CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Election Watch 2022: State Ballot Measures

This November, most voters will have the opportunity to vote on state ballot measures. State ballot measures are important components of the voting process in which citizens are provided the opportunity to voice their input on various legislation topics, including education. Typically, ballot measures are referendums or ballot initiatives, allowing voters to propose new state-level legislation or uphold or repeal a law that passed the state legislature. Gathered using the Statewide Ballot Measures Database by the National Conference of State Legislatures, the following outline some of the education-related state ballot measures that will be determined by voters in November:

• Arizona: Allows undocumented Arizona high school graduates to receive in-state university and community college tuition.
• California: Requires funding for K-12 art and music education.
• Colorado: Reduces caps for income tax deductions and the income threshold to which they apply to create and fund the Healthy School Meals for All Program.
• Florida: Authorizes the state legislature to provide an additional homestead property tax exemption on $50,000 of assessed value on property owned by certain public service workers, which includes teachers.
• Idaho: An advisory question that gauges citizen support for the passage of House Bill 1, which allocates $410 million of the state’s sales tax to the public school income fund and in-demand careers fund, as well as makes changes to income and corporate tax rates.
• Massachusetts: Creates a 4% tax on incomes that exceed $1 million for education and transportation purposes, which includes K-12 schools, CTE and adult education.
• New Mexico: Has a variety of ballot measures related to education including:
  • Issues over $215 million in bonds for public higher education institutions, special public schools and tribal schools.
  • Issues over $19 million to bonds for public libraries.
  • Dedicates funds devoted to early childhood programs from the Land Grant Permanent Fund.
• West Virginia: Requires the state’s board of education to submit any proposed rules to the legislature to approve, amend or reject.

The list above demonstrates the impact state ballot measures can have on education and CTE programs during the November 2022 election. ACTE will continue to monitor the 2022 elections and their implications on CTE and education as part of our coverage on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

To check your voter registration, register to vote, or learn more about your state’s voting policies, visit Nonprofit Vote.  

ACTE Election Watch 2022

Voters will head to the polls this November 8 to determine the new makeup of the 118th Congress and state governments, and to weigh in on ballot initiatives. At the federal level, all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats will be on the ballot, while 39 state and territory gubernatorial elections and numerous state legislative seats will be contested.  

With federal reauthorizations looming for the Higher Education Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, National Apprenticeship Act, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the Farm Bill, and numerous state education and workforce policy discussions at play, these midterm elections will be consequential for education up and down the ballot. This makes it critical for CTE advocates to be informed on key issues and ready to weigh in on election day! Starting today, ACTE will launch its Election Watch 2022 series to keep you abreast of what issues are at stake, who is on the ballot, and how the results of the election might impact CTE in the next Congress.  

To check your voter registration, register to vote, or to learn more about your state’s voting policies, visit Nonprofit Vote.  

Democrats win control of Senate after Georgia runoffs

On Tuesday, Democrats defeated the Republican incumbents in both of Georgia’s runoff elections, securing enough seats to control of the Senate after President-elect Biden’s inauguration. Democrat Raphael G. Warnock will become Georgia’s first Black senator, after defeating Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA). Warnock is currently the Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. He initially became involved in politics by campaigning to expand Medicare under the Affordable Care Act. According to his campaign website, Warnock “understands that that college isn’t for everyone and that we should be providing more options for people to make a good living for themselves and their families that don’t require college degrees.” He asserts he will support vocational training, trade schools and apprenticeship programs. 

In the other runoff election, Democrat Jon Ossoff defeated incumbent Senator David Perdue (R-GA) by less than a percentage point. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served as a national security staffer for a Georgia congressman and as CEO of an investigative television production company. On his campaign website, Ossoff calls for a greater emphasis on vocational training and vows to fight to make vocational and trade school free. 

The election of these two senators brings the balance of power in the Senate to 50-50, and after the Biden Inauguration, the tie will be broken by Vice President Harris, giving control of the chamber to the Democrats. At that time, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) is expected to become chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. We’ll have more information on committee changes and implications of the shift in balance of power in the coming weeks! 

