Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the American worker. Yesterday, our Nation observed Labor Day, which was established in the late 19th century as a way to honor the workers who contribute to the wealth and prosperity of this great Nation.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was one of the first eight States in the Union to recognize the holiday in the late 1880s.

In 1894, President Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day a Federal holiday. While many today consider Labor Day a time to celebrate the end of summer and beginning of fall, it is more than just a three-day weekend. Labor Day honors the American worker and the power of work. It highlights that through hard work, risk, discipline, and opportunity, we can all achieve the American Dream.

And more Americans will join the workforce thanks to my bill that was signed into law this summer that increases funding for career and technical education programs. This law will work to restore rungs on the ladder of opportunity for every American regardless of age or background, and that is something we can all celebrate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brookville Equipment Corporation on its centennial anniversary.

For 100 years, Brookville Equipment Corporation has been a leading American manufacturer of diesel locomotive engines, street trollies, and mining machinery.

In 1918, Mr. L.A. Leathers founded Brookville Locomotive Works when he started installing railroad wheels on gasoline-powered trucks. The company went into full-scale production of gasoline- and diesel-powered locomotives following World War I.

Over the course of its history, Brookville has constantly redesigned and adapted its machines with new technology to keep up with thriving industry needs.

It has also prevailed over many challenges, including a flood on July 19, 1996, where more than 8 feet of water nearly drowned the company. With the help of Brookville's dedicated workforce, its family and friends, they were able to restore the facility to 100 percent production in just 1 month.

The U.S. Small Business Administration recognized Brookville for its resilience with an award in 1999.

Mr. Speaker, since 1918, the name Brookville has meant quality. I wish them much continued success for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which has seen unanimous support in both Chambers of Congress, something I hope continues today. I proudly championed this bill because I truly believe that passing it will be a win for students, for workers, and for every person in America.

Mr. Speaker, America is ready for a win.

In June 2017, the House unanimously passed this bill to strengthen career and technical education. On Monday, the Senate also approved it unanimously, and we are now just steps away from getting this critical legislation to the President's desk to be signed into law.

This bill has been supported by House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx and Ranking Member Bobby Scott. I thank them both. I want to thank the Democratic lead, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, and my CTE Caucus co-chairman, Representative Jim Langevin.

House and Senate leaders have brought this legislation to their respective floors because they know it is an important bill.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation aims to restore rungs on the ladder of opportunity, because all Americans deserve a good-paying, family- sustaining job. Too often, we see students pushed down the college-for- all pathway that just doesn't work for some people.

But CTE has established itself as a path that many high-achieving students choose in pursuit of industry certifications and hands-on skills that they can use right out of high school in a skills-based education program or in college.

By modernizing the Federal investment in CTE programs, we will be able to connect more educators with industry stakeholders and close the skills gap in this country.

Mr. Speaker, 6.7 million jobs, good jobs, are currently available because people need to be qualified to get them.

In fact, today, right here in Washington, CTE will be highlighted. The House Education and the Workforce Committee has invited 24 innovators from across the country for the bipartisan Innovation Forum and Showcase. Dedicated professionals will share with Congress and the public how they are addressing the Nation's education and workforce development changes.

I am proud to count among these professionals Mr. Joe Luther from my district. Mr. Luther is the horticulture and landscaping instructor at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, located in Pleasant Gap, Centre County, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Luther uses hands-on instruction to inspire students to reach great heights and achieve success in life. He brings real-life scenarios into his classroom at every opportunity to show students what their future can be like in the workforce.

I know every Member of this House wants to give every American, regardless of where they come from, the best opportunity to succeed. That is why I urge my colleagues to support the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act when it comes back to the floor today with the Senate amendment.

This bill and the amendment will modernize the Federal role in our Nation's CTE program, which is long overdue; but, most importantly, it will restore rungs on the ladder of opportunity. It will inspire a new generation of builders and thinkers and makers and creators, and it will give every American a shot at the American Dream, which is opportunity and success in life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the participants of the 2017 Teach for America Capitol Hill Fellows Program. Soon, many fellows will conclude their year-long placement with committees and Member offices throughout the House and the Senate.

