CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

National Voter Registration Day

September 22 marks the ninth annual National Voter Registration Day, which is a nonpartisan, civic holiday that seeks to create broad awareness of voter registration opportunities to ensure all eligible voters have the opportunity to do so in the upcoming elections. To date, nearly 3 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday. With only 42 days until the November elections, it is critically important that everyone who is eligible to vote is registered and has a plan in place for how to vote in a timely and safe manner.

Take time today to make sure you are registered in your current location! If you are already registered to vote, we encourage you to double check your registration status, find your polling location, or apply for an absentee ballot. To help assist in any questions you may have about the registration or voting process, below is a list of resources and information.

• Voting In Your State
• Check Your Voter Registration Status
• Register to Vote
• Vote by Mail Policies by State
• Find Your Polling Location
• Same Day Registration by State
• Voting Rights for people with past felony conviction by State

 

ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition IX (FINAL)

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

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

• Edition I (AZ, CA)
• Edition II (CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA)
• Edition III (ID, IL, IN, KS, MA)
• Edition IV (MD, ME, MI, MN)
• Edition V (MO, MS, NC, ND, NH, NJ)
• Edition VI (NM, NV, NY)
• Edition VII (OH, OK, PA, SC)
• Edition VIII (SD, TN, TX)
• Edition IX (UT, VA, WA, WI, WV)

In Utah, Republican Mitt Romney replaced Sen. Orrin Hatch, who chose not to seek re-election. Sen. Romney, a former governor and Republican nominee for president, has a significant record on education from his past political campaigns/experience. Education Week recently did a deep dive into Sen. Romney's education record. Sen. Romney has also been named as a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

In Virginia's Second Congressional District, Democrat Elaine Luria defeated Republican Rep. Scott Taylor. Rep. Luria spent her career in the U.S. Navy, retiring at the rank of Commander. On the campaign trail, she talked about ensuring "every child has access to a quality public education—from pre-K to college or technical training." In the Commonwealth's Fifth Congressional District, Republican Denver Riggleman replaced Republican Rep. Tom Garrett, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Riggleman is a former U.S. Air Force officer and NSA contractor, who later became a small business owner by opening a craft distillery. He is also a community college graduate. In Virginia's Sixth Congressional District, Republican Ben Cline replaced Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who retired. Rep. Cline, a lawyer by trade, is a former state legislator who also worked in government and was president of a sales and marketing company. Rep. Cline serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor.

In Virginia's Seventh Congressional District, Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Rep. Dave Brat. Rep. Spanberger spent most of her career in federal law enforcement and the CIA. However, upon exiting government service, she worked with academic institutions who sought to diversify their student bodies. On her website, Rep. Spanberger spoke about her commitment to public schools, pledged to address college affordability, and stated her "support [for] building more skills/career training and apprenticeship programs." In the Commonwealth's Tenth Congressional District, Democrat Jennifer Wexton defeated Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock. Rep. Wexton is a former state legislator and prosecutor. On the campaign trail, Rep. Wexton spoke about her work in the state legislature to address college affordability and campus sexual violence. She also pledged her "support [for] policies that raise teachers' pay and benefits, promote STEM courses and careers, and incentivize career and technical training."

In Washington's Eighth Congressional District, Democrat Kim Schrier replaced Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Schrier is a pediatrician and daughter of a public school teacher. During her campaign, Rep. Schrier talked about improving STEM outcomes, and said she would work to make college more affordable, including at "trade schools."

In Wisconsin's First Congressional District, Republican Bryan Steil replaced former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Steil is an attorney who once worked for a plastics manufacturer. He was also on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Touting that experience on the campaign train, he said that he had "seen first-hand the importance of quality high schools, effective technical colleges and affordable, high quality universities." He also spoke about ensuring that "the federal government does not interfere with [Wisconsin's] efforts to improve and grow [its] workforce."

