Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1119, I call up the bill (H.R. 7309) to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. 7309, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA, is the backbone of our Nation's workforce development system. Each year, WIOA programs help working people across the country get the skills they need to find better-paying careers and help employers access a dedicated and skilled workforce.

Unfortunately, our investment in workforce development has fallen significantly over time. While the U.S. labor force has grown approximately 50 percent over the last four decades, Federal investment in workforce development has fallen by two-thirds when adjusted for inflation. Federal investment in workforce development has fallen by two-thirds.

This underinvestment hurts workers, it hurts businesses, and it hurts our economy's competitive edge. Other developed countries spend between one-half of 1 percent to 1 full percent of their gross domestic product on workforce development. We spend only one-tenth of 1 percent.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022 addresses this chronic underinvestment so that we can finally meet the needs of workers and businesses, fill job openings with qualified workers, reduce supply chain shortages, and lower costs for families.

By investing approximately $80 billion over the next 6 years, this legislation would more than double the number of people receiving training services in fiscal year 2023 and allow us to train 1 million workers per year by 2028.

The legislation modernizes WIOA to help expand work opportunities for disconnected youth. It makes critical reforms to improve Job Corps, and it expands sector-based training so that we can train for entire sectors such as electric cars, trucking, and nurses. It strengthens community colleges' capacity to help workers succeed in in-demand industries. It helps justice-involved individuals re-enter the labor force and obtain sustainable career paths.

Madam Speaker, if we want to keep our global competitive edge, if we want to lower costs, and if we want to accelerate our economic recovery, then we must pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This legislation is the product of a largely bipartisan, year-long effort, including a bipartisan roundtable and three bipartisan hearings in our committee. While many of my counterparts across the aisle have voiced opposition to the size of the investments in the bill, I remain hopeful that all of my colleagues will join me in voting to stand with America's workers.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, Ms. Wilson, for her work on this critical priority, and I urge support of the legislation.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, could you advise as to how much time is remaining on both sides?

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, the evidence is clear that our economy has made meaningful progress toward recovering from the pandemic. Thanks to the efforts of Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, our economy has added a record 8.3 million jobs since the start of 2021, and the unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6 percent.

Despite this progress, we know that job openings currently exceed job applicants and employers are clamoring for skilled workers. In fact, research suggests that workers are leaving their job to seek better career opportunities in record numbers. This bill takes a critical step forward to empower workers to fill those competitive job positions and, in turn, helps reduce supply chain shortages, lower costs for families, increase their incomes, and improve our business competitiveness.

Madam Speaker, investing in workforce development has historically been a priority for both Democrats and Republicans. That is why our committee conducted an extended bipartisan process to put this legislation together, despite the opposition we have heard from our colleagues today.

As our economy rebounds from the pandemic, we should all agree that we must take this opportunity to expand access to high-quality job training opportunities for America's workers.

I thank my colleague again, Ms. Wilson, for her leadership in bringing this critical legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 1.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this en bloc contains several bipartisan amendments from our colleagues to continue improving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This en bloc contains commonsense proposals that strengthen the underlying bill, and I thank my colleagues for their contributions.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the chair of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development of the Committee on Appropriations, and a strong supporter of sector grant training.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reiterate that this is an en bloc amendment containing commonsense, bipartisan proposals that strengthen the underlying bill. I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 2.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this en bloc amendment contains additional Democratic amendments from my colleagues to continue improving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This en bloc amendment contains proposals that strengthen the underlying bill, and I thank my colleagues for their contributions.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester), who is a former member of the Committee on Education and Labor and a strong supporter of workforce development.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for his leadership.

I am proud to have my amendments to H.R. 7309 before the House today. In particular, I am proud of amendment No. 3, which gained the support of 42 of my colleagues. This amendment would establish grants to help break the cycle of violence in communities by providing job and workforce development opportunities to youth in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence.

With this broad support, I call on my colleagues to support this amendment, which helps reduce community violence the best way we know how--by building pipelines to good-paying, high-quality jobs for youth that are disconnected from school and the workforce--to create opportunity, to improve lives, and to provide for the future.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman, again, for his leadership.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I reiterate that this en bloc amendment contains commonsense proposals that will strengthen the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 3.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I am the only speaker on this side.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I focus my comments on two of the amendments in this en bloc that undermine the improvements we are putting forward in this legislation.

The first strikes language from the bill that prevents nonregistered apprenticeships from receiving WIOA funds. If you want to have a nonregistered apprenticeship program you can do that, but we ought to fund the registered programs first since they are much better, and we shouldn't spend money on those nonregistered programs.

