Press Releases

On Tuesday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m., the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), will hold a legislative hearing on the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 4297). The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 3.5 million job openings nationwide. Even though 12.7 million individuals are searching for work, employers continue to experience difficulties finding a skilled workforce. The nation’s broken network of job training programs is not providing workers the skills necessary to fill the demands of employers.

Since the start of the 112th Congress, the House Education and the Workforce Committee has held a series of hearings to examine the challenges facing the workforce investment system. In response, Representatives Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) and Joe Heck (R-NV) introduced the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 4297) to strengthen job training and employment assistance for workers and reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. 

Among the policy reforms included in H.R. 4297, the legislation will consolidate 27 redundant and ineffective programs into one flexible Workforce Investment Fund, eliminate 19 federal mandates dictating who can serve on local workforce investment boards, and require the Department of Labor to conduct an independent evaluation of its programs every five years.

Tuesday’s legislative hearing will provide will members an opportunity to discuss and gather expert feedback on the legislation.

To learn more about this hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/hearings. To learn more about the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012, click here.

 

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WITNESS LIST

Ms. Norma Noble
Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Workforce Development
WorkForce Solutions
Oklahoma City, OK

Ms. Laurie Moran
President
Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce
Blairs, VA

Mr. Andy Van Kleunen
Executive Director
National Skills Coalition
Washington, D.C.

Ms. Sandy Harmsen
Director
San Bernardino County Department of Workforce Development
San Bernardino, CA