In West Virginia's Third Congressional District, Republican Carol Miller replaced Evan Jenkins, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. During her campaign, Rep. Miller pledged to bring "West Virginia values to Washington," in part by "funding education."

Regardless of whether you are represented in Congress by a freshman legislator or an incumbent, you can visit ACTE's Action Center to ask your senators and representative to join the CTE Caucus, increase Perkins CTE state grant funding, and more!

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition VIII

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

The sole new Member of Congress from South Dakota is Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson in the state's only congressional district. Rep. Johnson replaced Rep. Kristi Noem, who was elected governor. He has significant policy and political experience, having worked for different governors and as the state's public utilities commissioner, and as a businessman. He also previously worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Tennessee, Republican Tim Burchett was elected in the state's Second Congressional District to succeed Republican Rep. Jimmy Duncan, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Burchett previously served in the state legislature and as a mayor. In the state's Sixth Congressional District, Republican John Rose replaced Rep. Diane Black, who unsuccessfully ran for governor. Rep. Rose previously served as the state's Agriculture Commissioner, and also owns and led a software company that trains IT professionals. On the campaign trail, he talked about the importance of education decisions taking place at the local level.

Also in Tennessee, in the state's Seventh Congressional District, Republican Mark Green replaced Republican Marsha Blackburn, who was elected to the senate. Rep. Green, a doctor, previously served in the state legislature, ran a health care company, and is a veteran. On the campaign trail, he spoke about completely abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. On the senate side, Republican Marshal Blackburn succeeded Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who chose not to seek re-election. Blackburn previously served as a member of the House of Representatives and as a state senator, and she earned her undergraduate degree in home economics. On the campaign trail, she advocated for returning education oversight to the states.

In Texas, nine new Members of Congress were elected. In the state's Second Congressional District, Republican Dan Crenshaw replaced Rep. Ted Poe, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Crenshaw spent his career as a Navy SEAL, and earned several prestigious distinctions for his military service. In the state's Third Congressional District, Republican Van Taylor succeeded Republican Rep. Sam Johnson, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Taylor is a veteran and former state legislator. His website lists his education platform as focusing on reducing the federal bureaucracy to return education power to state and local governments.

In Texas' Fifth Congressional District, Republican Lance Gooden replaced Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Gooden, previously a state legislator and the son of lifelong educators, touts his time in state government for his efforts to increase public and higher education funding. In the Sixth Congressional District, Republican Ron Wright replaced Republican Rep. Joe Barton, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Wright previously served as a city councilman, mayor, and chief of staff for Rep. Barton. On the campaign trail he pledged to minimize the federal government's interference with parental rights and state/local education programs.

In Texas' Seventh Congressional District, Democrat Lizzie Fletcher defeated Republican Rep. John Culberson. A lawyer by trade, during her campaign Fletcher advocated for ensuring all schools offer a STEM curriculum "that helps build the skills our students need for the jobs of the future." She also pledged to address college affordability and to expand community colleges and "access to technical and vocational programs." In the Sixteenth Congressional District, Democrat Veronica Escobar replaced Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Escobar previously served as a county commissioner and judge. She also previously taught at El Paso Community College. In the State's Twenty-First Congressional District, Republican Roy Chip replaced Republican Rep. Lamar Smith, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Chip has extensive experience in government and politics, and also served as a U.S. Attorney.

In Texas' Twenty-Ninth Congressional District, Democrat Sylvia Garcia replaced Democratic Rep. Gene Green, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Garcia had extensive experience in local government before being elected to the state legislature. Lastly, in the Thirty-Second Congressional District, Democrat Colin Allred defeated Republican Rep. Pete Sessions. Rep. Allred is a former professional football player and attorney who served in the Obama Administration and U.S. Attorney's office. On the campaign trail, he pledged to "[b]olster vocational and apprenticeship programs, and work toward debt-free college." He also supports student loan debt refinancing and upgrading public school infrastructure.

