U.S. Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Chris Gallegos
May 4, 2011	(202) 224-5054

COCHRAN QUESTIONS ONGOING DELAYS
FOR PERMANENT GULFPORT JOB CORPS CENTER

Katrina-Destroyed Center May Not Be Built Until 2013 or 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today questioned the ongoing delays for construction of a permanent Jobs Corps Center in Gulfport, a project that may not be completed for several more years.

Cochran raised the construction schedule for the Gulfport project at a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the FY2012 budget request for the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Gulfport Jobs Corps Center was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It currently utilizes mostly temporary facilities to serve about half of its 300-student, pre-Katrina capacity. A permanent, new dormitory is expected to open this summer, according to the Department of Labor.

“I am concerned about the delays in reconstructing this center. There was a delay in getting the temporary center in place and a permanent facility was supposed to be open next year. Now we’re hearing that it could be 2013 or 2014 before that happens,” Cochran said.

“The three Job Corps centers in Mississippi, and programs like YouthBuild, give Mississippians opportunities to continue their education and gain useful vocational training,” he said. “I appreciate Secretary Solis’ personal attention to getting that center back into full operation as soon as possible. I would, however, like to see more progress restoring the Gulfport center.”

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis acknowledged that it could take another two to three years to complete a permanent center at Gulfport, and added that progress on the center remains a focus for her Department.

Design for the permanent Gulfport facility has been completed. The Labor Department is expected to open requests for bids on the project on May 12, award a contract in late June and issue a “notice to proceed” in mid-July to begin phase one of the two-phase construction project. Construction is projected to be finished in winter 2013-2014.

At today’s hearing, Cochran also questioned Solis about the future of programs like YouthBuild, on-the-job training offered through the Workforce Investment Act and the Disability Employment Initiative. There are currently YouthBuild programs in Arcola, Biloxi, Greenville, Gulfport, Jackson and Natchez.

“Mississippi has heavily and successfully utilized on-the job training services allowable under the Workforce Investment Act,” Cochran noted.