At its core, effective legislating is carried out by following established procedures, respecting the input from those who hold different positions, and finding common ground for the good of the people. Let the People’s House be a prime example. The rules we follow respect the majority and minority parties so that both sides are represented and that everyone has a seat at the table. Unfortunately, those principles were abandoned this week when Washington Democrats ignored bipartisan input in favor their own approach: quickly rushing their own legislation to the floor and abandoning a committee markup on a controversial bill.
Under the Trump Administration, IRAPS - or Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs - were created to provide an avenue for companies seeking skilled workers to develop programs that received input from other industry leaders rather than the federal government. Republicans strongly supported these programs while Democrats argued that the federal government needed a stronger presence in the process. If private sector innovation and career preparation are inherently good things, why would Washington Democrats want more government oversight over them? Well, look no further than the partisan bill they’re peddling now.
Under the so-called National Apprenticeship Act, those apprenticeship programs will be decimated. More specifically, it would strip countless opportunities away from 131 of these programs – a vast majority of which are nursing credentials, in the middle of a public health and workforce crisis. It also pushes workers into unions by favoring grant funding for entities that directly partner with unions and not with separate innovators. Instead of focusing on American innovation, and the flexibility to get more Americans back into work, Washington Democrats are doubling down on an antiquated system that favors union-driven apprenticeships rather than opportunities that make substantial and lasting impacts on America’s workforce.
That’s not what Western North Carolinians want, and frankly it’s not what they deserve. Union-run apprenticeships are dead in the water, and I’ll continue to fight so that those who seek apprenticeships can receive the opportunities they need to build livelihoods they can be proud of.
Important Update on UMATA
This week, I reintroduced the Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act for the 117th Congress alongside Senator Rob Portman (R-OH). This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is built off legislation that was originally offered by me and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act. In short, this bill helps uncover the true costs of unfunded federal mandates so that Washington bureaucrats can no longer kick the can down the road at the expense of hardworking taxpayers, the job market, and the great American economy. Congress must always look for opportunities to cut red tape, empower job creators, and strengthen local governments across the country. I’m confident that our legislation will achieve these goals, and I look forward its passage in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
An Interview You Can’t Miss
Recently, I joined Tony Perkins, the President of the Family Research Council, to speak about President Biden’s attack on the sanctity of human life. In case you have not seen the news, last week President Biden struck down the pro-life Mexico City Policy with the stroke of a pen – effectively undoing the progress we’ve seen to preserve life for the past four years. In short, the Mexico City Policy prohibits federal funding to international organizations that are directly involved in providing and promoting abortion services. As I told Tony, Republicans in Congress understand that life is sacred, and we’ll always be the loudest voice in the room when it comes to fighting for, and defending, the unborn.
Click here to listen to the full interview.
Quote of The Week
“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
― Margaret Thatcher
Have a blessed weekend.
Sincerely,
