WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) announced that Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) will become the new Democratic co-chair of the bipartisan House Career and Technical Education Caucus at the beginning of the 118
th Congress. The transition comes as Rep. Langevin — who has co-led the Caucus for 11 years — prepares to depart from Congress at the end of the year.
“Career and technical education has tremendous potential to enrich the learning experience for students,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “CTE helps students stay engaged in school while learning skills that lead to in-demand, good-paying jobs. Congress has made historic investments in workforce development and domestic manufacturing, and CTE will play a central role in preparing workers to thrive and contribute to the growth of our economy. It is an honor to serve as co-chair of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus and continue its legacy of bipartisan solutions to our nation’s pressing education and workforce issues. I’m grateful for Congressman Langevin’s long dedication to advancing CTE programs and serving as co-chair of the caucus, and I look forward to working with Congressman Thompson on legislation that opens pathways to quality careers for students and strengthens our workforce.”
“As the global economy continues to change, our American workforce must change with it. To sustain America’s competitive edge on the global stage, we must double down on our investments in career and technical training, apprenticeship programs, and community colleges,” said Rep. Jim Langevin. “It’s been a privilege to lead the CTE Caucus for the last 11 years, as we have worked in a bipartisan fashion to close the ‘skills gap’ once and for all. I know that Rep. Bonamici shares my commitment to preparing Americans of all ages for the good-paying careers of the 21st century economy, and I congratulate her on this new position.”
“It has been a privilege to work so closely with Congressman Langevin for more than a decade to advance career and technical education (CTE) in a bipartisan manner,” Rep. Thompson said. “We’ve made great strides to improve access and public awareness to the many benefits of CTE. By giving students the ability to explore career paths and build transferable skills, we are one step closer to developing a stronger, more skilled American workforce. I look forward to working with Congresswoman Bonamici as we continue to expand opportunities for Americans of all ages for good-paying, family-sustaining careers.”
“ACTE is grateful for our warm relationship with Congressman Langevin in support of CTE over the years, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude for all that he has done to lift up career and technical education (CTE) as a member of the CTE Caucus,” said ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson. “While we will miss the Congressman, we are excited to begin working with Congresswoman Bonamici to ensure that our nation’s workforce development and education systems can work together to ensure a family-sustaining and rewarding career is accessible for all Americans. Our workforce is rapidly evolving, and we must make strong investments in CTE now to prepare for the future.”
“Representative Langevin’s leadership as co-chair of the House CTE Caucus culminates over two decades of dedication to increase the awareness of and support for CTE and its learners,” said Advance CTE Executive Director Kimberly Green. «Advance CTE is incredibly grateful for his partnership and dedication, and we wish him the very best in his next chapter. We look forward to working with Representative Bonamici in the next Congress to secure the necessary resources for state leaders to build high-quality, equitable CTE systems for every learner.»
Comprised of Members of Congress from across the ideological spectrum, the Congressional Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus was founded to support and promote CTE programs for workers of all ages. The CTE caucus believes that well-paying, family-sustaining jobs should be available to everyone, and CTE programming can make that goal a reality.
