On June 25, the Senate passed, 95-3, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as amended (H.R. 803). The House passed its version of the bill in March.
According to a bill summary, the measure, sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, would repeal the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L 105-220) to strengthen workforce education and development programs.
The bill would require the Secretary of Labor ensure that both men and women have an equal opportunity to participate in the Job Corps program and to conduct a multistate study to ensure that individuals participating in Job Corps programs are being placed into jobs, education, and training programs that are resulting in equivalent pay for men and women, including the participation of women in high-skill, high-wage jobs in which women are currently underrepresented.
The legislation would remove eligibility from Job Corps from those individuals who have been convicted of a felony consisting of murder, child abuse, or a crime involving rape and sexual assault.
The measure would require that applicants for the YouthBuild grant program describe the special outreach efforts they plan to undertake to recruit eligible young women, including young women with dependent children.
