Heck Workforce Investment Bill Passes Committee, Moves to House Floor

Bipartisan amendment emphasizes input from small businesses and in-demand industries in workforce development

Job-creating bill the result of field hearing held in Nevada last year

WASHINGTON -  Legislation introduced by Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03) today passed the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The bill, H.R. 4297, the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012, eliminates dozens of ineffective job training programs, creates a single, flexible Workforce Investment Fund, strengthens the role of local employers in workforce development decisions, and increases accountability over the use of taxpayer dollars.  In addition to moving the bill through committee passage, Rep. Heck introduced a bipartisan amendment with Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (OH) that ensures input from small businesses and in-demand industries is taken into consideration by local workforce investment boards. The Heck-Fudge amendment passed the Committee by voice vote while the overall bill passed 23 to 15. H.R. 4297 may now be considered and voted on by the full House of Representatives.

“Last week’s disappointing jobs report is further proof that our economy is far from recovered and we must do more to put people back to work,” Rep. Heck said. “The Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 puts workforce investment and job training decisions in the hands of local employers and training organizations who understand the employment conditions in their local communities. This type of local input will prepare people for jobs that actually exist and help get America working again.”

To see a video of Rep. Heck offering his amendment to ensure input from small businesses and in-demand industries is taken into consideration by local workforce investment boards, click the image below.

"To not include small businesses when it comes to addressing how we will train individuals so that they can go out and find employment would be doing a disservice to the millions of Americans that are out there today looking for employment, looking for better jobs, and looking to build upon the skill set they already have."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 3.5 million job openings nationwide yet employers continue to struggle to match skilled workers with available jobs. Since the start of the recession, southern Nevada has lost tens of thousands construction and hospitality industry jobs, many of which may not come back. Rep. Heck's bill, which is co-sponsored by Representatives Buck McKeon (CA) and Virginia Foxx (NC), would connect out-of-work Nevadans with the training and support necessary to find jobs that exist now and will exist in the future.

In April, Rep. Heck hosted a jobs fair at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nevada to connect unemployed Nevadans with hiring employers. Hundreds of job seekers attended the fair to meet with over 40 employers that had job openings.

In August of 2011, Rep. Heck brought an Education and the Workforce Committee field hearing to Las Vegas entitled, "“Examining Local Solutions to Strengthen Federal Job Training Programs.” As a result of that hearing, Reps. Heck, McKeon, and Foxx began drafting the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012. Committee passage of the bill represents the culmination of 10 months of work to bring a workforce investment and job training bill to the House floor that will end Washington's failed one-size-fits-all approach to job training and actually get people back to work.

After taking office, Rep. Heck formed an economic advisory council that provides in-depth analysis of local economic conditions and advice on federal policies that will improve the economy of Nevada and get people back to work. The council's recommendations are used to craft legislation such as the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 and other bills Rep. Heck has introduced. The council consists of entrepreneurs, lenders, and labor representatives and includes people from all across the political spectrum. 

Background:

Currently, the national unemployment rate is 8.2% while the state of Nevada's unemployment rate is 11.7%.

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