Registered apprenticeship programs are a proven strategy that have demonstrated high-quality training and wage progression across multiple industries. This bill supports efforts to expand registered apprenticeships to additional populations and industries, by reserving 50 percent of the funds for programs serving individuals with barriers to employment.

Many of my colleagues have opposed the so-called Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, or IRAPs, because that program discards key features that are the cause of success for our registered apprenticeship program, including quality standards, worker protections, national recognition, and the fact that virtually all registered apprenticeship graduates end up in jobs that pay well above the median wage.

The second amendment in this en bloc amendment group prohibits WIOA funds from being used to reimburse any healthcare services. I am not sure where they find that physical health is included. Mental health counseling and substance abuse is included as possible funding.

The question about whether WIOA will pay for health services is a distraction from the work we are trying to do today, to ensure an equitable recovery, and provide opportunity for economic advancement for all individuals in all communities.

This legislation reflects the input from stakeholders across the country who know what it takes to expand access to high-quality job training, career navigation services, and other critical services.

The statute has long provided for flexibility for local programs. The statute also allows for the provision of supportive services, such as assistance with transportation, childcare, dependent care, or housing; services that are crucial to facilitating individuals' ability to participate in WIOA-funded programs.

In fact, the legislation specifically ensures that treatment of substance use disorder is a permissible use of supportive services under WIOA.

Fundamentally, needs of individuals seeking job training are not always distinct from health needs. These programs should meet people where they are to facilitate full participation to ensure continued and sustained economic success.

Updating and improving programs authorized through WIOA, such as the bill we are considering today, will lift up communities and help us achieve that goal. This is what we need to do today by voting ``no'' on this en bloc amendment and ``yes'' on the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we are here today to modernize and reauthorize the Nation's premier job training program to help jobseekers and workers connect with well-paying jobs and career pathways.

Although the substitute offered by our colleagues does not meet the urgent needs to strengthen the programs, I do want to make it clear that we welcome the opportunity to have further discussion as the bill heads toward the Senate. My goal is to forge common ground wherever we can, and I am hoping that this can be the beginning, not the end, of the conversation.

The Republican substitute reauthorizes funding for the formula programs, regrettably, at roughly the same levels as we have today. The status quo is not working. As a result, the substitute will not provide the level of intensive training needed to move people into higher wage jobs.

The average amount the adult formula program spends per participant today is about $2,000, not nearly enough to provide quality job training to lead to good jobs with competitive wages, benefits, and other hallmarks of job quality. The Republican substitute continues the unacceptable status quo with respect to underinvestment in training.

To meet the moment, the underlying bill also codifies SECTOR grants, which are demonstrated to be effective in training workers for jobs in high-demand sectors.

The gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) talked about electric cars. We need a lot of training in that area, but regrettably, the substitute omits the SECTOR grants.

Our committee meetings held last year highlighted bipartisan support for reentry programs for justice-involved individuals. In response, the bill codifies the program at the Department of Labor and commits $250 million for fiscal year 2023, more than double the amount appropriated this year, and provides stable funding amounting to $2.3 billion over 6 years.

With 600,000 individuals released from our prisons and jails each year, close to half of them experiencing repeat contact with the criminal justice system within a year, funding levels in the substitute do not come close to meeting the critical needs to invest in services to help these individuals obtain and retain employment.

We also reject the requirement of the substitute for non-Federal match to receive a grant. This matching requirement is not part of the existing grant program and would exclude many grassroots organizations that are best positioned to meet the needs of justice-involved individuals in our communities.

When we provide subsidies to employers in the form of on-the-job training or customized training, we also need to make sure that it is matched by job quality.

The Republican substitute, regrettably, leaves too many disconnected youth behind.

To help our youth, whether in school or not, gain life skills, the bill invests almost $1 billion in fiscal year 2023 for summer and year- round youth employment opportunities. The evidence is abundant that these youth employment opportunities increase lifelong earnings and reduce engagement in the criminal justice system.

The Republican substitute also fails to meet the moment and address the needs of the workers in the 21st century, so I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

In the remaining time, Madam Speaker, I would like to thank members of my staff on the Committee of Education and Labor. They worked hard on this legislation, starting with Kevin McDermott, Scott Estrada, Lorin Obler, Phoebe Ball, Danyelle Honore, Jessica Schieder, and former staff members Richard Miller and Katie McClelland.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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