117th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition VI (FINAL)

This week we close with our final coverage of New Members of Congress by profiling new Members from Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

You can find all of our editions at the links below:

• Edition I (AL, AZ, CA, CO)
• Edition II (FL, GA, HI, IL)
• Edition III (IA, IN, KS, LA, MA, MI)
• Edition IV (MN, MO, MT, NM, NY)
• Edition V (NC, OK, OR, SC, TN)

Texas

Texas will have seven new Member of Congress come January, all members of the House. In Texas’ Fourth Congressional District, Republican Pat Fallon will replace Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX), who resigned to become the Director of National Intelligence under President Trump. Fallon, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, has served in both chambers of the Texas state legislature and is a small business owner. Fallon does not list an education policy platform on his campaign website.

In Texas’ Eleventh Congressional District, Republican August Pfluger will replace Rep. Mike Conaway, who did not seek re-election. Pfluger, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, also served on the U.S. National Security Council under President Trump. Pfluger does not list an education policy platform on his campaign website.

Republican Ronny Jackson will replace Rep. Mac Thornberry, who did not seek re-election, in Texas’ 13th Congressional District. Jackson spent nearly 25 years in the U.S. Navy, reaching the rank of Rear Admiral. He also served as the Physician to the President during the Obama Administration and Chief Medical Officer to the President under President Trump. Under his education platform on his campaign website, Jackson lists that “education at junior colleges and trade schools should be encouraged, cost-effective and available for those who don’t seek the traditional university pathway.”

Former Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) will return to Congress, this time representing Texas’ 17th Congressional District. He will be replacing Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX), who decided to not seek re-election. Sessions has previously represented two other congressional districts in Texas, from 1997-2019. Sessions makes no mention of education policy on his campaign website.

In Texas’ 22nd Congressional District, Republican Troy Nehls will replace Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX), who did not seek re-election. Nehls, who is currently a county sheriff, has spent his entire career in law enforcement and in the U.S. Army, where he served a tour of duty in 2004. According to his campaign website, he will “always be a voice for public education and our educators.”

In Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, Republican Tony Gonzales will replace Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), who will retire at the end of the current Congress. Gonzales is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served multiple tours of duty. He also spent time as a defense fellow in the office of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and worked as an assistant professor of political science at the University of Maryland. His education policy platform includes “improving access for adult learners to earn a livable wage through reduction of unnecessary regulations and streamlining the trade skill certification process.” Further, he  supports “all forms of educational opportunities to include, but not limited to, charter schools, public schools, private schools, religious schools, and home schooling.”

Lastly, Republican Beth Van Duyne will replace Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX) and become the new representative of Texas’ 24th Congressional District in January. Van Duyne is a former city councilor, mayor and U.S. HUD official under the Trump Administration. Van Duyne does not mention education policy on her campaign website.

Utah

Utah will have two new Members of Congress come January, both serving in the House of Representatives. In Utah’s First Congressional District, Republican Blake Moore will replace Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), who did not seek re-election. Moore currently works as a management consultant and has previously served as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Department of State. Under the K-12 and Higher Education priorities section on his campaign website, Moore lists the need to ensure “Utah’s higher education institutions continue to align with workforce needs by providing relevant and affordable education.”

In Utah’s Fourth Congressional District, Republican Burgess Owens defeated incumbent Ben McAdams (D-UT) in November’s general election. Prior to Congress, Owens spent ten years in the NFL, founded multiple companies, became a non-profit executive and authored multiple books. According to his campaign website, Owens’ education platform is predicated on the belief that education is a state and local issue and that the federal government should have limited involvement.

Virginia

Republican Bob Good, who defeated Rep. Denver Riggleman in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District, will be the only new member from Virginia come January. Good has previously served as a county supervisor, worked in financial services for nearly two decades and was the athletic director of Liberty University. Good makes no mention of education policy on his campaign website, but does support the expansion of rural broadband.

Washington

Washington will only have one new Member of Congress come January, serving in Washington’s 10th Congressional District. Democrat Marilyn Strickland will replace Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA), who did not seek re-election. Prior to Congress, she spent time in the private sector before being elected to Tacoma’s city council, then mayor. After her time as mayor, she was the president of the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce. Her education platform includes supporting the expansion of “vocational-technical training and apprenticeship programs.”

Wisconsin

Republican Scott Fitzgerald will replace Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), who decided to not seek re-election, as the next representative for Wisconsin’s Fifth Congressional District. Fitzgerald has served in the state legislature since 1995, spending the last seven years as majority leader. He has also served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 27 years. There is no mention of education policy on his campaign website.

Wyoming

Republican Cynthia Lummis will replace retiring Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) to be Wyoming’s only new member in the 117th Congress. Lummis has previously served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, as state treasurer, and in both chambers of the state legislature. During her time in the U.S. House, she served on the Appropriations Committee, which oversees funding for the Perkins Basic State Grant program. She makes no mention of education policy on her campaign website.

