Press Releases

Today, the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), held a field hearing in Nevada’s Third Congressional District to examine the need for responsible reforms to federal job training services. Reps. Joe Heck (R-NV) and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) joined Chairman Kline at the field hearing.

During the hearing, witnesses testified about the challenges facing the state and local economies, explored the role of job training services in enhancing the career opportunities of workers, and discussed the need to update the 1998 Workforce Investment Act.

“According to a recent report by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office, the federal government administers 47 separate job training programs spread across nine different agencies, representing an annual taxpayer investment of $18 billion,” said Chairman John Kline (R-MN). “Forty-four programs overlap with at least one other program. Only five programs have been evaluated to determine whether they are effectively serving workers.” Chairman Kline added, “Our deficits and debt are skyrocketing and unemployment continues to hover around 9 percent. Wasting the hard-earned dollars of taxpayers and squandering support for workers is unacceptable.”

“The efforts underway in Southern Nevada can serve as a guideline as we work to modernize the Workforce Investment Act, and that’s why members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce are here in Las Vegas today,” said Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV). “We want to hear from business and community leaders about the local economic climate and the workforce’s needs.” Rep. Heck continued, “As we work to build a stronger, more competitive workforce, ensuring access to effective job-training opportunities and employment services is critical.”

Highlights from today’s hearing include:

The Honorable Andy Hafen, Mayor, City of Henderson: “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics, the national unemployment rate is at 9.1 percent. Nevada, by contrast, currently sits at 12.9 percent, and Southern Nevada unemployment is at 14 percent. All of these factors combine to create a scenario that is certainly ripe with challenge when it comes to job creation and recovery. However, in Henderson we’ve made it a priority in our strategic planning efforts to focus on ways to promote a strong and diverse local economy, and we believe that despite our continued economic struggles we’ve been achieving success in that area.”

Mr. Jeremy Aguero, Principal Analyst, Applied Analysis: “It is appropriate you are holding this hearing here today because this region, state, and community have been acutely impacted by the recession. After leading the nation in nearly every measure of economic prosperity, including population growth, job creation, personal income growth and new investment, for more than 20 years, southern Nevada now ranks at or near the nation’s highest in terms of unemployment, housing price declines, foreclosure and bankruptcy.” Aguero continued, “I do not want to leave you with the impression southern Nevada is a sinking ship. Although unmoored and struggling to find a safe harbor, there are some notable pockets of prosperity.”

Mr. Leroy Walker, Vice President for Human Resources, St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, Nevada Market: “Training needs within healthcare are complex and have resulted in the need for organizations to ensure that staff is trained appropriately. Additionally, the partnering with various educational systems to ensure that their curriculum is in alignment with our needs has become more necessary than ever. As we each find the need for more and more healthcare, we must find a better more efficient way to ensure that staff is appropriately trained and prepared to provide the care we need.”

Mr. Edward Guthrie, Executive Director, The Opportunity Village: “At Opportunity Village, we believe in informed choice. We do not believe that ‘one size fits all.’ People with disabilities should be offered a range of opportunities. That’s why we offer a variety of options from which people with disabilities and their families can choose, consistent with their strengths, interests, and needs.” Guthrie concluded by saying, “People with intellectual disabilities want to able to live, work and play in our/their community. We need to assure that they have good quality services to enable them to succeed.”

Ms. Rebecca Metty-Burns, Executive Director, Division of Workforce and Economic Development, College of Southern Nevada: “Within our workforce programs we have had mixed results with our ability to access and utilize Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds. We continue to find it challenging and frequently frustrating to provide the training and education that the local workforce needs when confined to the limitations that come with WIA funds. At times we are choosing to opt out of requesting the funds when the requirements demand a cumbersome bureaucratic administration be put in place over a focus on quality delivery of education.” Metty-Burns added, “The opportunity to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act is a call for action. Allocating investment in the community colleges allows greater reach to more of the workforce and the ability to train the workforce with technology needed to compete globally.”

To read testimony and view related documents from the Nevada field hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/hearings.

 

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