The fellowship offers insights into the legislative process with a focus on professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities. I have had the pleasure of hosting Paul Camacho, an educator from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a part of my staff. Prior to his fellowship, Paul taught for 6 years in Philadelphia and 2 years in Chula Vista, California. Before becoming a teacher, Paul spent 8 years in the Marine Corps where he traveled extensively and learned important leadership skills.

Paul has been a valuable member of my team, and I am grateful for his service. I wish Paul and his family the best as they start their next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I commend all of the 2017 Teach for America Capitol Hill Fellows for taking a year to immerse themselves in public policy and the workings of the legislative branch. I encourage my colleagues to explore what this tremendous program has to offer to their offices.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 2353) to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the Senate amendment to H.R. 2353.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), the chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am happy to say that this legislation, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, will help move us in the right direction.

This bill has been the result of a long, bipartisan effort that I have been proud to lead with my CTE Caucus co-chair, Mr. Langevin from Rhode Island, and now with my cosponsor from the Education and Workforce Committee, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi.

It has been more than a decade since our Federal role in our Nation's CTE programs has been modernized, and so much of our society has changed since then. Right now, there are more than 6.5 million unfilled jobs in this country, and we are finally recognizing the impact of the skills gap.

A study concluded by the Brookings Institute found that, in the next decade, 3 million workers will be needed in the infrastructure industry alone. This includes careers in transportation, housing, and telecommunications.

As a father, I know there is nothing parents want more for their kids than a life that is better than their own, but only half of all Americans today expect their children to have a brighter future than they did. The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act aims to help more Americans, particularly younger Americans, obtain the knowledge and skills they need to break the cycle of poverty and achieve a lifetime of success.

A big part of that goal is ensuring Federal policies take meaningful steps to address the challenges and realities facing today's students, workers, and employers.

We want State and local leaders to be able to focus their time and resources on preparing students for successful careers. H.R. 2353 helps with this goal by simplifying the application process for receiving Federal funds and providing States and local leaders with the flexibility needed to design CTE programs that best meet the needs of their local communities.

Perhaps most importantly, this bill makes improvements on alignment with in-demand jobs by supporting innovative learning opportunities and encouraging stronger engagement with employers. The bill promotes work- based learning, a technique that allows potential employers to give students hands-on experience.

The best thing about this bill is that it is going to be a game- changer for American students. The second best thing about this bill is that it has enjoyed not just bipartisan support, but unanimous support in both the House and the Senate so far.

We are here today to take the last step before sending this vitally important legislation to the President for his signature.

I would be remiss not to personally take a moment to thank the many staffers who have made this bill possible: Matthew Brennan, Paul Camacho, and Michelle Rakebrand from my office; former staffer Katie Brown; Education and the Workforce Committee staffers James Redstone, Brad Thomas, Alex Ricci, Mandy Schaumburg, and Amy Jones; and the Senate HELP Committee staff, who have worked behind the scenes to get us to where we are today.

This legislation is supported by a unified coalition of education, business, and industry organizations. And a specific thank you to Boeing, IBM, and the Chamber of Commerce for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be joined by other members of the Education and the Workforce Committee to talk about what this bill means to our constituents.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to say thank you to the ranking member for his help and leadership with marshalling this through the process that we have.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe), a colleague and classmate of mine.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, my thanks to Mr. Langevin for his longtime friendship and leadership on career and technical education.

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), a subcommittee chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee for the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne), another of our subcommittee chairmen in the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and the chairman of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson), a fellow colleague from the Education and the Workforce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30

seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains on my side of the aisle?

Mr. Speaker, today what we are talking about is restoring rungs in the ladder of opportunity. This is about providing better access to more effective skills-based education for all Americans.