117th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition V

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, in this post we profile new Members from North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee.

North Carolina

North Carolina will have three new Member of Congress come January, all members of the House. Democrat Deborah Ross will replace Rep. George Holding (R-NC), who is retiring at the end of 2020, as the new representative for North Carolina’s Second Congressional District. Ross is currently a practicing attorney but has previously served as a state representative and state director for the American Civil Liberties Union. During her time in the state legislature, she worked to “reduce class sizes, raise teacher pay, and increase investment in early childhood education.” Although there is no mention of CTE on her campaign website, she has previously emphasized the need for affordable higher education, pointing out the difficulties of sustaining a job without additional education or skills training.

In North Carolina’s Sixth Congressional District, Democrat Kathy Manning will replace incumbent Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC). Manning is a career attorney and has served in leadership roles in numerous community and nonprofit organizations. Manning’s education platform highlights CTE and skills training frequently, saying that she will “work to increase access to apprenticeship opportunities as well as vocational and technical education and training programs to shrink the skills gap and prepare our workforce for the 21st century economy.”

Lastly, In North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, Republican Madison Cawthorn will replace Rep. Mark Meadows, who resigned to become Chief of Staff to President Trump. Cawthorn, the youngest member elected to Congress, has previously served as a congressional aide and worked in real estate. There is no mention of CTE or education policy on his campaign website, but he does list expanding broadband as a priority.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma will only have one new Member of Congress serving in the 117th Congress, hailing from the Fifth Congressional District. Republican Stephanie Bice defeated one-term incumbent Rep. Kendra Horn (D-OK) in November’s general election. Bice is a current member of the state legislature and has previously worked in marketing for various organizations. Although her campaign website currently lists no policy platform, previously it listed her education platform which ardently supported CTE. It stated that Bice “will continue to advocate for education at the federal level, supporting funding for vocational schools and training programs to expand access and career options for our children.”

Oregon

Like Oklahoma, Oregon will also only have one new Member of Congress come January. Republican Cliff Bentz will replace Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), who is retiring at the end of his term, and become the new representative for Oregon’s Second Congressional District. Bentz, a lawyer by trade, has spent the last 12 years serving in both chambers of the state legislature. Bentz makes no mention of an education platform on his campaign website.

South Carolina

Republican Nancy Mace, who defeated incumbent Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-SC) to represent South Carolina’s First Congressional District, will become the only new Member of Congress for South Carolina in the 117th Congress. Mace will become the first Republican woman from South Carolina to serve in Congress. Mace, an author and owner of a consulting firm, is also currently serving in the state legislature. Her policy platform makes no mention of CTE or education priorities.

Tennessee

Tennessee will welcome two new Members of Congress come January; one in the Senate and one in the House. In the Senate, Republican Bill Hagerty will replace retiring Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Hagerty has previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan under President Trump, economic advisor and White House Fellow under President George. H.W. Bush and as the TN Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. Outside of public service, Hagerty has spent time as a consultant and in private equity. Hagerty’s education policy includes a strong vocational education system, increasing funding for charter schools, and protecting religious and parochial schools from government interference. He also lists significantly cutting funding for the Department of Education and shifting that funding to the states as another top education priority.

In the House, Republican Diana Harshbarger will replace incumbent Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN), who decided to retire, as the representative for Tennessee’s First Congressional District. Harshbarger is a licensed pharmacist and owns her own pharmacy with her husband. According to her campaign website, Harshbarger “believes our country needs to invest in trade and technical skills schools.”

117th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition IV

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, in this post we profile new Members from Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico and New York. 

Minnesota

Minnesota will have one new Member of Congress come January, Republican Michelle Fischbach, who defeated incumbent Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) to become the representative of Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District. Fischbach has previously served as Lieutenant Governor and State Senate President, where she served as the Chairman of the Higher Education Committee. Although there is no specific education platform section on her campaign website, under her “supporting our farmers” platform, she states she will work to “invest in workforce development programs that prepare our workers for the jobs of tomorrow.” 

Missouri

Like Minnesota, Missouri will only have one new Member of Congress come January. In the First Congressional District, Democrat Cori Bush defeated incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) in the Democratic primary, before going on to win the November general election. Bush is a registered nurse, pastor and community activist, and now the first African American woman U.S. representative from Missouri. She has an extensive education policy platform that includes two mentions of CTE. First, she will “Push for high school reforms and incentivize certificate programs to train a new generation of skilled workers without college degrees.” Further, she will fight for tuition-free public colleges, universities and trade schools. 

