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Foxx Champions Bipartisan Workforce Development Legislation |
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As students and families celebrate high school and college graduations, many graduates are wondering where they will find that first job. Nationally, almost half of recent college graduates are un-or-underemployed and are struggling to find good careers. I often hear from constituents who are doing everything they can to join or reenter the workforce but find that they need to develop the technical skills necessary to compete for available jobs. Unfortunately, federal workforce education programs intended to help workers develop skills are a jumble of paperwork and red tape.
As the Chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, I have led efforts to modernize and reform this confusing and obsolete system. The House passed legislation I authored, H.R. 803, the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, with bipartisan support in March 2013. Since that time, I have worked closely with colleagues in the Senate to make progress on these necessary reforms. It is my firm belief that continuing these ineffective programs fails American workers – and that is unacceptable.
That’s why I’m glad to share with you that House leaders have reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement with our Senate counterparts to reform these programs. The Senate passed the agreement on June 25 with a bipartisan vote of 95 to 3. We are now working with our colleagues in the House to bring it to the House floor in July for final consideration. This agreement is known as the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and contains many elements of the SKILLS Act including:
• Cutting 15 wasteful, duplicative programs, which will simplify the confusing maze of current programs and reduce burdensome federal mandates;
• Providing direct access to education and skills development for in-demand jobs;
• Reducing administrative costs and unnecessary bureaucracy by requiring that each state develop a unified plan for all workforce programs; and
• Establishing accountability through across-the-board standards to measure the success of each program, letting taxpayers and lawmakers see clearly which programs work – and which programs don’t.
If you would like to learn more about WIOA, please visit the House Education and Workforce Committee’s website here. WIOA takes a crucial step forward in the fight to help our economy grow and create jobs while also eliminating wasteful government programs and preparing Americans to compete in the 21st century workforce.
As your Representative, I am very interested to know your thoughts and concerns. My hope is that you will take the time to read about this agreement and share any specific feedback you may have via the contact page on my website, foxx.house.gov. Additionally, if you would like to receive regular updates about my work in Washington, I encourage you to visit my website and sign up for my e-newsletter.
Sincerely,
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