NSC releases analyses of HR 3610.

UPDATED 12/20/2011 - National Skills Coalition has released a section-by-section summary of HR 3610 to accompany the funding analysis released on 12/16/2011.

December 16, 2011

Last week, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the House subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, introduced legislation, the Streamlining Workforce Development Programs Act of 2011 (HR 3610), that would consolidate 33 current federal employment and training programs into four new "Workforce Investment Funds."

• A Workforce Investment Fund, which would provide formula funding to states for job training services to adults, unemployed workers, and youth seeking employment. The bill authorizes $4.3 billion annually for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-2018;
• A State Youth Workforce Investment Fund, which would provide formula funds to states for competitive grants to serve the nation’s disadvantaged youth, with a focus on school completion. The bill authorizes $1.9 billion annually for FYs 2013-2018;
• A Veterans Workforce Investment Fund, which would provide formula funds to states for employment and training services to U.S. veterans. The bill authorizes $218 million annually for FYs 2013-2018; and
• A Targeted Populations Workforce Investment Fund, which would provide formula funds to states for assistance to special populations, including Native Americans and migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The bill authorizes $581 million annually for FYs 2013-2018.

The bill would repeal authorization for a range of existing training and employment programs, including Job Corps, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment & Training (SNAP E&T), the Senior Community Service Employment Program, and virtually all activities currently authorized under the Wagner-Peyser Act.

Committee staff have indicated that they intended to maintain funding levels for consolidated programs as part of the new Funds. National Skills Coalition has prepared an analysis of the programs that would be condolidated under HR 3610, showing breakdowns for program funding that would be folded into each of the Workforce Investment Funds. We will continue to monitor developments with this important bill, and provide additional analysis and updates to the workforce field.