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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, President Obama signed into law H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), legislation authored by Congresswoman Virginia Foxx providing for a long overdue reform of the Workforce Investment Act.  WIOA represents a compromise between Congresswoman Foxx’s SKILLS Act (H.R. 803) and S. 1356, the Workforce Investment Act of 2013.

 “President Obama’s signing of the bipartisan Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act demonstrates the good that can be done when we legislate the old fashioned way, using negotiation and compromise,” said Representative Virginia Foxx.  “This law will help millions of American jobseekers get the skills needed to improve their employment prospects and improve their quality of life.  Our economy will benefit from a 21^st century workforce capable of filling the millions of jobs that currently go unfilled due to the skills gap.”

 WIOA was approved by a vote of 415 to 6 in the House of Representatives; it passed the Senate on a 95-3 vote.  WIOA streamlines and improves existing federal workforce development programs and fosters a modern workforce that American businesses can rely on to compete.  The bill was supported by a broad array of business, and workforce development leaders, as well as governors and mayors from throughout the country.

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 Video of Rep. Foxx’s House floor speech in support of WIOA can be found here: http://youtu.be/U8nkAL3lebs

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 Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is currently in her fifth term as the Representative of North Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District and is the elected Republican Conference Secretary.  Dr. Foxx is the chair of the House Education & the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and serves as Vice Chair of the House Rules Committee.