On Thursday, March 29, House Republicans on the House Education and the Workforce Committee introduced a new proposal for the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). The bill, H.R 4297, the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012, is a consolidated version of three bills introduced earlier by members of the Committee. The bill includes proposals to:
- “Consolidate 27 ineffective and redundant programs into one flexible fund for state and local leaders to provide employment assistance to its workers;
- Eliminate unnecessary requirements that stand in the way of a worker’s ability to receive the support and training they need immediately;
- Strengthen the role of job creators over workforce development decision; and
- Demand accountability to ensure the system is serving the best interests of workers, employers, and taxpayers.”
The bill continues to include Job Corps as one of the 27 programs that should be consolidated. The NJCA will be working with NJCA members and Job Corps advocates represented by members of the committee to educate the committee about the devastating impact the proposal to block-grant Job Corps would have on the program. The members of the committee can be found athttp://edworkforce.house.gov/Committee/SubcommitteesJurisdictions.htm
