Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Foxx for her work and leadership on these important issues and for visiting my home State of Arkansas many times in support of a better workforce.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 7309 due to its lack of innovation and lack of opportunity that I think is embedded in this legislation.

It is a shame we are on the floor, yet again, debating a bill that the Democratic majority crafted to please unions and bolster them at the expense of American workers, small businesses, and nonunion entities.

Most employers want to provide work-based upskilling, but they are already hesitant to apply for Federal funds. This bill will make that process even more complex and burdensome.

In my home State of Arkansas, we are a right-to-work State. This bill is harmful to my home State.

There are many bad policies embedded in the bill that will harm the American workforce. This bill will expand Federal control over workforce standards, limiting the rights of jobseekers. It will do this while mandating that union representation on State and local workforce development boards be expanded by 10 percent. Most importantly, this bill will fail to expand opportunity access for jobseekers.

It is clear that this bill was written to favor unions, not the full and diverse American workforce. This bill is deeply flawed and another example of the Democratic majority being out of touch with working Americans.

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