You can find the seventh edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's final recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition VII

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

The sole new Member of Congress from Ohio is Republican Anthony Gonzalez in the state's Sixteenth Congressional District. He replaced Republican Rep. Jim Renacci, who unsuccessfully ran for senate. Rep. Gonzalez was a professional football player. His father also owns a steel company. While stressing more local control in education during the campaign, Rep. Gonzalez also spoke about "need[ing] to promote policies that will encourage the private sector to work directly with . . . community colleges and trade schools to ensure that the skills being cultivated are those that are in the highest demand in our regional economy." He also specifically spoke about expanding CTE and STEM opportunities.

In Oklahoma's Fifth Congressional District, Democrat Kendra Horn defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Steve Russell. Horn is a lawyer by trade who has also worked in government and for the Space Foundation. During the campaign, Rep. Horn pledged to "expand[] job training," and focus on college affordability issues. She also highlighted the state's CTE system and noted the critical role it plays in addressing the skills gap in Oklahoma.

Prior to the 2018 election, many of Pennsylvanian's congressional districts were redrawn. In Pennsylvania's new Fourth Congressional District, Democrat Madeleine Dean was elected. She is a lawyer who previously served in the state legislature, and was also a college English professor for more than a decade. In the state's Fifth Congressional District, Democrat Mary Scanlon was elected. Rep. Scanlon is a lawyer whose career included working at the Education Law Center of Philadelphia, where she focused on special education law. She also served as president, an elected position, on her local school district. She pledged during the campaign to ensure "job training programs are fully funded" and to "develop innovative solutions to make higher education, including career and technical education, more accessible and affordable."

In Pennsylvania's Sixth Congressional District, Democrat Christina Houlahan was elected. Rep. Houlahan served as a Teach for America teacher and worked at a nonprofit aimed at addressing childhood literacy. In the state's Ninth Congressional District, Republican Daniel Meuser was elected. A businessman, Rep. Meuser previously served as president of a motorized wheelchair manufacturer. The only education-related position on his website is related to school property taxes, which he calls "un-American and unconstitutional." He claimed he would introduce a bill in Congress to forbid states/locals from imposing such taxes. Lastly, in the state's Thirteenth Congressional District, Republican John Joyce was elected. Rep. Joyce is a dermatologist by training, but did not list any education issues on his website.

In South Carolina's First Congressional District, Democrat Joe Cunningham defeated Republican state legislator Katie Arrington, who herself defeated incumbent Rep. Mark Sanford in a primary. Rep. Cunningham is an ocean engineer and attorney by trade. In the state's Fourth Congressional District, Republican William Timmons replaced incumbent Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy, who retired. An entrepreneur, Rep. Timmons owns several fitness studios and his own law practice. Neither Reps. Cunningham nor Timmons mentioned education issues on their websites.

You can find the sixth edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition VI

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from New Mexico, Nevada and New York.

In New Mexico's First Congressional District, Democrat Deb Haaland replaced Democratic incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham, who successfully ran for governor. Rep. Haaland is one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress. During the campaign, she pledged to "champion career and technical education," noting the various benefits of CTE and the importance of investing in it. She also supported making public colleges and universities tuition free. In New Mexico's Second Congressional District, Democrat Xochitl Torres Small replaced Republican Steve Pearce, who unsuccessfully ran for governor. Torres Small's parents were both educators, while she is a water attorney by trade. During the campaign, she spoke largely about her commitment to public education.

In Nevada, Democrat Jacky Rosen defeated incumbent Republican Dean Heller. Sen. Rosen previously served in the House, where she was a member of the CTE Caucus. She has been named to serve on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Sen. Rosen is a former computer programmer, and advocated during the campaign for STEM education, skills-training, apprenticeships and college affordability. You can read more about Sen. Rosen in an interview we did with her while she was in the House.

