House Departs Early for August Recess
Washington Update
Appropriations
On Tuesday, July 23, House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro (CT) convened a group of health, education, and labor advocates in the Capitol to denounce the Republicans’ Labor-HHS-Education funding bill. House Republicans abandoned plans to vote on the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, as well as several other FY25 funding measures, amid disagreement between conservative hardliners and members in vulnerable seats. After the legislative branch funding measure surprisingly failed in a floor vote earlier this month, GOP leadership opted to start the House’s recess early rather than risk another failed floor vote. The House canceled this week’s work session — sending lawmakers home for a six-week summer recess with little progress made on their funding bills. The change was partly because of this week’s funeral for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), but also comes as Republicans have faced challenges getting several of their remaining bills across the finish line.
On Thursday, July 25, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to advance four spending bills — Commerce-Science-Justice, Interior-Environment, State-Foreign Operations and Transportation-HUD. Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Patty Murray (WA) announced the full committee will meet on Thursday, August 1, to consider the five remaining FY25 appropriations bills: Labor-HHS-Education, Energy-Water, Defense, Homeland Security, and Financial Services. Last year was the first time in five years all of the bills made it out of committee, and Murray and Committee ranking Member Susan Collins (ME) are hoping to do it again this year.
WIOA Reauthorization
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will not mark up Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization legislation before Congress goes on August recess next week. Senate HELP Committee ranking member Bill Cassidy (LA) had hoped to have the legislation marked up before August recess but negotiations on the bill have slowed in recent weeks. Several weeks ago, business groups sent a letter to the committee expressing their opposition to “blacklisting” provisions in the bill that would prevent employers from receiving funding if they violated federal labor laws.
USCM LIH: Preparing for the Digital Equity Competitive Grants
On Tuesday, July 31, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Local Infrastructure Hub (LIH), a major national initiative to assist cities in implementation of President Biden’s $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will hold a webinar designed to highlight and prepare cities to navigate the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) recently announced Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.
Workforce development organizations are eligible to receive funding through the program. The $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program aims to support community initiatives that ensure everyone has access to the technologies that undergird an increasingly digital economy and the training and skills they need to take advantage of them. Below please find a link to register for the webinar.
Speakers will include Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr.; Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator; Angela Thi Bennett, Director of Digital Equity, National Telecommunications and Information Administration; Amy Huffman, Policy Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance; and Rachel Stark, Smart Cities Program Manager, City of Charlotte.
Click here to register for the Local Infrastructure Hub: Preparing for the Digital Equity Competitive Grants webinar.
Click here to access the LIH website, which includes several tools to help cities access federal infrastructure funding, including a federal grant Opportunity Finder and a Content Calendar for future sessions.
EDA Notice of Funding Opportunity
On Monday, July 29, the Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), launched a new phase of funding for the Good Jobs Challenge. This funding opportunity builds on the success of the first round of the Good Jobs Challenge awards, funded by the American Rescue Plan, and this round will invest $25 million into high-quality, locally-led workforce training programs that lead to good jobs. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) the Department is launching will support sectoral partnerships that bring together diverse stakeholders including employers, labor unions, educational institutions, training organizations, community-based organizations, and others to develop high-quality training programs that lead directly to a good job. EDA anticipates making 5-8 awards ranging from $1 million to $8 million, which are anticipated to be announced in winter 2024.
The FY 2024 Good Jobs Challenge NOFO is targeted at jobs that advance industries critical to U.S. economic competitiveness and the competitiveness of the applicant’s region, including jobs that do not require a four-year college degree. Applicants must implement training for jobs that advance key technology focus areas as established by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which include advanced energy, biotechnology, robotics, and semiconductors. EDA will prioritize applicants that include worker voice through partnerships with labor unions or worker-serving organizations, support for workers at all levels of certification and degree status, and prioritize workers that are adversely impacted by changes in technology.
Click here to read the full press release and learn more about how to apply.
Labor Enforcement to Securely Protect Workers Act
House Education and the Workforce ranking member Bobby Scott (VA) plans to introduce the “Labor Enforcement to Securely Protect Workers Act,” which will increase civil monetary penalties for employers who violate laws related to child labor, minimum wage and overtime, worker safety and farmworker protection standards. Last week, Scott’s office requested information from Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su on child labor violations in federally-subsidized youth work programs.
Click here to access the full text of the bill.
Cyber Ready Workforce Act
On Wednesday, July 24, U.S. Senators Jack Rosen (NV) and Marsha Blackburn (TN) introduced the Cyber Ready Workforce Act, which would support and expand cybersecurity apprenticeships and directs the Department of Labor to award grants in support of the creation, implementation, and expansion of Registered Apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity.
Click here to read the press release on the bill.
Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act
On Friday, July 26, Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA) and Rick Larsen (WA), along with Senator Edward Markey (MA), announced the Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act, which would promote employment opportunities for workers in recovery and provide support to communities impacted by widespread substance use. The legislation would codify, strengthen, and expand pilot grant funding for community partnerships that promote employment for those recovering from substance use, help workers transition to occupations that support those affected by substance use, and provide supportive services to program participants, such as substance use treatment, peer support services, and mentorship opportunities.
It would reauthorize, strengthen, and expand a pilot grant program first authorized in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and later extended through the 2018 Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act. The pilot grants have funded community partnerships that promote employment for individuals affected by substance use and those interested in professions that address the impacts of substance use across the country. The bill would authorize $187.5 million to continue this life-saving and community-strengthening work.
Click here to learn more about the bill.
Initial Jobless Claims
In the week ending July 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 235,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 243,000 to 245,000. The 4-week moving average was 235,500, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 234,750 to 235,250. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2 percent for the week ending July 13, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate.
Click here to access the report.
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