Senate Passes House Career and Technical Education Bill to Applause from House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Earlier this week, the Senate voted in agreement to pass H.R. 2353, The Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The corresponding Senate version of the bill, S. 3217, Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act was also introduced to the Senate earlier this month.

The Perkins Act legislation was enacted in 1984, and reauthorized in 1998. The purpose of the legislation is to use federal funds to support and increase the quality of technical education in the U.S. with the long-term hope that this will have a positive impact on the economy. The reauthorization act of 1998 was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2006 and passed by Congress that same year.

With the Senate’s approval of the Perkins Act, the bill will now go back to the House for votes to approve the changes the Senate made to the bill. Following the passage of the bill, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Co-Chairs Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Glenn Thompson (R-PA) released a joint statement applauding these steps:

"We commend the Senate for taking up H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. Over a year ago, the House unanimously passed this bipartisan solution to help close the skills gap and open the door for more innovation in workforce development. Today’s action by the United States Senate is one of the final, crucial steps in making better career and technical education options a reality for millions of Americans."

For further information on H.R. 2353, click here: https://edworkforce.house.gov/cte/

To view the legislation as it currently stands, click here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2353

For further information on S. 3217, click here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/3217/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s.+3217%22%5D%7D&r=1