Chair Cassidy Delivers Remarks During Hearing on Apprenticeships, Strengthening American Workforce

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered remarks during today's hearing on how to best support apprenticeships to strengthen America's workforce and economy.

Click here to watch the full hearing.

Cassidy's speech as prepared for delivery can be found below:

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order.

In the next ten years, the U.S. is predicted to face a deficit of nearly 6 million workers. Americans are retiring at unprecedented rates, and we don't have enough people to replace them.

I'm a doctor, I know firsthand this shortage has particularly impacted the health care sector. With America's aging population, there are more patients to treat and fewer workers relative to the number needed to be treated.

We need to modernize and expand the apprenticeship model to connect workers with the skills needed for the future.

According to the Department of Labor, apprentices earn a starting salary of $80,000, well above the median individual income.

Republicans and Democrats on this Committee strongly support apprenticeships. This is pro-worker, pro-business, and pro-family.

By the way, President Trump and Secretary Chavez-DeRemer understand the power of apprenticeships in strengthening our economy and empowering workers.

President Trump set out a bold vision - create 1 million new active apprenticeships. In August, the Departments of Education, Labor, and Commerce published a roadmap outlining how to accomplish this. As HELP Chairman, I am working closely with President Trump and his administration to expand apprenticeship opportunities.

American workers and employers want to participate in apprenticeships. But the current system is too burdensome, and inconsistent state laws confuse workers and businesses alike. We must simplify the registration process to make it faster and easier for employers to offer apprenticeships.

The federal government, state governments, and private industry should work together to adopt an innovative approach to scale apprenticeships beyond the trades to reach new industries like advanced technology.

Employees and employers need more input in the design of apprenticeships, lowering costs and enhancing flexibility to choose the standards that work best. Apprenticeships should be guided by those actually on the ground, not government bureaucrats.

By implementing these commonsense reforms, we can achieve President Trump's goal to strengthen the economy and give more Americans a path to the American Dream.

Thank you to our witnesses for being here and look forward to discussing your ideas today.

With that, I recognize Senator Sanders.

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