Montana

Representing Montana’s At-Large Congressional District in the 117th Congress will be Republican Matt Rosendale, who will replace Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT), who stepped down to successfully run for Governor. Rosendale has previously served as state auditor, in both chambers of the state legislature and is a member of the state land board. He also owns a family ranch and real estate company. Rosendale does not have an education platform listed on his campaign website, but has previously stated that he believes “we need to return control of education to states, local school districts and parents. A national one-size-fits-all curriculum is not best for Montana students, and bureaucrats in Washington do not know better than school superintendents, teachers and parents.” 

New Mexico

New Mexico will have three new Members of Congress come January, one in the Senate and two in the House. In the Senate, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) was elected to replace Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), who decided to retire at the end of the 116th Congress. Lujan is currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where he serves as the assistant speaker of the House. He has held other public offices including serving on the state public regulation commission, deputy state treasurer and CFO for the NM Cultural Affairs Department. During his time in Congress, he has been an active and long-time supporter of STEM education and CTE, introducing numerous pieces of legislation throughout his time in Congress. He is also a member of the House CTE Caucus, and we expect he will join the Senate Caucus shortly after being sworn in.  

In the House, Republican Yvette Herrell defeated incumbent Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) to become the new representative for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District. Herrell has previously served four terms in the New Mexico state legislature and works in the real estate industry. She will become the first Cherokee woman and first native Republican to serve in the U.S. Congress. Workforce development seems to be the majority of her education platform, according to her campaign website. She believes that the public education system should be “training our students and producing skilled workers on day one.” Further, Herrell believes that schools should offer students the opportunity to learn the trades and skills to enter the workforce directly from high school. 

Replacing Sen-elect Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) in New Mexico’s Third Congressional District will be Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez. Fernandez has spent her entire career as a lawyer, but has also spent time in various roles in several presidential Administrations. She served as a White House fellow in the Clinton Administration and worked as a liaison between the White House and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to her campaign website, her education platform includes early childhood education, eliminating college tuition at public colleges and universities and “providing opportunities in the trades through vocational schools and job training programs.” 

New York

New York will have five new Members of Congress starting in the 117th Congress, all in the House. In New York’s Second Congressional District, Republican Andrew Garbarino will replace the incumbent Rep. Peter King (R-NY), who is retiring after serving almost 30 years in the House. Garbarino is a lawyer and small business owner who has also served as a member of the state assembly for the last seven years. During his time in the state assembly, he served on the higher education committee. Garbarino does not list an education policy platform on his campaign website. 

In New York’s Eleventh Congressional District, Republican Nicole Malliotakis defeated incumbent Rep. Max Rose (D-NY) in the November general election. Malliotakis is currently serving in the state assembly and has previously served as a community liaison for various elected officials. Although she lists her two top priorities as transportation infrastructure and public safety, she believes in “investing more resources in vocational training opportunities, so that those who choose not to attend college can obtain a life skill, earn higher wages and build a career in which they can support themselves and their families.” 

Replacing Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), who is retiring after 30 years in Congress, in New York’s 15th Congressional District is Democrat Ritchie Torres. Torres has served as a member on New York’s City Council since 2014. He is an avid supporter of public schools and teachers but makes no mention of CTE on his campaign website. 

In New York’s 16th Congressional District, Democrat Jamaal Bowman defeated incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel in the democratic primary, before going on to win the November general election. Bowman has spent his career in various roles within the education system, beginning his career as a crisis management teacher before ascending to become a principal. For obvious reasons, education is a major tenet of his platform, as he calls for a “New Deal for Education.” His platform includes “dramatic increases” to Title I and IDEA, educational equity, ending standardized testing and large scale investments into community schools, among others. 

Finally, Democrat Mondaire Jones will replace retiring incumbent Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) in New York’s 17th Congressional District. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Jones worked for the Department of Justice during the presidency of Barack Obama. He has also spent time as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court of Southern New York and for the Westchester County law department. According to his campaign website, his education platform includes increasing funding for education, expanding access to free pre-k, forgiving college debt and providing tuition-free public college. 

117th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition III

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, in this post we profile new Members from Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Michigan. 

