National Apprenticeship Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, this week is National Apprenticeship Week. This week, we celebrate the pathways that apprenticeships provide for many Americans to attain their American dream, to find a good-paying job, and to do meaningful work.

Working in the trades or in manufacturing is, indeed, meaningful work. No matter how far technology advances, we are still going to need builders, doers, and makers.

To my knowledge, there is no artificial intelligence that can climb an electric pole; there is no chatbot that can fix a toilet; and there is no app that will install your home's HVAC system.

Skilled jobs are in-demand jobs, and they are going to be in demand for a long time to come. And we need to invest in and support the next generation of skilled professionals.

That is one of the things that Republicans did last year in the Working Families Tax Cut bill. That landmark piece of legislation made a significant investment in American workers, starting with investing in education and training programs that support skilled jobs.

For decades now, the 529 education savings plan has been a powerful tool for parents to save for their kids' education. At first, 529s could only be used for college; but in 2017, Republicans expanded the eligible uses of 529 plans to include K-12 expenses as well.

And in last year's Working Families Tax Cut, Republicans expanded 529s again and gave Americans flexibility to use their savings for vocational and continuing education programs as well.

On top of that, we doubled the withdrawal limit to $20,000 per year, giving Americans even greater flexibility to choose a program that suits their needs and their dreams.

The expansion of 529s complements the creation of new Trump Accounts in the Working Families Tax Cut. Trump Accounts provide parents with another option to invest in their children's future.

The money in those accounts can be used for education, to buy a first home, or to start a business when a child reaches adulthood. They are just one more way to give the next generation a head start on their American dream.

And speaking of creating options and opportunity, beginning this summer, Americans will be able to take advantage of the new Workforce Pell program created by the Working Families Tax Cut.

Most people are probably familiar with the traditional Pell Grant Program. Pell grants offer need-based financial aid for students in undergraduate degree programs. And until now, they have generally been limited to students in those programs.

Workforce Pell will provide financial assistance to Americans in shorter-term skills and career training programs. It will help workers pursuing skills for in-demand jobs at various stages of their careers. And it will be available to those just joining the workforce, those looking to grow and advance in their careers, and those who may be looking to switch careers, even if they have already earned a bachelor's degree.

And this innovative new program will help grow the workforce for a number of important jobs: careers in healthcare like phlebotomy and paramedicine, truck driving, childcare, welding, and numerous other skilled professions that provide pathways to success.

In addition to supporting the education needed for more Americans to pursue careers in the trades and in manufacturing, the Working Families Tax Cut also supports their success once they are in those jobs.

The pro-worker and pro-growth tax policy in the bill allows American workers to keep more of their hard-earned money and supports the small business growth, job growth, and entrepreneurship that mean more opportunities for Americans to get ahead.

The Working Families Tax Cut made lower tax rates permanent, which means bigger paychecks and bigger refunds for hard-working Americans.

And then there is no tax on overtime, which allows workers to keep more of the money they earn when they spend extra hours on the job. It is not uncommon for workers in manufacturing and the trades to put in more than 40 hours a week. So no tax on overtime is going to deliver significant tax savings to many of these Americans.

And then there are the pro-growth tax policies in this bill, like permanently lowered tax rates for small businesses. The 199A small business deduction is also now a permanent feature of America's Tax Code. It allows small businesses, farms, and ranches to reduce their tax burden and invest more in their operations and in their employees.

And then there is full expensing for new equipment, which is now permanent thanks to this bill, and supports businesses upgrading and replacing machinery and other equipment that is essential to their work.

This landmark bill also allows for full expensing of new factories and factory improvements. And we have seen a number of manufacturing investments being made across the United States since this bill passed last year.

One of the pillars of the Working Families Tax Cut is providing Americans with more opportunities to get ahead. And everything I have mentioned this morning is about cultivating opportunity, whether it is investing in education, supporting good-paying jobs, encouraging entrepreneurship, and promoting an economic environment where businesses can grow and create those good-paying jobs.

That is what the Working Families Tax Cut is all about, and this story is only just beginning to be written.

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