Replacing Sen. Rosen in Nevada's Third Congressional District is Democrat Susie Lee. Rep. Lee, who was recently named to the House Education & Labor Committee, was the founding director of an after school program for children. She also served as the president of Communities in Schools of Nevada, a dropout prevention program. She has served on various education-related advisory committees. In her campaign, she advocated for funding "training and apprenticeship programs," saying "innovative training programs" can prepare students "for the careers of the future." In Nevada's Fourth Congressional District, Democrat Steven Horsford replaced Democrat Ruben Kihuen, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Horsford previously represented the district in Congress from 2013-2015, and before that served as the Nevada Senate Majority Leader. Rep. Horsford was once the CEO of a job training program in culinary arts, and also served on the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board.

In New York, Democrat Max Rose defeated incumbent Republican Dan Donovan in the state's Eleventh Congressional District. Rep. Rose's mother was a community college professor, and he is a veteran and has worked in the government and non-profit sectors. On his website, Rep. Rose pledged to "fight to expand vocational education and manufacturing institutes." In the state's Fourteenth Congressional District, Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley in a primary, and went on to win the general election. Before her election, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez worked at various non-profits, including as an educational director for the National Hispanic Institute. In her campaign, she focused heavily on "tuition-free public college and trade school."

In New York's Nineteenth Congressional District, Democrat Antonio Delgado defeated Republican incumbent John Faso. Rep. Delgado, a lawyer, advocated for investing in "trade and vocational schools and apprenticeship programs" during the campaign. In New York's Twenty-second Congressional District, Democrat Anthony Brindisi defeated Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney. Rep. Brindisi is a former state assemblyman, school board member and attorney. On his website, he notes the need to "invest in CTE programs in our middle schools and our high schools that will prepare students for high paying, high skilled careers in advanced manufacturing and the trades."

You can find the fifth edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition V

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

In Missouri, Republican Josh Hawley defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. Hawley, a lawyer by trade, was the state's attorney general. Before that, he was a law professor at the University of Missouri. Hawley's mother was a teacher, and during his campaign he spoke about his desire to "bring down education costs."

In Mississippi, Republican Michael Guest succeeded Republican Gregg Harper, who chose not to seek re-election, in the state's Third Congressional District. Before his election to Congress, Rep. Guest was a state's attorney. He also previously served as the president of the Foundation for Rankin County Public Schools and volunteered at his local high school as the mock trial coach.

In North Dakota, Republican Kevin Cramer defeated incumbent Democrat Heidi Heitkamp. Sen. Cramer, who had previously served in the House of Representatives, is also a former state tourism director and state economic development director. While a House Member, then-Congressman Cramer was a member of the House CTE Caucus. Replacing Sen. Cramer in North Dakota's at-large House seat is Republican Kelly Armstrong. Rep. Armstrong, a lawyer, previously served in the state legislature.

In New Hampshire's First Congressional District, Democrat Christopher Pappas replaced Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Pappas previously served on the New Hampshire Executive Council and co-owns a restaurant. On the campaign trail, Rep. Pappas advocated for "tuition-free education at community colleges and public universities," and for expanding "job training, career and technical education, and apprenticeship programs." He also urged for greater investments in CTE, drawing on his experience in the restaurant business to underscore the importance of "quality education and job training."

In New Jersey's Second Congressional District, Democrat Jeff Van Drew replaced Republican Frank LoBiondo, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Van Drew has a long record in local and state government, and talked about addressing college affordability during his campaign. In New Jersey's Third Congressional District, Democrat Andy Kim defeated incumbent Republican Tom MacArthur. Rep. Kim previously worked in the State Department and for President Obama on national security issues. On the campaign trail, Rep. Kim advocated for additional STEM funding.

Also in New Jersey, in the state's Seventh Congressional District, Democrat Tom Malinowski defeated incumbent Republican Leonard Lance. Rep. Malinowski previously served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. During his campaign, Rep. Malinowski advocated for increased investments in STEAM, raising teacher pay, eliminating tuition at two-year community colleges and promoting more lifelong learning opportunities. In the state's Eleventh Congressional District, Democrat Mikie Sherrill replaced Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Sherrill is a former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor. In her campaign, she stressed college affordability issues and stated that "we need to do much more to support two-year and vocational programs."

You can find the fourth edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover New Mexico, Nevada and New York.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition IV

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Maryland, Maine, Michigan and Minnesota.

In Maryland's Sixth Congressional District, Democrat David Trone replaced John Delaney, a Democrat who chose not to seek re-election and has instead declared his candidacy for president. Trone is a businessman who founded and co-owns a large wine retail company. Trone, whose mother was a teacher, urges investment "in students who choose not to pursue a four-year degree." Citing unfilled jobs as a result of the skills gap, Trone supports free community college, investments in career readiness initiatives, and expanding "skilled trade and apprenticeship opportunities for high school students." He also acknowledges that "[w]e need to do more to recruit, train, and retain high quality teachers," and provide better pay.

In Maine's Second Congressional District, Democrat Jared Golden defeated Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin. Golden is a veteran who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Golden supports increasing teacher pay and instituting a universal service program where students would earn a two-year education benefit in exchange for community service.

In Michigan's Eighth Congressional District, Democrat Elissa Slotkin defeated incumbent Republican Mike Bishop. Slotkin spent her career at the CIA, State Department and Department of Defense. During her campaign, Slotkin emphasized a focus on "skilled trade programs," also stressing the need for "more options—more certification programs and college apprenticeship programs..." In the state's Ninth Congressional District, Democrat Andy Levin replaced his father, Sander Levin, who decided not to seek re-election. Levin served in the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, overseeing an effort to provide job training to unemployed workers. He also served as the state's first chief workforce officer, where he says he supported "community colleges and apprenticeship programs that train and retrain workers for skilled jobs across many industries."

Also in Michigan, in the state's Eleventh Congressional District, Democrat Haley Stevens replaced Republican David Trott, who chose not to seek re-election. Stevens touts her career as being focused on economic and workforce development issues. Her experience includes leading a job training program and creating an online certification program for digital manufacturing. She also launched a STEM education program to expose secondary students to digital manufacturing. Stevens proposed making community college tuition free, and labels herself a "strong proponent of apprenticeship and vocational education." In the state's Thirteenth Congressional District, Democrat Rashida Tlaib defeated Democrat Brenda Jones, who had briefly replaced longtime Congressman John Conyers. Tlaib previously worked in the Michigan House of Representatives, before winning her own seat. She then worked at a legal services nonprofit. During her campaign, she advocated for "debt-free college and vocational training," saying it was important to make "trade schools tuition free for working families."

In Minnesota, five of the state's eight Congressional Districts have new Members. In the state's First Congressional District, Republican Jim Hagedorn replaced Democrat Tim Walz, who chose not to seek re-election and was instead elected governor. Hagedorn, whose father was a Congressman, spent most of his career working in government. He does not list education issues on his website. In the Second Congressional District, Democrat Angie Craig defeated Republican Jason Lewis. Craig previously worked in journalism, communications and human resources. Craig advocates for ensuring that "career training and vocational education is a priority again." She notes the need to "make higher education affordable and re-emphasize the range of career options available to young people, from colleges to technical degrees to apprenticeship." She supports legislation to provide two years of postsecondary education to every student.

In Minnesota's Third Congressional District, Democrat Dean Phillips defeated Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen. Phillips is a businessman, and has been involved in the distilling, gelato, and coffee businesses. Phillips touts his support for "federal pilot funding for innovative ideas like apprenticeships, three-year degrees that combine high school and college, [and] competency-based education." He also pledges to address college affordability, and says he will explore tying some federal higher education funding to students' employment outcomes.

In Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District, Democrat Ilhan Omar replaced Democrat Keith Ellison, who was elected as the state's attorney general. Omar, who came to the U.S. as a refugee, began her career as a community nutrition educator at the University of Minnesota. She later worked for Minnesota's Department of Education as a child nutrition outreach coordinator, and served in the state house. Her campaign focused on college affordability. In the state's Eighth Congressional District, Republican Pete Stauber replaced Democrat Rick Nolan, who opted not to seek re-election. Stauber is a former county commissioner who is a retired police officer. Stauber does not list his education platform on his website.

You can find the third edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition III

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Massachusetts.

In Idaho, Russell Fulcher was elected to replace outgoing Rep. Raúl Labrador in the state's First Congressional District. Fulcher, who had a long career at Micron Technology, previously served in the Idaho legislature. On his website, Fulcher pledges to work on "educating and training our workforce for jobs in growth industry sectors," saying he will remove "excessive federal mandates that act as an obstacle to ensuring Idaho has the most competitive workforce in the world."

In Illinois, Jesús "Chuy" García will replace retiring Rep. Luis Gutiérrez in the state's Fourth Congressional District. García previously served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and in the Illinois Senate. On his website, he says that "[w]e must connect education and training issues and funding with creating good-paying jobs and jobs in growth industries, especially in green industries." He also advocates for an infrastructure bill that will "provide training/jobs." In the state's Sixth Congressional District, Democrat Sean Casten defeated Republican Rep. Peter Roskam. Casten is a scientist and clean energy entrepreneur. In extensively outlining his education-related positions, Casten wants to increase investments in STEM and cites the thousands of unfilled jobs in high-tech manufacturing as a reason to support "programs enabling trade-path students." Lastly, in Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District, Democrat Lauren Underwood defeated Republican Rep. Randy Hultgren. Underwood's background is in healthcare policy and has a nursing degree. Her campaign's education platform focused on improving public schools and college affordability, including increasing funding for Pell grants.

In Indiana, Republican businessman and state legislator Mike Braun defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. Braun's business previously involved manufacturing truck bodies, and now focuses on truck accessories. On the House side, Republican Jim Baird will replace Republican Rep. Todd Rokita, who lost a primary for U.S. Senate, in Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. Baird previously served in local and state government and has his bachelor' degree, master's degree and PhD in animal science. He also previously served on Advisory Council to Purdue's Dean of Agriculture. Lastly, in Indiana's Sixth Congressional District Republican Greg Pence (brother of Vice President Mike Pence) will replace outgoing Republican Rep. Luke Messer. Pence is a businessman and veteran.

In Kansas, Republican Steven Watkins will replace Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins, who chose not to seek re-election in the state's Second Congressional District. Watkins is a veteran and businessman, and pledges to "ensure our workforce has the skills necessary to meet the jobs of tomorrow." In the state's Third Congressional District, Democrat Sharice Davids defeated Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder. Davids will bring the unique perspective of being one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. Davids also graduated from community college prior to earning her law degree.

In Massachusetts, Democrat Lori Trahan will replace retiring Democratic Rep. Niki Tsongas in the state's Third Congressional District. Trahan advocates on her website for promoting "early exposure to trade, vocational and apprenticeship programs," saying she supports partnerships between federal, state and local governments to "collaborate to design programs that expose students to more pathways to success at an early age, so they can find the one that works for them." In the state's Seventh Congressional District, Democrat Ayanna Pressley will replace Democratic Rep. Mike Capuano, who Pressley defeated in a primary. Pressley previously served as a member of the Boston City Council. Pressley identifies equity and affordability issues as some of her top education priorities, and touts her work improving the quality of Madison Park Vocational Technical High School during her time on the city council. She also talks extensively on her website about her support for CTE, noting that "[c]reating clear linkages between vocational education and job prospects, and leveraging partnerships with existing workforce authorities and the private sector, is essential to increasing graduation rates from vocational technical high schools and providing relevant skills that will help students ultimately succeed in the job market."

