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Congress Breaks for July 4th Recess; Resumes July 6th
Congress observed the Independence Day recess this week and will return on Monday, July 6th for what is shaping up to be a full legislative schedule for the remainder of the month. Upon its return, Congress will look to complete work on the remaining FY2010 spending measures, including funding for the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill. Democrats have expressed their intent to complete the 12 spending bills before the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
New House Education and Labor Subcommittee Ranking Members Announced
On Tuesday, June 30, newly appointed House Education and Labor Committee Ranking Member John Kline (MN) filled two subcommittee leadership positions. The new appointments included Representative Tom Price (GA) as Ranking Member on the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA) as Ranking Member on the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.
Kline vacated the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee leadership position when he became ranking Member of the full Committee. The changes in the Committee occurred after President Barack Obama nominated John McHugh (NY), formerly the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, to be Secretary of the Army. Representative Howard McKeon (CA), the former Ranking Member of the Education and Labor Committee, succeeded McHugh on Armed Services, leaving his position open. The House Republican Steering Committee elected Kline to replace McKeon. Price, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, had previously served as the Ranking Member of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.
Representatives Price and McMorris Rodgers join three other subcommittee ranking Republican members: Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE), of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee; Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA), of the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee; and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), of the Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness Subcommittee.
House Passes Climate Bill; Provides Funding for Energy Worker Training
On Friday, June 26, the House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454) on a 219 to 212 vote. The contentious legislation passed with 8 Republicans supporting the measure and 44 Democrats voting against it. The bill represents the first national plan of action to comprehensively address climate change.
As reported last week, the bill will increase Workforce Investment Act funding for the Energy Worker Training Program from $125 million to $150 million. The measure also authorizes funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act for programs of study focused on emerging careers in renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change mitigation; and for the Climate Change Worker Adjustment Assistance Program, which provides assistance to workers adversely affected by the requirements of the Clean Air Act.
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Jobs for the Future
Reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act: A Down Payment on a Workforce Development System for the 21st Century
The federal government last reauthorized its investment in the nation’s workforce system in 1998 with the Workforce Investment Act. As Congress and the Obama Administration move forward with reauthorizing WIA, building on the successes of the current system gives us a head start. WIA is also an important vehicle for aligning incentives and strategies across economic development, secondary and postsecondary education, and the employment and workforce systems, and for doing so at the federal, state and local levels.
JFF provides these recommendations to help Congress revisit the act as part of a broader push for coherent, comprehensive, and effective support of workforce and economic development in the nation. JFF envisions a modernized workforce development system that is: powerful enough to build and maintain a 21st century workforce; multifunctional, to meet the needs of youth, workers, employers, and communities; and flexible, to adapt to a dynamic, competitive global economy.
To learn more and download a free copy of the report, visit:
http://www.jff.org/Documents/reauthorizingWIA2009.pdf
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