Workforce Congressional Committees
The 116th Congress has new members on committees and subcommittees which brought significant changes. These committees and subcommittees govern employment and training along with social services, education, and economic security policies and lastly program funding.
The House Committee on Education and Labor is chaired by Representative Bobby Scott (D) of Virginia and Representative Virginia Foxx (R) of North Carolina.
The House Committee on Education and Labor has jurisdiction over workforce development programs. This committee also oversees the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Read more about the committees and new members here.
Skillspan: Job Training and Skills
The National Skills Coalition has plans to implement a network of state-level nonpartisans coalitions that will focus on skills and job training. This project is called the “Skills State Policy Advocacy Network” or in short, “Skillspan”. The objective is for these non-partisans coalitions to be in 25 states for the next five years.
Those who will be included in the Skillspan state-level coalitions are policy organizations along with other stakeholders including workforce development organizations.
Read more about Skillspan here.
2020 Election: Skills Training Support
According to the National Skills Coalition it is likely that there will be overwhelming support for skills training and government training in the 2020 elections. ALG Research conducted a research poll under the NSC in January.
These polling results found that ninety three percent of respondents said that they would support investments in skills training.
Read more about the poll here.
Veterans: Expansion of Eligibility
According to new federal guidelines Vietnam-era veterans can now be served by Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program specialists. These new federal guidelines have broadened the eligibility categories of those who can be served by outreach programs.
The eligibility extension includes transitioning members who need individualized career services. This also includes members and spouses of members who are ill, injured, wounded and are receiving care at military hospitals.
Read more about the eligibility here.