ACTE's profile of new Members of Congress will continue into the New Year. You can find last week's profiles here. And once the new Congress begins, stay tuned for alerts directing you to ACTE's action center to ask Members of Congress (new and returning) to join the CTE Caucus!

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition II

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Iowa.

Beginning in Colorado, Democrat Joseph Neguse won election in the state's Second Congressional District, replacing Rep. Jared Polis, who successfully ran for governor. Neguse was previously elected to the Regents of the University of Colorado, and advocated during his campaign for increasing federal Title II funding for teacher training. Also in Colorado, Democrat Jason Crow defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Coffman in the state's Sixth Congressional District. Crow, an attorney by trade, advocated during his campaign for supporting "apprenticeship and training programs to fill much-needed gaps in skilled laborers," and for investing in "community colleges and technical training programs for tomorrow's workforce."

In Connecticut, Democrat Jahana Hayes won election to replace retiring Rep. Elizabeth Esty in the Fifth Congressional District. Hayes is a history teacher who was recognized in 2016 by the National Education Association as its teacher of the year. Hayes is a product of Naugatuck Valley Community College, having first earned her associate's degree there. On her website, Hayes touts the value of public education and pledges to improve "teacher training, support and resources." She also notes that "career readiness and training is necessary to adapt to our changing economy and should be readily available to all students."

In Florida, three new representatives, and one new senator, were elected. In the House, Republican Gregory Steube is replacing Rep. Tom Rooney in the Seventeenth Congressional District, who did not seek re-election. Steube is a veteran who previously served in both the Florida House and Senate. In the Twenty-sixth Congressional District, Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Carlos Curbelo. Mucarsel-Powell is a college administrator, having served in various roles at Florida International University. She advocated for free community college during the campaign.

Lastly, Democrat Donna Shalala will replace Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican who announced she would not seek re-election. Shalala served as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Clinton Administration, and is the former Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin and President of the University of Miami. Early in her career, after first graduating from college, she served in the Peace Corps, where she helped construct an agricultural college abroad. During her campaign, Shalala stated that "students should be able to attend public and community colleges without taking on student debt."

Florida also elected a new senator, as Republican Gov. Rick Scott defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. Scott a businessman and two-term governor, has an extensive record in education. Scott is perhaps best known for expanding school choice programs in the state, boosting charter and virtual schools. On the CTE front, as governor, Scott issued proclamations supporting CTE Month and proposed additional grant funding for technical colleges and CTE centers.

In Georgia, Democrat Lucy McBath defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Karen Handel in the state's Sixth Congressional District. McBath, a flight attendant, was driven to run after her son fell victim to gun violence. As part of her commitment to service following her son's death, she started a foundation that provides educational assistance to high school students pursuing "traditional and vocational" schools. She also pledges on her website to "fully fund K-12 public education, and to make community colleges, public universities, and vocational schools more affordable."

In Hawaii, Democrat Ed Case will replace Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who unsuccessfully ran for governor. Case previously served in the U.S. House from 2002-2007, and prior to that served as majority leader in the state legislature. His education platform centered on making higher education more affordable, and improving veterans' and Native Hawaiians' access to education.

In Iowa, Abby Finkenauer defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Rod Blum in the state's First Congressional District. Finkenauer currently serves in the state legislature and is the daughter of a welder and public school employee. Finkenauer has a section of her website dedicated to CTE, where she notes its importance for all students, including adults seeking new careers. She pledges to support CTE funding, and emphasizes the importance of partnerships between industry and education, to ensure access to "internships, job training opportunities, and apprenticeship programs." Also in Iowa, Democrat Cindy Axne defeated Republican Rep. David Young in the state's Third Congressional District. Axne touts her efforts to secure full-day kindergarten in West Des Moines public schools, and supports promoting STEM programs "that enable students to graduate with the skills they need to be successful in todays' workforce." She also to "fight for a greater investment in our community colleges and grow apprenticeship programs and trade schools."

