Expanding Opportunity through Workforce Development

The month of February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) month. It is a time to recognize the critical importance CTE plays in expanding opportunities for Americans.

One of the top issues I hear talking to small businesses across the district is that they’re having difficulty finding employees with the skills needed to fill their vacancies and help their businesses thrive. It’s an issue I am all too familiar with, as a small business owner for over twenty-five years. Unfortunately, it is not a problem unique to our community. According to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 11 million jobs available across the country.

One way to help individuals on their pathway to prosperity, is to provide opportunities for them to learn the skills needed to succeed in in-demand available jobs.

I appreciated the opportunity to speak about the critical need for CTE during my recent appearance on WLCH Radio Centro and tour Tec Centro in downtown Lancaster earlier this month. Tec Centro, which is operated by the Spanish American Civic Association, is a skills training and workforce development program.

I appreciated learning directly from students about why they are learning new skills. They shared they were learning new skills because their college education didn’t provide them the opportunities they were seeking. For another individual, it was because a plant closure has forced a career change in his life. For most, it was because they knew learning additional skills would help them find a high-paying and fulfilling career.

For far too long, too much of federal policy and funding has focused solely on high school graduates who continue their education at a 4-year degree granting institution. I would never discourage anyone from pursuing a baccalaureate education, but we need to do more to provide opportunities to individuals through CTE. There are many pathways to success, including through CTE and workforce development programs.

As a member of the House Education & Workforce Committee, I look forward to advancing proposals like the PELL Act and my USA Workforce Tax Credit Act to supercharge investment in critical CTE programs.

Click the image below to watch my interview with WGAL News 8 and coverage of the visit to WLCH and Tec Centro.

Budget Report Paints Grim Picture of America's Finances 

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office recently released its report The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2023-2033. This report, along with the release of two indicators of inflation this month beating expectations, paints a grim picture for our nation’s economy and finances.

Deficits will continue year-after-year, totaling a projected $20.3 trillion over the next decade and an estimated $1.4 trillion for this fiscal year.

Paying for just the interest on our growing national debt will cost an estimated $10.5 trillion over the next decade. Every dollar that we spend in interest payments on our growing national debt are dollars that we cannot use to invest in critical priorities. These payments will continue to rise in years to come.  

Alarmingly, our nation’s debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, which expresses our amount of debt in terms of our nation’s total economic output, is rising to dangerous levels.

In just two years— debt held by the public will eclipse 100 percent of our nation’s GDP. By 2053, it’s projected that debt held by the public will eclipse nearly 200 percent of our nation’s GDP—levels unprecedented in our nation’s history.

For perspective, the only time the debt held by the public eclipsed 100 percent of GDP was during World War II. That was a far better reason than we have now which is due to the Democrat’s reckless spending and creation of an ever-growing bloated federal bureaucracy. We must change the trajectory of our nation’s financial future; we cannot continue to pile more and more debt on future generations of Americans.

Upcoming Military Service Academy Information Night 

As a Member of Congress working in consultation with my Academy Board, it is an absolute honor and privilege to recommend the best and brightest students for nomination to one of our nation’s military service academies.

My office will be hosting an informative Academy Night event for students and families interested in learning more about our service academies and the nomination process. Click here for more information about the event.

Honoring Black History Month

As we observe Black History Month, we give thanks, honor, and celebrate Black Americans who have contributed so much and have helped shape our nation. One member of the community I would like to highlight is Henry Norwood “Barney” Ewell. Last year in downtown Lancaster City, a statue of was unveiled in the plaza bearing his name. Barney Ewell was an Olympic champion, earning one gold and two silver medals in the 1948 Olympics in London. Barney Ewell was known as the fastest man in the world and was an inspiration to so many in the community. Click here to listen to my floor remarks honoring Barney Ewell.

Visits in the District 

I had a great time visiting southern York County with Explore York as part of their Cultural Trails event this week and appreciated learning more about York’s history and meeting great entrepreneurs doing great things in the community. Learn more about the Cultural Trails program here. 

It was great to catch up with Red Lion Borough Mayor Gene Lau over lunch, to hear about the great things happening in the borough and talk about the issues facing our nation. Thanks for your service, Mayor!

I appreciated receiving a briefing on Penn State Health’s Life Lion program at the Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center last week. Life Lion serves individuals with critical care transport service across south-central Pennsylvania.

It was great to share books from the Library of Congress with the Lancaster Public Library’s Mountville Branch this month. Thanks for all you do to provide our community with opportunities to learn and grow!

It was great to meet with team members of United Disability Services to learn how they support individuals with disabilities across 40 counties in Pennsylvania. I especially appreciated learning more about their service dog program.

Valentine’s Day was a sweet day to get a behind-the-scenes tour of Taylor Chip Cookies in Manheim Township to learn more about their tasty treats and their company’s story. Thank you, Sara and Doug, for a great visit and best wishes for continued success!

Smucker Service Corner 

If you have any questions or issues with a federal agency, please know that my office is here to assist you. You can call my district or Washington, DC offices for assistance or visit my website for any issue with a federal agency or department.

My office was able to assist Donald from Ephrata receive copies of his military discharge papers. Thank you for your service Donald and thanks for contacting my office, it was an honor to assist you!   

“Hallelujah!!!!!! Thank you! I’m so thankful to the person that told me you could help,” was what Nancy of Lancaster shared with my office, after we were able to provide her assistance with a Social Security Administration issue.

Here to Help

Starting Jan. 17, Veterans in suicidal crisis can go to any Veterans Affairs or non-VA health care facility for free emergency health care. Click here to learn more.

Recently the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was launched. Individuals who are struggling or in crisis can simply call or text 988 to reach trained counselors. Individuals can also visit https://988lifeline.org/ to chat with a counselor. Click here to learn more about the lifeline from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Many individuals have recently contacted my office looking for assistance with their unemployment compensation claims, which are administered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not federal agencies. If you’re seeking assistance with your unemployment claim, you can contact your state legislator for assistance. Click here to find your state legislator’s contact information. 

Looking for information on federal grants? Learn more about the grant awarding process and search the federal database of grant programs at www.grants.gov.

Stay Connected

To stay up-to-date on my work in the district and Washington, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also check out my YouTube page, where there are 100+ videos, many of which are direct responses to your questions.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Smucker