Iowa 

Iowa will have two new Members of Congress come January, both in the House of Representatives. Republican Ashley Hinson defeated incumbent Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) to become the new representative for Iowa’s First Congressional District. Hinson is a member of the state legislature and local news anchor. On her campaign website, Hinson discusses the current skills gap in Iowa and her “support for funding for vocational schools and training programs to expand access and career options for our children.” 

In addition, representing Iowa's Fourth Congressional District will be Republican Randy Feenstra, who defeated longtime incumbent Rep. Steve King (R-IA) in the Republican primary. Prior to Congress, Franklin served as a state senator, county treasurer, city administrator and faculty member at a university. There is no mention of education policy priorities on his campaign website, but he lists agriculture and tax policy as two of his main priorities in Congress. 

Indiana 

Indiana will have two new Members of Congress, both in the House of Representatives. In Indiana’s First Congressional District, Democrat Frank Mrvan will replace Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN), who after 18 terms did not seek re-election in 2020. Mrvan has worked as a licensed mortgage broker, pharmaceutical sales representative and township trustee. According to his campaign website, his education policy platform includes supporting teachers and he “will continue to work to ensure that public funds are dedicated to support public education.” 

Republican Victoria Spartz will be the new representative for Indiana’s Fifth Congressional District, replacing Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) who is retiring at the end of the 116th Congress. Spartz owns several businesses and is a member of the state legislature. Her education policy is centered on better preparing students for workforce opportunities. Further, she believes “we need to align the cost of education with the earning potential of a career in that field, […] give flexibility to the states to improve K-12 education, reform higher education financing to improve accountability of colleges and better prepare our students to the future workforce demands.” 

Kansas 

Kansas will have three new Members of Congress come January, one in the Senate and two in the House. In the Senate, Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS) will replace incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), who decided to retire after the 116th Congress. Prior to Congress, Marshall served seven years in the U.S. Army and was a practicing physician. Although Rep. Marshall did not serve on the education committee during his time in Congress, he was a member of the House CTE Caucus and active supporter of CTE. 

Replacing Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS) in Indiana’s First Congressional District will be Republican Tracey Mann. Mann is a commercial real estate broker and served as Lieutenant Governor from 2018-2019. He also served as the FFA president of his high school in his senior year. There is no mention of an education policy platform on his campaign website, and when asked about his platform he has previously stated “On the issues, I tell people I am pro-life, pro-ag, pro-gun and pro-Trump.” 

Lastly, in Kansas’ Second Congressional District, Republican Jake LaTurner defeated incumbent Rep. Steve Watkins (R-KS) in the Republican Primary, then went on to win the general election in November. LaTurner is currently the state treasurer and has previously served in the state senate. LaTurner makes no mention of education policy on his campaign website but says he will advocate for much of the same agenda he promoted on the state level: addressing the national debt, imposing work requirements and drug testing for government assistance programs, limiting abortion, and protecting gun rights. 

Louisiana 

Louisiana will welcome one new Member of Congress in the 117th Congress. Republican Luke Letlow will replace outgoing Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-LA), who decided to retire after the 116th Congress. Letlow has previously worked in government affairs, state government and as a congressional staffer, most recently as Rep. Abraham’s Chief of Staff. Although there is no mention of education policy on his campaign website, his former boss Rep. Abraham is a member of the House CTE Caucus. 

Massachusetts 

Massachusetts will also only welcome one new Member of Congress in the 117th Congress. Democrat Jake Auchincloss will replace outgoing Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate. Auchincloss is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, businessman, and city councilman. Auchincloss’ education platform includes “fighting against Republican cuts to federal education aid, and championing early education, technical/vocational education, and student debt relief.” 

Michigan 

Michigan will have two new Members of Congress come January, both in the House of Representatives. In Michigan’s Third Congressional District, Republican Peter Meijer will replace Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI), who is retiring after the 116th Congress. Auchincloss is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, having served a tour of duty in Iraq, and is a businessman. He believes that education should be primarily a state and local responsibility, and supports “school choice, the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, and other efforts by President Trump and Secretary DeVos to ensure access to a quality education for every American child.” 

Republican Lisa McClain will replace the retiring Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI) and become the new representative for Michigan’s Tenth Congressional District. McClain is a businesswoman, having worked in the financial services industry for the past decade. McClain’s campaign website makes no mention of her education policy platform.  

117th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition II

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this post we profile new Members from Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Illinois.