A lot of people listening sometimes think about career and technical education, and appropriately, they think about our kids who we are trying to equip and prepare them to be successful in life, to have better lives than what we have had as their parents, and we certainly are here to do that. This legislation does serve those kids.

But this legislation serves Americans at any age, at every point in their life, to be able to tap back into a system, to get a little bit more training, a certification, a specialization, to be able to get a promotion, to get a better job. And it really is about upward mobility, Mr. Speaker.

I would say on every school day somewhere around this country, there is a student, maybe a young lady, that is not really motivated to get out of bed to go off to school, because she is someone that doesn't learn perhaps as well as others in a conventional education setting where people are lecturing and, you know, just being in the classroom setting. And she is reluctant. When she does go to school, my guess is she is probably in that classroom, and many times you find her with her head down on her desk.

But if you put the tools, Mr. Speaker, of career and technical education in her hands, she becomes inspired. Now, that could be a welder, it could be wrenches, it could be a hammer, it could be a keyboard, it could be a paintbrush, it could be a stethoscope, it could be the tools of agriculture. There are just so many tools. You put one of those tools in her hands, she is inspired. You have lit her life on fire of what is possible.

I would say this morning, when we all got up and we are having our breakfast, somewhere in America, many places in America, there were young families sitting around the table, maybe a husband and wife that have maybe young children, who, because of unemployment or underemployment, they are just wondering how they are going to pay the bills. This is a piece of legislation that serves that man and that woman to be able to get back into the workforce. Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, to get back into the workforce for the first time in a generation.

For those folks who are living in intergenerational poverty, they have been in poverty so long that they don't recall what happened in generations past that placed their family in that situation. But this is a rung on the ladder of opportunity to climb out of those circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, there are many places in this country today where employers are waking up faced with a difficult decision. They have had a business that has been very, very successful. They have done well in life, and they have got a great product or a great service. They have got a great location. They have got a great marketing plan. They have got a great compliance plan to deal with overregulation. But what they don't have is a qualified and trained workforce.

They have two decisions to make that morning. All of it involves shuttering that business, closing it, putting plywood on the doors and the windows, and just walking away and enjoying what they have earned and accumulated; or moving that business overseas where, perhaps, there are more warm bodies to be able to fill those jobs.

This bill serves those employers as well.

And so, once again, I want to thank Representative Krishnamoorthi as well as all of the Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 2353, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the House Education and the Workforce Committee will host innovators from across the country for the bipartisan Innovation Forum and Showcase. The Innovation Forum will begin at 10 a.m. in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Five panels of innovators will speak and answer questions from committee members about their work. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., members of the public are invited to tour the Innovation Showcase in the Rayburn foyer, where the innovators will be available to share information about their work.

As a senior member of the committee, I am so proud of the bipartisan Innovation Forum and Showcase. This event will certainly highlight hardworking American innovators from all walks of life. Tomorrow, there will be 24 innovators who have traveled to

Washington to discuss how they run career and technical education and workforce development programs in their communities.

I am incredibly honored to have Joe Luther, from the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology located in Pleasant Gap, Centre County, Pennsylvania, be there. Mr. Luther is the horticulture and landscaping instructor at CPI. He is well loved by his students and has received numerous accolades for his performance in the classroom.

In 2014, Mr. Luther was named the ACTE New Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year for Pennsylvania. In December, he was awarded the National Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year from NOCTI, which is presented annually to recognize career and technical education teachers for their outstanding service.

I visited Mr. Luther in his classroom at CPI and out in the community, where his students routinely work on projects or participate in competitions. In January, Mr. Luther's landscaping students secured their fourth consecutive first place win at the Pennsylvania Farm Show as a part of the agricultural education landscape exhibits.

Mr. Speaker, the Pennsylvania Farm Show is the Nation's largest indoor agriculture event, and the CPI students beat a total of seven other schools to take the top prize for their exhibit. I know these students are talented, and it is their teacher, Mr. Luther, who truly inspires them to reach great heights. Through his hands-on instruction, Mr. Luther affords students in his classroom the ability to design, build, and maintain their landscaping projects. He lets them interact with customers and discuss real transactions. He brings real-life scenarios into the classroom at every opportunity to show students what their futures can be like in the workforce.

