Tomorrow, the House will vote on H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020. This shortsighted legislation doubles down on a flawed 80-year-old system, mandates union giveaways, and limits employers’ abilities to create apprenticeship programs that meet the unique needs of their workers.
On the House floor today, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Republican Leader of the Education and Labor Committee, delivered the following remarks:
"I rise today in opposition to H.R. 8294, which kills the ability for businesses and industry to fill in-demand jobs.
"Republicans and Democrats agree that apprenticeships play a critical role in addressing our nation’s workforce needs and preparing workers for meaningful, well-paying careers. However, the narrow-minded approach taken by Democrats in H.R. 8294 doubles down on a system that limits apprenticeship opportunities.
"Many who know me here in Congress know that I have advocated for these job-creating programs all my career. Nothing can prepare a student quite like on-the-job experience, and apprenticeships are a tried-and-true method of preparing students to enter the workforce with the skills they need to succeed.
"Unfortunately, the potential for a strong bipartisan effort to expand beyond the existing registered apprenticeship model to reach more workers and industries has been eclipsed by the Democrats’ typical partisan games.
"While our economy continues to recover from COVID-19, workers and job creators need the flexibility to innovate. Republicans understand that employers, not Washington bureaucrats, know best what skills their employees require to excel in the workplace.
"The Trump administration also recognizes the importance of employer-led innovation in the apprenticeship space and has taken important steps to expand and innovate work-based learning programs. More than 430 companies and organizations have signed the president’s Pledge to America’s Workers, committing to provide more than 16 million new education and on-the-job learning opportunities for American students and workers.
"Additionally, the Department of Labor is moving forward with Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs to give employers the flexibility to shape apprenticeship programs that will attract workers and prepare them for the 21st century.
"We’ve seen real success stories unfold when we let employers innovate. Opportunity America and the Brookings Institute recently published a study on the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME), an organization that connects educators, employers, and students with hands-on learning to strengthen the manufacturing industry.
"The study found Kentucky FAME graduates, when compared to their non-FAME counterparts, earned up to 63 percent more one year after graduation. Five years after, FAME graduates earned $98,000, compared to $52,783 for non-FAME graduates. This study represents not only a success story in Kentucky, but it uncovers a larger narrative: there is untapped potential in the apprenticeship space waiting to be unleashed because the existing registered model doesn’t meet the need of many companies right now.
"Instead of giving workers and employers more autonomy to create programs that are responsive to workforce needs, the Democrats’ bill clings to an 80-year-old system that shuts the door on flexibility and innovation and enshrines union giveaways.
"In a letter to Committee Republicans, John Pallasch, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at the Department of Labor, cautioned that 'if enacted, this bill would inhibit the ability of the Department to fulfill its mission in providing more Americans access to apprenticeships.' Mr. Pallasch went on to warn that H.R. 8294 puts job-filling programs in jeopardy due to an 'excessive number of requirements that are overly prescriptive.'
"Still, House Democrats want to make registered apprenticeships the only possible model under the National Apprenticeship Act.
"This approach is flawed. The numbers speak for themselves. In fiscal year 2019, 252,000 individuals entered apprenticeships and only 81,000 graduated from the registered system. It’s obvious that we can and should do better, but Democrats are turning a blind eye to needed improvements that will allow more Americans to get back to work and achieve the American Dream.
"The bill before us will force job creators to deal with overly prescriptive requirements, additional bureaucracy, and time-consuming paperwork. This stifling environment has discouraged new and small businesses from participating in the registered apprenticeship system for years now.
"The majority claims that this legislation will create one million new apprenticeship programs simply by virtue of throwing more money at the registered system without solving the underlying problems that prevent employers from participating or allowing for alternative models. It seems the new definition of insanity is the federal government spending more taxpayer dollars on decades old programs and expecting different results.
"An all-of-the-above approach is the best way to connect more workers with apprenticeship opportunities so they can secure meaningful, well-paying careers.
"That’s why Republicans on the Education and Labor Committee introduced a commonsense amendment during the bill’s markup to unleash the full potential of apprenticeships and help fill in-demand jobs. Among other provisions, it would allow the Department of Labor the flexibility to pursue other forms of work-based learning under the National Apprenticeship Act, including in response to COVID-19.
"It would reduce the paperwork burden on states by allowing them to submit state plans under the preexisting framework of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, rather than forcing them to establish a duplicative application process.
"Rarely is more government intervention the solution, which is why the amendment would strike provisions in H.R. 8294 that would add to the existing bureaucracy in the form of advisory committees and interagency agreements. The amendment also provides states with more discretion over how they spend their money, instead of letting the federal government dictate where their dollars must go.
"This amendment also makes it easier for more programs – and therefore more apprentices – to access the registered apprenticeship system by removing the requirement setting an uneven playing field between union and non-union program sponsors for the ratios of apprentices to instructors. This particular provision is just another scheme by Democrats to force workers into unions.
"Unfortunately, this commonsense, forward-looking amendment was struck down on a party line vote by Committee Democrats. Thankfully, the full House will have the opportunity to vote on this amendment during floor consideration, and I hope Democrats will take this opportunity to adopt legislation that will actually increase work-based learning opportunities.
"At a time when workers and job creators are working hard to overcome the challenges presented by COVID-19, we shouldn’t close potential pathways to work.
"Apprenticeships can help put more Americans to work as we recover from the pandemic, but only if job creators are given the flexibility to innovate and develop high-quality earn-and-learn programs. And the Democrat bill fails on that front."
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