IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

WHEREAS, the country has experienced an economic slowdown and as a result, cities across the United States have lost thousands of jobs over the past year; and

WHEREAS, the $217.5 million rescission of Workforce Investment Act(WIA) funds approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and the $359 million rescission of WIA funds proposed by the House Appropriations Committee in the FY 2001 supplemental appropriations bill, and the current cuts in the Department of Labor funds for FY 2002, and in outlaying years will seriously damage our nation's ability to provide workforce preparation and placement services to businesses, job seekers, veterans, dislocated workers, youth, individuals with disabilities and other; and

WHEREAS, current cuts in the Department of Labor this year, and in outlaying years will seriously damage our nation's ability to provide workforce preparation and placement services to businesses, job seekers, veterans, dislocated workers, youth, individuals with disabilities and others; and

WHEREAS, unlike many other federal programs over the past eight years, the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration budget did not increase in real dollar terms; and

WHEREAS, WIA and related workforce development services have played a critical role in the United States' unprecedented success reforming welfare and supporting former recipients' transition to work; and

WHEREAS, increased funding for WIA and other workforce-related programs will ensure the continued availability of a flexible program design, which is an essential tool in creating such innovative, employer-focused, customized training programs; and

WHEREAS, support for the Employment and Training Administration would help our nation's job seekers secure employment, strengthen the competitiveness of American business, promote economic growth, and extend the benefits of a healthy economy to disadvantaged adults,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes the importance of employment and training as a key avenue to creating new and sustaining existing jobs in our cities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conference requests that the Administration make a commitment to the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration budget to allow cities across the country to serve those who become unemployed as a result of the economic slowdown and also to continue to meet the demands needed for a 21^st century workforce; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors opposes any rescission to WIA funds and urges Congress not to approve the proposed rescissions to WIA funds; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conference calls upon Congress to increase the Administration's current funding levels for the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration's budget.