I look forward to having Mr. Luther here in Washington for tomorrow's Innovation Forum and Showcase. I know that, because of dedicated teachers like him, scores of students will be set on a path to success in life through career and technical education programs.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to all the innovators who will participate tomorrow to share with Congress and the public how they are addressing the Nation's education and workforce development challenges. As co- chair of the bipartisan House Career and Technical Education Caucus and a consistent advocate for high-quality career and technical education, I know these programs not only shape the future of our Nation's youth, but will be the foundation for a new era of economic growth in the United States. And the future looks bright.

Mr. Speaker, on a related note, I was thankful to the Senate last evening, which passed my legislation which already passed out of this body almost a year ago, H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. I look forward to ironing out just a few minor differences, some good refinements that the Senate made, and we will see about getting that to the President's desk, quite frankly, providing greater access to more effective, skills-based education for all Americans seeking the American Dream of opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, today at 12:30, the U.S. Institute of Peace will offer an educational briefing for Members and staff on the Institute's role in reducing violent conflict abroad. As a strong supporter of the U.S. Institute of Peace, I am pleased to welcome President Nancy Lindborg to the Hill today. She will explain the history and relevance of the Institute's congressional mission and how it helps our country find nonviolent solutions to international conflicts.

President Lindborg will provide an update on the Institute's programs and how its training and educational functions are building long-term capacities for nonviolent conflict resolution that help countries solve their own problems. She will be joined by colleagues, who will provide policy updates and explain how the Institute's efforts are having an impact in both Africa and the Middle East.

In 1984, the U.S. Institute of Peace was created by Congress as an independent, nonpartisan institute to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent international conflict.

Mr. Speaker, conflict management and resolution skills are essential in today's volatile international security environment, and I am grateful for the Institute's work.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I met with Christie Glick in my Bellefonte office. Christie is an Alzheimer's ambassador in my district, and through the Alzheimer's Ambassador Program, people like Christie work throughout the country to connect with Members of Congress and share their personal experiences with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and it has reached crisis proportions. There is no effective treatment, no means of prevention, and no method of slowing the progression of this disease. Sadly, one in three seniors will die with the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 million Americans were living with Alzheimer's disease in the year 2013. That number is expected to almost triple to 14 million by the year 2050.

Mr. Speaker, Alzheimer's not only has a devastating impact on those who are diagnosed with the disease, but also their caregivers and loved ones. My own mom, Mary Thompson, lived with Alzheimer's for 10 years until it took her life.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Christie and all of the Alzheimer's ambassadors for the important work that they do to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and to never stop searching for a cure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad program, otherwise known as the YES program.

Sponsored by the Department of State and funded by Congress, the YES program is celebrating 15 years of connecting the world.

Established after the September 11 attacks, high school students from across the country spend an academic year in countries with a significant Muslim population. The students live with a host family, attend a local high school, and engage in activities to learn about their host country's society and values. In turn, the students share American culture and values with the people of their host country.

I recently met with a YES program participant from Pennsylvania's Fifth District, Jocelyn Krieger from Port Matilda. This past academic year, Jocelyn lived and learned in Bosnia. She and numerous other students were able to participate in this important cultural exchange that fosters understanding and collaboration between people of different backgrounds.

Mr. Speaker, I know that this great program will continue to grow and connect cultures to truly build a global community.

Mr. Speaker, when the Endangered Species Act was signed into law in 1973, its goal was simple: safeguard endangered species and assist in the recovery of their population.

Until last week, no recent attempts have been made to reform this essential piece of legislation. Over the past several years, the Congressional Western Caucus has been working together to determine what parts of the Endangered Species Act are broken and to develop solutions to repair this law.

