Whereas a competitive global economy requires workers who are prepared for skilled professions; Whereas not fewer than 17,000,000 new workers will be needed to support the infrastructure sector of the United States through 2031, including to design, build, and operate transportation, housing, utilities, and telecommunications; Whereas advancements in technology have fundamentally changed critical economic sectors of the United States and the global economy, creating significant, new demand for high-wage, high-quality, and efficient education and training opportunities; Whereas career and technical education (referred to in this preamble as CTE ) ensures that a competitive and skilled workforce is ready, willing, and capable of holding jobs in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand career fields; Whereas CTE helps the United States meet the very real and immediate challenges of economic development, student achievement, and global competitiveness; Whereas, in the United States, it is forecast that nearly 1/3 of all jobs will require some level of postsecondary education, but less than a bachelor’s degree, by 2031; Whereas 11,500,000 students are enrolled in CTE programs across the United States at the secondary and postsecondary levels, with CTE programs in thousands of comprehensive high schools, area technical centers, and career academies and in over 1,000 two-year colleges; Whereas CTE aligns with labor market demand and provides students with employability skills and relevant academic and technical coursework leading to credentials of value for secondary and postsecondary education levels and adult learners; Whereas CTE affords students the opportunity to cultivate the knowledge and skills to earn the credentials needed to secure careers in growing, high-demand fields; Whereas secondary CTE is associated with a lower probability of dropping out of high school and a higher likelihood of graduating high school on time