Langevin Joins Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers to Introduce Career and Technical Education Legislation
Washington, D.C.— Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-chair of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, today joined Congressman Glenn ‘G.T’ Thompson (R-PA) and several of his colleagues in leading the introduction of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. The legislation, which reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, bolsters career and technical education (CTE) across the nation by increasing alignment between CTE programs and in-demand careers and improving accountability through updated state and local performance indicators.
“In Rhode Island and throughout the United States, a skills gap is preventing our business and our workers from achieving their potential,” said Congressman Langevin. “Hundreds of thousands of high-paying, high-skill jobs are available, but employers can’t find qualified workers to fill these positions. The bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act will increase our investment in CTE and help ensure CTE programs are responsive to industry needs, allowing us to build a skilled workforce capable of driving economic growth.”
“Given the dramatic evolution of our nation’s workforce, it is imperative that we create clear pathways to education and training for students interested in pursuing careers in high-demand industries and technical fields,” said Congressman Thompson. “As Co-Chair of the Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act — a well-engineered, bipartisan reauthorization aimed at permanently closing our nation’s skills gap.”
Several of Langevin’s policy priorities have been incorporated into the bill, including increasing collaboration between education and industry, expanding access to student apprenticeships, supporting career counselors, and aligning state performance indicators with local labor market needs. Additional cosponsors of this legislation include Rick Nolan (D-MN), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Bradley Byrne (R-AL), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), and A. Drew. Ferguson (R-GA).
Last Congress, the House passed a similar bill by an overwhelming vote of 405-5, but the Senate did not bring it up for consideration before the end of the legislative session. The Perkins Act has not been reauthorized since 2006.