Press Releases

The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), today held a hearing to explore ways to modernize the nation’s job-training system to better meet the needs of employers and workers.

In recent years, numerous states have taken steps to reduce the bureaucracy of job training programs and improve the quality of services offered to workers. As part of its effort to reauthorize the 1998 Workforce Investment Act, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce is seeking input on responsible reforms that will strengthen support for workers and promote better use of taxpayer dollars.

“For several months, we have been working to determine what a twenty-first century workforce investment system should look like and identify the responsible reforms necessary to help us get there,” stated Rep. Foxx. “We have learned there are a number of creative and successful reforms underway at the state and local levels that may serve as models for reform. An improved job training system must empower state leaders to pursue policies that best meet the needs of the local workforce.”

Some highlights from the hearing include -

Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) asked Utah Department of Workforce Services Executive Director Kristen Cox for her thoughts on improving the efficiency of workforce training programs:
          
                   

 “There is a high reporting burden, and in my mind, before you cut any dollar to the customer, you’ve got to cut down the bureaucracy,” Ms. Cox stated.  

Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) asked Laurie Larrea, President of Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, to describe the benefits of using reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act to provide more flexibility to state and local workforce boards:

                   

"Flexibility is the key word. You notice the consensus here – business-led, flexible money, less federal activity – it cannot be done from Washington, it has to be done by business leaders… This is the time to make something really special happen," said Ms. Larrea 

Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) asked each witness to describe their top priority for reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act:

                   

"We would like to see more employer input at the front end of this whole process. Too often, employers are consulted after the process is well down the track. We really believe that an employers’ voice at the beginning of the design of the program, at the beginning of the curriculum development on what skills are needed, that’s where it’s really critical," stated Jaime Fall, Workforce and Talent Development Policy Vice President of the H.R. Policy Association.

"Ultimately, American workers are looking for responsible policies that will help the economy grow and create new jobs,” Ms. Foxx concluded. “My Republican colleagues and I are eager to find common ground on solutions that will improve federal job training assistance on behalf of workers, employers, and taxpayers.”

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