Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s Career, Technical, and Vocational Education Bill Passes House Unanimously and Heads to the President’s Desk
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House passed H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. This legislation, led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Congressman Glenn ‘GT' Thompson (R-PA), has now passed both the House and Senate unanimously, and will be sent to the President for signature into law. This legislation reauthorizes and modernizes the American career, technical, and vocational education system for the first time since 2006. There are currently 6.5 million unfilled jobs in the United States because employers simply cannot find workers with the applicable skills for the job. This bill will increase funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Program by up to $1.3 billion annually, providing high school and post-secondary students with on-the-job training in fields such as cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare. It will require educators to work with local businesses to design training programs for the in-demand skills needed today.
"I am thrilled by the passage of this major bipartisan legislation through both the House and Senate. We've built overwhelming support for these investments in our workforce from both sides of the aisle, as well as from business and education leaders," said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. "The fact that federal career and technical education programs have not been updated in 12 years means that there has never been a more important time to invest in the future of our economy and workers. From my first day in Congress, modernizing career, technical, and vocational education has been my top priority, and the House's unanimous passage of this legislation is a huge win for students, businesses, and workers. I hope to see President Trump sign this bill to help close the skills gap, increase worker wages, and strengthen our economy for generations to come."