ACTE's profile of new Members of Congress will continue next week. You can find last week's profiles here. And once the new Congress begins, stay tuned for alerts directing you to ACTE's action center to ask Members of Congress (new and returning) to join the CTE Caucus!

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition I

Come January, it appears that there will be a total of 98 new Members of Congress (eight in the Senate and 90 in the House). These new Members have diverse backgrounds, from a former major party presidential nominee to governors to returning lawmakers to first time candidates, some will come to Washington with backgrounds in education and CTE, and some will learn when they get here. Over the next few weeks, we will be profiling these new Members to highlight any relevant education- or workforce-related backgrounds they may bring to Congress.

ARIZONA

Arizona will have three new Members of Congress come January; two in the House and one in the Senate. In the Senate, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-09) won a Senate seat. She is currently a member of the House CTE Caucus. On her website, she touts her efforts "to strengthen STEM education for primary and secondary students, and to increase access to technical and skills training."

Replacing Sen.-elect Sinema in the House is Greg Stanton. Stanton is a former city councilor and mayor of Phoenix, and previously worked as an education attorney. As a local elected official, he pushed for the creation of Bioscience High School, which provides specialized learning opportunities for secondary students. On his website, Stanton advocates for "strong career and technical education options available for students who wish to go directly into the workforce, so that every student can acquire the skills they need to join a trade or get a good job."

Lastly, representing Arizona's Second Congressional District will be Ann Kirkpatrick, who previously served in the House from 2013-2017. She did not run for re-election in 2016 because she challenged the late Sen. John McCain, but has now reclaimed a House seat. She is a former community college adjunct professor and previously served in the state legislature, where she was on the education committee. While she was not a member of the House CTE Caucus during her previous congressional service, she did support the Perkins reauthorization bill that passed in the House in 2016.

CALIFORNIA

Californians elected seven new House members, all Democrats who are replacing Republicans. In the Tenth District, Josh Harder defeated Rep. Jeff Denham. Harder is a venture capitalist who previously taught business at a junior college. During the campaign, he pledged to "fight to make community college and vocational training programs tuition-free."

In the Twenty-first Congressional District, T.J Cox defeated Rep. David Valadao. Cox founded a nut processing businesses, giving him firsthand experience in agricultural entrepreneurship. He was also the COO of the Central Valley New Market Tax Credit Fund, where he directed money to local community colleges. On his website, he advocates for funding "free community-college, vocational school, secondary school education and job training."

Katie Hill defeated Rep. Steve Knight in the Twenty-fifth Congressional District. While Hill's website lacks any education-related policy positions, she is the daughter of a police officer and registered nurse. In the Thirty-ninth Congressional District, Gil Cisneros will replace Rep. Ed Royce. After being laid off from his job as a shipping and manufacturing manager, Cisneros, a military veteran, won a Mega Millions jackpot. With his winnings, he has focused on educational equity issues, particularly related to Latino students. His website's education platform focuses on college affordability.

Katie Porter defeated Rep. Mimi Walters in California's Forty-fifth Congressional District and a member of the Republican leadership team. Porter has strong legal credentials, having graduated at the top of her law school class at Harvard before becoming a law professor in California. Her education platform focuses on college affordability. In the Forty-eighth Congressional District, Harley Rouda, a lawyer and businessman, defeated Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. On his website, Rouda advocates for "tuition-free education at non-profit public colleges and universities" and says that "we need to promote trade school apprenticeships that equip folks for the jobs of the future in advanced technology sectors."

To round on the new Members from California, Mike Levin replaced Rep. Darrell Issa in California's Forty-ninth Congressional District. Levin's background is centered on environmental issues. He has worked at trade associations and private companies that focus on clean energy, giving him insight into new and emerging career opportunities in the green tech sector. Indeed, he has stated that "clean energy drives job creation." Levin also advocates for investing in STEAM programs and making college more affordable, and he identifies the "dire teacher shortage" as a priority of his.