The Endangered Species Act is in dire need of modernization and reform, which is why, last week, the Western Caucus, which I am proud to belong to, rolled out some solutions; among them is to address the broken litigation process that incentivizes litigation for profit at the expense of the taxpayer, address the lack of clear listing and delisting criteria, addressed the lack of transparency in Endangered Species Act decisionmaking and data collection, consider the needs of States more seriously, and address the unnecessary impediments to economic development and land management that affect endangered species.

Mr. Speaker, as far as statutes that require costly litigation, the Endangered Species Act was the third most expensive for the Department of Agriculture and the most expensive for the Department of the Interior.

Endangered Species Act litigation cost the Department of Agriculture and the Federal taxpayers $1.63 million from 2000 to 2010. It cost the Department of the Interior $22 million from 2000 to 2010, all at the expense of the taxpayer. These frivolous lawsuits have severe consequences on local economies.

Additionally, the absence of State consultation weakens the overall data that can be used to justify the Endangered Species Act listings and recovery plans, a complete lack of transparency. State and local expertise is needed to strengthen and streamline the Endangered Species Act listing and delisting process.

I am happy to say that these issues are addressed in some of the bills that were introduced last week. I proudly cosponsored a number of the bills that will make progress on this front, including the LOCAL Act, which was introduced by my colleague Scott Tipton. This bill would set up new incentives and opportunities for voluntary conservation by establishing a private party conservation grants program and a habitat conservation planning loan program for State and local governments. These programs will save the taxpayers money while boosting conservation.

Mr. Speaker, we know that the majority of the recent species that have been delisted happened not as a result of the Endangered Species Act or the Fish and Wildlife Service, but through voluntary conservation with the leadership of the Department of Agriculture.

The LAMP Act, introduced by my colleague Congressman Don Young, permits the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative management agreements with States, local governments, Tribes, and other non-Federal persons in order to better manage species and improve habitat conservation. The bill also empowers States with robust species conservation programs already in place to take the lead in managing and preserving such species when meeting certain qualifying conditions.

Mr. Speaker, these are just two examples of great pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the House to upgrade, modernize, and bring into the 21st century the Endangered Species Act.

The Endangered Species Act is in dire need of modernization, and I am eager to work with my colleagues to address these needs and reform this outdated law. I urge my colleagues to examine these commonsense bills, look at the facts behind them, and cosponsor them today.

Mr. Speaker, soon, the House will vote to go to conference with the Senate on the 2018 farm bill. As vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of moving this important process forward.

As chairman of the Nutrition Subcommittee, I am proud of the provisions we have included to give many Americans the skills needed to obtain a family-sustaining job and ultimate food security.

Food insecurity exists for so many in America today, and the workforce and job training provisions in the bill represent a significant opportunity to help millions of Americans find employment.

The Agriculture Committee has done its work. In fact, the Nutrition Subcommittee hosted 21 hearings on SNAP

and heard from more than 80 witnesses on how we can improve the program and work toward the ultimate goal of ending hunger in America.

Mr. Speaker, the House farm bill makes a historic investment in work programs so SNAP recipients have a chance to learn new skills and climb the rungs on the ladder of opportunity and escape poverty once and for all.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on Made in America Day to speak about American craftsmanship, specifically in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

American entrepreneurs, workers, farmers, and innovators have built this country and drive our economy. They are the heart of this Nation, and they ensure that the Made in the USA label means quality and value, which is something we treasure.

Pennsylvania has a rich history of being a manufacturing leader, especially our storied Pennsylvania steel. The Commonwealth has been an important cog in the wheel of this country's Industrial Revolution, thanks to industries like iron, coal, and lumber, in addition to steel. Our Pennsylvania farmers have fed, and continue to feed, generations of Americans, providing safe, nutritious food for all our neighbors.

This rich history continues today. The Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional District is home to numerous producers that have made vital contributions to our prosperity. They have employed American workers, produced American products, and grown American crops. From heritage companies to newer, rising stars, we have a wide cross-section of products produced in Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional District.

