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A Stronger Workforce for America Act

Floor Speech

Date: April 9, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the A Stronger Workforce for America Act.

The original Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA, was created to enhance our country's workforce development by streamlining a complex Federal program.

Unfortunately, it has not proved efficient. We all know that the economy is presently in bad shape. Employers continue to struggle to fill open positions. America needs an upskilled and reskilled workforce to compete in a constantly changing world.

WIOA was supposed to tackle this issue. To do so requires reform. A Stronger Workforce for America Act does just that. It works to upskill our workforce and puts employers in the driver's seat. It also gives State and local workforce boards a real opportunity to innovate within their systems, to include my One Door to Work Act.

This legislation, which duplicates the successful Utah model, encourages integration of workforce and safety net programs to create one door that will lift workers out of poverty into careers.

Though innovation is a word included in the name WIOA, in practice, it is lacking. The One Door to Work Act language allows innovation to be part of the WIOA. It empowers State and local leaders to innovate in pursuit of better outcomes. Innovation leads our Nation forward. We need to embrace that in WIOA and pass A Stronger Workforce for America Act.

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