Category: Advocate

In the midst of the wrangling taking place over temporary spending for FY 2012, U.S. House of Representatives and Senate committees that have jurisdiction over final FY 2012 spending measures are working on their respective bills. On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill to provide FY 2012 funding for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education. That bill proposes to provide $158 billion in discretionary funding for a wide range of programs including several programs that support local Goodwill agencies’ efforts to help people find jobs and advance in careers. The Senate FY 2012 Labor, HHS, Education bill would provide:

• Approximately $2.6 billion for the Workforce Investment Act’s Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Workers funding streams
• $100 million for a Workforce Innovation Fund, a decrease compared to approximately $124 million in FY 2011
• Nearly $450 million for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), the same amount provided in FY 2011
• More than $3.1 billion for vocational rehabilitation grants to states, an increase from nearly $3.1 billion in FY 2011
• Sufficient funds to maintain the maximum Pell grant award at $5,550.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Urges Smart Investments on the Jobs Front

During President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress on September 9, 2011, he referenced the American Jobs Act (AJA), and then delivered it to Capitol Hill requesting swift passage. As one of the largest nonprofit job training providers in the country, Goodwill stands ready to support the administration and Congress in efforts to put Americans back to work. Given staggering unemployment levels and alarming recently released 2010 Census data that reveals 2.6 million more Americans fell into poverty, we believe the time to act on a jobs bill is now.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Finds Promise in American Jobs Act

Fifteen years ago today the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program was created when President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) into law. Since TANF was created in 1996, Goodwill Industries® has provided more than 1.5 million TANF recipients with pre- and post-employment services, including skills training, job search assistance, job retention support, and other career programs tailored to their needs.

READ MORE from Goodwill Urges TANF Reauthorization on 15th Anniversary

With less than a week before the U.S. is expected to start defaulting on its loans, Goodwill Industries International (GII) sent a letter to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives urging it to maintain funding for programs that assist people Goodwill serves, including individuals with disabilities, youth, adults, dislocated workers, older workers, veteran, people with a criminal background and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients.

READ MORE from Goodwill Urges Congress to Preserve Funding Supporting Job Seekers, Pell Grants in Debt Reduction Deal

This week, advocates for the workforce system are poring over a discussion draft of a bill that would reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The draft was released to key stakeholders — including Goodwill — by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Not updated since its enactment in 1998 and having expired in 2003, the bill’s release, albeit tardy, is a welcome action. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report called for greater alignment, coordination and streamlining of job training programs, giving fodder to critics to call for significant funding cuts for programs authorized by WIA. In May, House appropriators approved spending allocations that allow $139.2 billion in discretionary appropriations for the FY 2012 spending bill that provides funding for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. This total is 12 percent less than the amount appropriated for FY 2011 and 23 percent below Obama’s budget request.

READ MORE from Goodwill to Issue Comments on WIA Reauthorization Bill Draft

Today, Congress passed a final budget deal to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year that ends on September 30, 2011. If signed by the president as expected, the final deal includes an across-the-board cut of 0.2 percent. In addition, several funding sources that local Goodwill® agencies care about will be further reduced.

READ MORE from Congress Passes Final Budget Deal

Congress averted a potential March 4 government shutdown by approving a temporary spending measure. This Continuing Resolution will keep federal programs funded through March 18, 2011, and cut current spending by $4 billion. While temporarily averting a shutdown, the threat to job training programs remains at 'Code Red.'

READ MORE from Take Action Today to Thwart Threats to Job Training

On February 11, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee unveiled a proposal to cut spending by $100 billion including more than $3.8 billion from the U.S. Deparment of Labors job training programs. If accepted by both the House and Senate, the cuts would be likely to take effect immediately. Click here to take action to support job training programs!

READ MORE from Plan Unveiled in House to Cut Job Training Funding by $2 Billion

Last week, millions of Americans watched the State of the Union. In outlining his strategy for “winning the future,” President Obama highlighted the need to create jobs by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building the rest of the world. He also focused on the need to reduce the deficit. Among budget-cutting strategies he outlined was a proposal to freeze annual spending for the next five years, exempting education, defense, veterans affairs, homeland security, Medicare, and Social Security.

READ MORE from “Winning the Future” Requires a Win-Today Workforce

On December 21, 2010, the U.S. Congress passed a “continuing resolution” (CR) to temporarily fund federal programs until March 4, 2011. The bill is expected to be signed by President Obama today. As cleared, the bill would increase government spending by $1.16 billion in fiscal 2011 compared with fiscal 2010. The bill also includes millions of dollars in additional funds for a variety of federal programs, including some aimed at aiding veterans and students.

READ MORE from Congress Passes Temporary Spending Bill: Sets Stage for Funding Battle Next Year

Last week, the co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform released a discussion draft of ideas to reduce annual government budget deficits and pay down the U.S. national debt.

READ MORE from Debt Commission May Decrease Funding for Employment Programs

Last week, Congress adjourned to give anxious Members of Congress time to hit the campaign trail. Having failed to pass a single appropriations bill to provide funding for federal programs in FY 2011, Congress passed a temporary spending measure or “continuing resolution (CR)” that, for the most part, extends funding for federal programs at current levels through December 3, 2010. The December 3 deadline is significant because it falls after the November mid-term election, yet before the new 112th Congress convenes, meaning that soon-to-be-former Members of Congress must return to Washington in mid-November for a “lame-duck session” to approve spending levels for all federal programs.

READ MORE from Decision 2010 Implications: Job Creation and Job Training Services Need Your Support