On June 7, the House Education and the Workforce Committee approved, 23-15, the Workforce Investment Improvement Act (H.R. 4297).
As amended, the measure, sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), would reauthorize or establish several programs that provide training and services to individuals in search of work. According to the committee summary, the bill would consolidate several “federally funded workforce development programs into a single Workforce Development Fund, providing services to adults, unemployed workers, and youth seeking employment.”
The bill would authorize $6.08 billion for FY2013-2019 for allocations to states for employment and training services. States would be able to use the funds to provide incentive grants to local areas for regional cooperation among local boards; provide technical assistance and capacity building grants to local areas, one-stop operators and centers, and eligible providers; and carry out monitoring and oversight activities of such programs, among other activities. Governors would be able to consolidate their states’ workforce programs into a single program.
The legislation would authorize $606.295 million for FY2013-2019 for adult and family literacy programs that would “focus on the delivery of basic literacy and math skills, and work to build this instruction into employment activities.” Vocational rehabilitation programs also would be strengthened to help those with disabilities transition into employment.
Basic skills education, special education and secondary school programs, and transition to re-entry programs also would be authorized under the bill.
The committee adopted, by voice vote, a substitute amendment by Rep. Foxx to expand the grants for adults who face barriers to employment to include at-risk youth. Set-asides for statewide activities would be increased from five to ten percent.
The committee also adopted, by voice vote:
