This week, a bipartisan group of 59 senators signed a letter calling for reforms to and reauthorization of career and technical education under the Perkins Act. Earlier this year, the House unanimously passed reforms to the Perkins Act through the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, H.R. 2353. The $1 billion program is significant because it helps offset the cost of career and technical education programs and is a component of AGC’s workforce strategy to close the skills gap. The reforms include better aligning education with local needs, promoting work‐based learning, spurring industry‐recognized credentials and providing modest funding increases.
AGC has been calling on the U.S. Senate to swiftly consider the House-passed bill and urges members to contact their senators to do the same. Today’s Senate letter closely aligns with the House-passed bill and AGC’s priorities, thus giving AGC encouragement that bipartisan legislation could can still happen.
For more information, contact Jim Young at [email protected] or (202) 547-0133.