Florida

Florida will have five new Members of Congress come January, all in the House of Representatives. Republican Kat Cammack will replace her former boss, Rep. Ted Yoho (D-FL), who decided to retire after the 116th Congress, as the representative for Florida’s Third Congressional District. Cammack previously served as Rep. Ted Yoho’s deputy chief of staff and also owns an independent political consulting firm. She makes no mention of education policy on her campaign website but has previously listed her three campaign themes as “fighting illegal immigration, protecting the Second Amendment, and defending the unborn.”

Representing Florida's 15th Congressional District will be Republican Scott Franklin, who defeated incumbent Rep. Ross Spano (R-FL) in the Republican primary. Prior to Congress, Franklin served in the U.S. Navy and as a city commissioner and owns a small insurance company. There is no mention of education policy priorities on his campaign website, although he has previously mentioned the need for workforce development when discussing COVID-19 relief aid.

Representing Florida’s 19th Congressional District will be Republican Byron Donalds, who is replacing the retiring Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL). Donalds currently works in financial services and was a state legislator for two terms, where he served on the education committee. Although he does not mention education policy on his website, during his time in the state legislature he advocated to expand school choice.

In Florida’s 26th Congressional District, Republican Carlos Gimenez defeated incumbent Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) in November's general election. Gimenez spent the last two decades in public service, spending the last nine years as mayor of Miami. Prior to that, he served as a county commissioner, city manager, and fire chief. Although he makes no mention of education policy on his campaign website, during his time as mayor he created an initiative called "Employ Miami Dade," which focuses on training and providing residents the necessary skills to enter the workforce.

Lastly, In Florida’s 27th Congressional District, Republican Maria Elvira Salazar defeated incumbent Rep. Donna Shalala (D-FL) in November's general election. Salazar is an Emmy-award winning news anchor, spending the last three decades working for various news organizations including Telemundo, CNN Espanol and Univision. According to her campaign website, she is a product of South Florida’s public school system and “all children must have access to the greatest education system possible.”

Georgia

Georgia will have atleast four new Members of Congress, all in the House of Representatives. There are still two outstanding Senate runoffs that will be held on January 5, and depending on the outcome, Georgia could welcome in additional new senators. In Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District, Democrat Nikema Williams will replace Kwanza Hall (D-GA), who won the special election in the aftermath of the death of longtime Congressman and Civil Rights leader John Lewis (D-GA). Williams is the current chair of the Georgia Democratic party and member of the state legislature. Although Williams does not serve on the education committee in the state legislature, it is a major tenet of her policy platform and an issue that she has long championed. According to her campaign website, in Congress she plans to advocate for access to quality education for all students, provide additional resources and supports for educators, and promote elimination of student loan debt, among other positions.

In Georgia’s Seventh Congressional District, Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux will replace Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA), who in 2019 announced he would retire after this term. Bourdeaux worked as a congressional aide and a professor at Georgia State University, and served as the director of the school’s Center for State and Local Finance. Additionally, she ran the Georgia Senate’s Budget and Evaluation Office, which provides nonpartisan budget analysis to state lawmakers. According to her campaign website, Bourdeaux will support Investments “in job training and apprenticeship programs, because career training is essential to upward mobility and a stronger economy.”

In Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District, Republican Andrew Clyde will replace Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), who stepped down to run for the U.S. Senate. Clyde is a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving multiple deployments; a small business owner; and a Tax Reform advocate. Under his “limited government” theme on his campaign website, he proclaims that the U.S. Department of Education “must go.”

Lastly, Republican Majorie Taylor Greene will be the new member representing Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, succeeding Rep. Tom Graves who resigned in October. Greene owns and operates a commercial construction and renovation company with her husband. She also previously owned and operated a local CrossFit gym. Greene makes no mention of education policy stances on her campaign website. Major tenets of her platform include stopping socialism, protecting the Second Amendment, defending the unborn and passing the balanced budget amendment.

Hawaii

Hawaii will have one new Member of Congress come January: Democrat Kai Kahele, who is replacing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, in Hawaii’s Second Congressional District. Kahele has been a state senator since 2016 and is also a civilian and military pilot. He is a commissioned officer in the Hawaii Air National Guard and is a decorated combat veteran who served multiple deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. During his time in the State Senate, he served as the chair of the Committee on Higher Education, where he advocated to “remove the barriers that prevent millions of Americans from obtaining a degree in higher education by increasing federal financial aid, incentivizing the conversion to open educational resources, eliminating application fees and offering debt forgiveness for graduates. Further, he supports “a national vocational program that will allow all high school graduates to attend community college for vocational and skills training, especially for those that come from economically disadvantaged communities.”

