Moving in the Right Direction

One year ago today, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is designed to help put Americans back to work by updating and reforming the nation’s broken job training system. As Chairman John Kline (R-MN) said when the law was enacted:

We rejected petty politics and put the best interests of working families first. Now we have a new law that will protect taxpayers and help put more Americans back to work. The American people deserve to see more of these bipartisan accomplishments. It is time to get back to work and find other areas of common ground that will help expand opportunity and prosperity for working families.

Enjoying widespread support in both chambers of Congress, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act provides the American people the workforce development system they deserve by:

• Modernizing and improving federal workforce development programs, eliminating more than a dozen failing programs;
   
• Helping workers attain skills for 21st century jobs by providing direct access to training assistance and helping direct more resources to training services;
   
• Providing support to people with disabilities to enter and remain in competitive, integrated job settings; and
   
• Fostering the modern workforce that evolving American businesses rely on to compete.

Praising the bipartisan accomplishment, Congressional leaders agreed passing WIOA:

• Goes to show that both chambers of Congress are still capable of breaking through the gridlock and investing in American workers and the economy. – Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
   
• Is the culmination of a long process of legislating the old fashioned way: discussion, negotiation, and compromise. – Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
   
• Is part of the solution to the challenges facing our middle class. – Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
   
• Will help our nation’s workers gain the skills to find jobs. – Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
   
• Will provide millions of Americans the opportunity to receive the training and skills necessary to find a job and keep a job. – Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
   
• Will better connect job training programs with the needs of local employers. – Rep. George Miller (D-CA)

By establishing a system that prepares individuals for the 21st century workforce, WIOA will help put Americans back to work and make it easier for employers to find the skilled employees they need. As our economy struggles to recover, we must continue to look for opportunities to develop policies that will promote economic growth and prosperity. Improving K-12 education would be a good next step.

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