Reprint Courtesy of the U.S. Conference of Mayors
On April 17, 2024, Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix and Chair, USCM Jobs, Education and Workforce Standing Committee sent an ASWA/WIOA Reauthorization Mayoral Sign-On Letter to U. S. Senators Bernie Sanders, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (CHELP) and Bill Cassidy, Ranking Member, CHELP, related to the House-approved “A Stronger Workforce for America Act”:
“ On behalf of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, we write today to express our priorities for bi-partisan legislation reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. With more than 9.5 million job openings in the U.S., but only 6.5 million unemployed workers, it is critically important that Congress reauthorize federally funded job training programs that work, and promote an agenda of smart, sustainable investments in the nation’s workforce to put us on a solid path for economic growth.” Click here for PDF version of the entire letter
“Knowlton R. Atterbeary, President & CEO, commented, “Since April 9th, when the House passed ASWA, now two of the most influential and respected industry stakeholders—of which KRA is a corporate-level member—NAWB and USCM have articulated concerns for the Senate to consider.
“Our experience with the legislative process indicates that if the Senate passes a version of ASWA that differs from that of the House, a Conference Committee will have to negotiate a compromise bill agreed to by both chambers and then returned to both chambers for final approval.
“Experience also tells us that this can be a laborious and lengthy—and at this point, unavoidable—process. We can only hope that ASWA is the exception to the norm, and that WIOA reauthorization, which our Nation’s workforce-investment system needs desperately, will be enacted before the end of the 118th Congress’ term in December.”