Illinois

Illinois will have two new Members of Congress come January, both in the House of Representatives. In Illinois’ Third Congressional District, Democrat Marie Newman defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) in the Democratic primary, then went on to win the seat in the general election. Newman has spent her career as an entrepreneur, marketing consultant and nonprofit executive. According to her campaign website, Newman intends to advocate for her “What If Workforce Center” plan, which she describes as “a unique and innovative workforce training center that would fulfill key needs in the Chicago area.” This plan includes middle skills and training, trades training, and career and upskill education.

For Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, Republican Mary Miller will replace the retiring 12-term incumbent Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL). Miller, along with her husband, run a family farm raising grain and cattle. There is no mention of education policy on her website, and she ran on the message of “family, faith and freedom.”

117th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition I

Come January, notwithstanding the January 5 Senate run-off elections, there will be a total of 66 new Members of Congress (six in the Senate and 60 in the House). These new Members have diverse backgrounds, including a former major party presidential nominee, an ambassador, returning lawmakers and first-time candidates. Some will come to Washington with backgrounds in education and CTE, and some will learn when they get here. Over the course of this week, we will be profiling these new Members to highlight any relevant education- or workforce-related backgrounds they bring to Congress.

Alabama

Alabama will have three new Members of Congress come January: two in the House and one in the Senate. In the Senate, Tommy Tuberville (R), defeated incumbent Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) to become Alabama’s new junior senator. He spent his entire career as a college football coach, most notably at the University of Mississippi and Auburn University. According to his campaign website, Sen.-elect Tuberville believes that the “federal government is not the solution to improving our nation's education system,” and that the “best and most viable solutions come from the local level.”

In the House, Republican Jerry Carl won election in the state's First Congressional District, replacing Rep. Bradley Byrne, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate. Carl is currently a county commissioner and entrepreneur, credited with creating around a dozen different businesses. On his website, Carl makes no mention of education policy, focusing mainly on agriculture and national security issues.

Lastly, representing Alabama's Second Congressional District will be Republican Barry Moore, replacing Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL), who decided not to run for re-election. He is a veteran (Army), small business owner and has previously served in the state legislature, where he was on the education committee. While not much is known about his education priorities, he has historically supported ending the federal government’s involvement in education policy.

Arizona

Arizona will have one new Member of Congress, Democrat Mark Kelly, who defeated Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ), to become the state’s junior senator. Kelly became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy upon graduation of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. During his Naval career he became a naval aviator and made two deployments to the First Gulf War and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. In 1996, Kelly was selected to be an astronaut for NASA, where he served multiple missions to space. According to his campaign website, Kelly believes that education should prepare students for successful lives by preparing them for both college and careers. He supports community colleges and believes “we need to invest more in career training, apprenticeship programs and work to streamline professional certification.”

California

California will have six new Members of Congress, all serving in the House of Representatives. In California’s Eighth Congressional District, Jay Obernolte (R) will replace Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA), who retired to run for County Board of Supervisors. Obernolte is a technology business owner, former state assemblyman, and mayor. During his tenure as an assemblyman, he long supported “investments in career technical education to better prepare students for the workplaces of tomorrow.”

In the 21st District, former Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) has regained his seat by defeating incumbent Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA). Aside from representing the agriculture-heavy 21st district from 2013-2019, Valadao spent time in the state legislature and works on his family’s dairy farm. During his previous tenure in Congress, he sat on the Appropriations Committee, which oversees funding for the Perkins Basic State Grant. He also supported the passage of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), and more generally, “supports expanding vocational and trade school options for our students.”

Republican Young Kim defeated incumbent Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-CA), to represent the 39th Congressional District in the 117th Congress. Kim, a longtime congressional aide for former Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and former state legislator, will be among the first Korean American women in Congress. According to her campaign website, Kim will “fight for increased funding in STEM education and to ensure education dollars go to educators and their classrooms, and not bureaucrats in Sacramento and DC.”

Republican Michelle Steel defeated incumbent Rep. Harley Rouda (D-CA), to become the new representative for California’s 48th Congressional District. Steel has served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors since 2015, is a former member of the State Board of Equalization and served on various commissions under the Bush Administration. There is no mention of education issues on her campaign website, where she heavily focuses on tax issues and other business-centric policies.

