long way in meeting the labor needs of small businesses and also giving the graduates of CTE programs the tools they need to launch and grow their own successful startups.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Williams, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Bresnahan, and Mr. Tran for their work on this bipartisan bill. I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

I thank my colleagues, Chairman Williams, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Bresnahan, and Mr. Tran, for their bipartisan effort to ensure small businesses have access to the skilled workforce coming out of local career and technical education programs.

For years, small businesses have raised concerns about their ability to find workers with the best skills to staff their businesses. By leveraging our small business development centers and women's business centers, we can help connect promising graduates of CTE programs to small businesses in need. Moreover, we can help those graduates start and grow their own businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1642, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source