Brookville Equipment Corporation in Jefferson County is the leading manufacturer of diesel locomotive engines, street trolleys, and mining machinery. Brookville's mass transit resume includes fully refurbishing streetcars for cities including New Orleans, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

Since 1889, W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has been fashioning handcrafted pocketknives and sporting knives in McKean County, Pennsylvania.

Zippo Manufacturing Company, makers of the world-famous Zippo windproof lighter, owns Case Knives today. Zippo is another family- owned business based in Bradford, McKean County, since 1936.

Clarion Industries has two divisions in Clarion County: Clarion Boards, which produces high-quality fiberboard used to manufacture products such as laminate flooring, furniture, fixtures, cabinetry, and moldings; and Clarion Laminates, the only Made in the USA laminate flooring manufacturer of its kind.

Emporium Powdered Metal, Inc. in Cameron County is a powdered metal manufacturer staffed with more than 120 years of combined experience.

Welch's in Erie County is particularly known for its grape juices, jams, and jellies made from dark Concord grapes and its white Niagara grape juice.

Clearfield Machine Company has been producing custom machining since 1868 in Clearfield County.

Since 1830, the Woolrich name has stood for the best in sportswear for men and women, and it continues to make outerwear that combines comfort and function in Woolrich, Pennsylvania, in Clinton County.

Major leaguers have been swinging our fine Pennsylvania hardwoods, thanks to Jefferson County's BWP Bats. BWP's slogan is ``Built With Pride.''

Huntingdon County's Bonney Forge has a state-of-the-art forge facility capable of manufacturing our entire line of forged steel fitting and forged steel valve products since 1875.

Diamond Back Truck Covers is a company two Penn State students started in their garage in 2003. They made heavy-duty, utility-oriented diamond plate aluminum truck bed covers for pickup trucks in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, in Centre County.

Domtar Paper Company in Elk County is the largest integrated producer of uncoated free-sheet paper in North America and the second largest in the world, based on production capacity.

Pull-A-Pump in Potter County manufactures portable pump pulling machines for those in need of water well technology, with a unique dual traction belt design that is second to none.

Whirley Industries Incorporated in Warren County designs, develops, and produces products for the food and beverage industry.

Centre County also boasts many new rising stars in high-tech industries, including KCF Technologies, a dynamic technology company that develops and commercializes products for industry and the military.

Mr. Speaker, this is just a sample of the manufacturers who employ our friends and neighbors in Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional District. These companies and many others produce quality, American- made products, and we cannot be more proud to celebrate them during Made in America Week.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I recently introduced the Skills Investment Act of 2018 with Congressman Derek Kilmer to allow American workers to invest in their own futures.

This bill would create lifelong learning accounts workers could use to pay for skills-based education, career-related learning, and professional development. In an ever-changing economy, I know that such accounts would be put to good use.

As co-chair of the bipartisan House Career and Technical Education Caucus, I fully support expanding access to skills-based educational opportunities and professional development.

The tax treatment of these savings accounts would be similar to a health savings account. Mid-career workers could contribute up to $4,000 tax free each year, with a maximum contribution limit of $10,000. Employers would receive a 25 percent tax credit for contributions to a worker's account. Workers of all ages can use the account at any time to learn skills to make them more competitive as the economy changes.

This bill is a commonsense approach to investing in the American worker. I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor it today.

Mr. Speaker, Sunday was World Youth Skills Day. The United Nations General Assembly started this initiative to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development.

Young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Young people around the world are exposed to lower-quality jobs, greater labor market inequalities, and a longer school-to-work transition period.

That is why I am pleased the House unanimously approved my Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act last year, and it has seen action in the Senate as well.

Too often, we have seen students pushed down the college-for-all pathway that just doesn't work for some students. CTE has established itself as a path that many students choose in pursuit of industry certification and hands-on skills they can use right out of high school, in skill-based education programs, or in college.

By modernizing the Federal investment in CTE programs, we will be able to connect more educators with industry stakeholders and close the skills gap.

CTE is an important part of youth skills development, not only in the United States, but in nations around the world.