In the 50th District, former Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is replacing Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), who resigned in January after being indicted on 60 federal charges. Issa spent 19 years in Congress, previously representing California’s 48th and 49th Congressional districts. During his previous tenure in Congress, he sat on the Judiciary and Oversight Committees. While it does not have jurisdiction over CTE issues, during his time on the Judiciary Committee, he promoted legislation to provide green cards to foreign graduates of American universities in the STEM fields. Prior to serving in Congress, Issa served 10 years in the U.S. Army and created multiple businesses, making him one of the richest Members of Congress.

Lastly, representing California’s 53rd Congressional District will be Democrat Sara Jacobs, who is replacing Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), who decided to retire at the end of the 116th Congress. Jacobs has previously worked at the United Nations, UNICEF, U.S. Department of State as a contractor, and as a policy advisor for the Hillary Clinton Campaign (2016). Education, specifically early childhood education, is one of the main tenets of her policy platform. Regarding policies important to ACTE members, Jacobs believes, “we can broaden opportunities for students through tuition-free community college and by supporting more career and technical training, including and especially for teachers.” She further lists on her campaign website that the federal government needs to provide better incentives for companies to create apprenticeship opportunities for students and recent graduates and expand internships so that students of all means are able to participate in them.

Colorado

Colorado will have two new Members of Congress come January: one in the House and one in the Senate. In the Senate, Democrat Jim Hickenlooper defeated incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), to become the new junior senator from Colorado. Prior to the Senate, Hickenlooper served as Colorado’s Governor, Mayor of Denver and Denver City Auditor. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election. He has long been an ardent support of providing robust resources for education, specifically CTE and workforce education. According to his campaign website, he believes “the federal government should expand apprenticeship opportunities so that more students can graduate with an industry-recognized credential or certificate that prepares them for success in higher education and the workforce.” Further, he states he will work “to expand access to high-quality career and technical education by providing more funding for the Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act.”

In the House, Republican Lauren Boebert defeated Incumbent Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO) in the Republican primary and went on to win the general election to represent Colorado’s Third District. Boebart is a businesswoman who owns two restaurants with her husband and a guns-rights activist. There is not much mention of education policy on her campaign website, except that she supports the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education.

House, Senate Education Committees Poised to Change

Notwithstanding a handful of too-close-to-call seats, the 116th Congress is starting to take shape. In both chambers, there will be changes to the committees with jurisdiction over education issues.  

In the Senate, Republicans currently have a lead for control of that chamber with 50 seats to the Democrats 48. The two remaining races are both in Georgia and will be heading to January 5 run-off elections. These races will ultimately determine which party has control over the Senate, although it is expected that the Republicans will remain in the majority by picking up at least one of the two Georgia races. Regardless of the outcome, the most glaring change on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee roster is Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who did not run for re-election. Other changes include Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Pat Roberts (R-KS), both who retired, and Doug Jones (D-AL), who lost his re-election bid. If Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s (R-GA) loses her run-off election on January 5, that seat on the Committee could also be open. With the retirement of Chairman Alexander, it is expected that either Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) or Rand Paul (R-KY) will obtain the chairmanship. For the Democrats, it is expected that Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) will continue in her current post and is in line to become Chair if Democrats gain the majority through the special elections. Another thing to keep in mind is that senators may choose to pursue other committee assignments, so there could be additional turnover of committee members 

On the House side, there will also be minor changes to the Committee on Education and Labor. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) is poised to remain the chairman of the committee, given that Democrats remain in the majority. It is not yet clear what the exact composition of the committee will be in terms of numbers of members from each party, as that may depend on the results of a few outstanding House races. However, the committee members who will definitely not be returning to Congress are: 

• Bradley Bryne (R-AL) (Retired to run for Senate) 
• Susan Davis (D-CA) (Retired) 
• Phil Roe (R-TN) (Retired) 
• Donna Shalala (D-FL) (Defeated in General) 
• Mark Walker (R-NC) (Retired) 

It is important to note that Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) was the Chairwoman of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over legislation that deals with postsecondary CTE programs. It is unclear who will replace her in this leadership role, but a few potential members include Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Mark Takano (D-CA), who are next in line in terms of seniority on the subcommittee. 

In terms of congressional priorities, experts predict that the committee will spend time on COVID-19 relief for schools and students; reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and National Apprenticeship Act; and labor protections; among other items. However, it remains possible that some bipartisan priorities are pursued in the 117th Congress, including a potential infrastructure package that could include a workforce development component. ACTE will continue our federal policy advocacy on CTE-related issues, and work closely with both Democrats and Republicans on the respective education committees to strengthen the CTE system.