From: AMANDA MADDOX Press Secretary OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR JOHNNY ISAKSON 131 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC 20510 phone: 202.224.3643 | fax: 202.228.0724 Isakson’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Passes House, Heads to President’s Desk - Legislation updates and improves the nation’s workforce development system, overdue for reauthorization for more than a decade WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, also known as WIOA, to update and improve the nation’s workforce development system. The measure, introduced by Isakson and a group of bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers earlier this year, is now headed to the president’s desk following overwhelming bipartisan support from both houses of Congress. The proposal, which was introduced by the bipartisan group of leaders from the House and Senate in May, would improve federal workforce development laws that have been overdue for reauthorization for over a decade. Dozens of labor, business, disability advocacy, and workforce development leaders have endorsed the legislation and urged Congress to pass it promptly. See the current list of supporters here. The legislation represents a compromise between the SKILLS Act (H.R. 803), which passed the House of Representatives in March of 2013, and the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (S. 1356), passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee with a bipartisan vote of 18-3 in July of 2013. A one-page summary of the legislation can be found here: isakson.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/6b26031a-b9e3-41ce-8e1c-099f4fc19fe5/WIOA%20bicam%20one%20pager%20FINAL.pdf A summary of key improvements WIOA makes to current workforce development programs can be found here: isakson.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/811cd782-6fba-481a-a832-cb3dfba9aaa3/WIOA%20bicam%20different%20from%20current%20law%20FINAL.pdf The text of the bipartisan, bicameral agreement can be found here: isakson.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/a4766452-3945-44d4-bb34-f8a6670bf166/WIOA%20Final-bill%20KIN14299.pdf “Workforce training is critically important to help grow the American economy still recovering from recession and bridge the widening skills gap separating thousands of unemployed workers from promising careers in 21st century workplaces,” said Senator Isakson. “The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will provide millions of Americans the opportunity to receive the training and skills necessary to find a job and keep a job. I am extremely pleased that my colleagues in the House passed this bipartisan measure with overwhelming support. I urge the president to swiftly sign this bill into law so we can continue making critical investments in American workers to meet the modern demands of businesses in a global environment.” The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act modernizes, streamlines and improves existing federal workforce development programs, provides increased flexibility for states and local workforce boards by reducing burdensome federal mandates and strengthens accountability for taxpayer dollars. The bill helps to ensure that workers attain the skills necessary to meet the needs of employers for 21st century jobs and that employers have access to a workforce that is competitive in the 21st century. The update to the law also provides supports to people with disabilities to enter and remain in competitive, integrated job settings, and fosters the modern workforce that evolving American businesses rely on to compete. Isakson, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, led the effort to update and pass WIOA in coordination with HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, HELP Committee Ranking Member Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and HELP Committee senior member Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 20:18:26 +0000
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