Representative Angie Craig Cosponsors Legislation to Invest Billions in America’s Workforce as Pandemic Unemployment Crisis Continues

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined legislation to invest $15 billion in our nation's workforce training system, which will help support millions of workers who have lost their jobs or are under-employed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Relaunching America's Workforce Act authorizes funding to provide essential career services and help workers attain additional skills and credentials as the economy emerges from its deepest decline since the Great Depression.

A section of Representative Craig and Senator Tina Smith's 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act from the 116th Congress has also been included in this legislation. The included provision would authorize $2 billion dollars to restart the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Community College Career Training grants. These grants were initially awarded during the Great Recession to support community college and industry partnerships in creating education and training programs. These grants would once again assist in training America's workforce and revitalizing a struggling economy.

"The greatest public health and economic crisis in generations has left millions without a steady source of income or a path back to employment. The U.S. public workforce system can serve as a lifeline for those Americans by helping to rehire laid-off employees or retraining workers for new, better-paying jobs," said Representative Craig. "Unfortunately, the system has been chronically underfunded for years – preventing our neighbors from re-entering the workforce and hindering a rapid economic recovery. I'm proud to join the effort to revitalize this crucial jobs program – by injecting $15 billion dedicated entirely to keeping employees on the job and helping displaced workers re-enter the workforce, revitalizing our economy and lifting millions of Americans out of poverty."

The U.S. economy lost more than 22 million jobs at the height of the COVID-19-induced recession last year. Research suggests 7 million of these jobs will not come back. This unemployment crisis has dramatically increased the need for training, career navigation, and other services that support dislocated workers and employers who are looking to keep workers employed. Yet, Congress has invested only $345 million in workforce development to address this crisis, compared to the nearly $6 billion it appropriated for the public workforce system to respond to the Great Recession.

The Relaunching America's Workforce Act expands support for dislocated workers and funds layoff aversion strategies to help employers keep workers on the job. The bill invests in workforce training programs and grants to help workers improve their skills and transition into new jobs in high-demand industries, including the health care, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors.

The Relaunching America's Workforce Act:

• Provides over $11 billion to the state and local public workforce system to support dislocated workers, employers, youth, and adults who are seeking jobs. These funds will strengthen workforce training activities—including on-the-job training and registered apprenticeships—as well as career services—including career navigation support, online skills training, and employment services. The funds will also prioritize short-term training for health care and essential frontline workers;
• Invests $1 billion in expanding the capacity of adult education providers to serve adults with low-literacy levels who have been negatively impacted by the economic consequences of the COVID-19 national emergency, including $100 million reserved for adult education in correctional facilities;
• Invests $1 billion in high-quality, work-based learning opportunities and career and technical education to prepare students for careers in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and occupations; and,
• Invests $2 billion to restart the community college career training grant program, which was initiated during the Great Recession to help employers find talent in their local area, and provide individuals with career pathways to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand employment opportunities.