National Apprenticeship Act of 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished Republican leader of our Education and Labor Committee for yielding and for her service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020.

Originally passed in 1937, the National Apprenticeship Act established the registered apprenticeship system that we have come to know.

For more than 80 years, this system has provided many Americans with opportunities to learn tangible skills they need for high-wage, high- skill, and in-demand jobs that will lead to fulfilling careers.

Most recently, we have seen interest for apprenticeships surge as more employees and small businesses are recognizing the critical role that they play in the development of a skilled workforce.

This law is in desperate need of reforms that will both strengthen and expand this traditional system while empowering employers and others to pursue work-based learning innovation.

As co-chair of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, I have always supported, and will continue to support, legislation that promotes skills-based education for a 21st century economy.

With that being said, we must acknowledge that the registered apprenticeship system created during the Great Depression will never be suitable by itself for a modern workforce.

And on this point, this bill ignores the needs of our workers and our economy now in the 21st century.

The Trump administration has taken tremendous steps to grow the number of high quality apprenticeships and modernize work-based learning programs, especially through the Department of Labor's Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, or IRAPS.

This program is aimed to help foster continued innovation that recognizes the dignity of all work and provides another tool for apprentices to move into meaningful work in our rapidly evolving economy.

Mr. Speaker, there is room for an all-of-the-above approach that both improves the registered system while also allowing for future innovation and other earn-and-learn models.

However, this legislation does not change the current status quo.

For that reason, I must urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

We must craft a bipartisan bill that encourages employers to innovate and develop apprenticeship programs that meet the needs of the current workplace.

Employers are struggling enough with the challenges presented by COVID-19. The last thing they need is additional red tape and tenuous requirements.

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