Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors (AED), issued the following statement in conjunction with the introduction of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career & Technical Education Act.

“AED congratulates the House Education & Workforce Committee's leadership for introducing the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. By prioritizing technical education, Congress can help better prepare workers for well-paying careers, ensure that U.S. companies are able to seize new business opportunities and make the United States more competitive in the global economy. Businesses, schools and government officials must collectively commit to tackling the technical education crisis at all levels, and the legislation is a great step forward to enabling that commitment.

“The skilled worker shortage is costing construction equipment dealers approximately $2.4 billion per year in lost revenue and economic activity. By reflecting current workforce needs, empowering state and local entities, and emphasizing work-based learning opportunities, the legislation is a great step to address the industry's skilled worker deficiency, allowing AED members to better serve customers while growing their businesses and the overall economy. We look forward to working with the House and Senate to get this important legislation to the president's desk in the near future.”

For more information, visit www.aednet.org.