NSC releases state-by-state WIA estimates.

National Skills Coalition today released a state-by-state analysis of House-proposed cuts to programs under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, finding that as many as 6.5 million U.S. jobseekers would lose access to critical employment and training services under these programs if the House funding levels were enacted.

On October 3, Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee released a draft Labor-Health and Human Services-Education and Related Agencies bill (HR 3070) that proposes more than $2.2 billion in cuts to federal workforce programs under the Department of Labor, including more than $1.9 billion in cuts to WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth formula grant programs. The bill also shortens the usual funding period for WIA programs; rather than providing funding through the end of Program Year (PY) 2012—which generally runs from July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013 (or April 1, 2012-June 30, 2013 for the WIA Youth program)—the measure provides funding only through December 31, 2012.

In a press release accompanying the release of HR 3070, House Majority appropriators indicate that the drastic reductions in PY 2012 funding—and the shortened funding availability period—reflect an effort to make workforce programs “transparent and accountable” by eliminating advance funding for future years and shifting appropriations from a program year to a fiscal year cycle. However, even if the House intended to provide additional PY 2012 funding as part of the FY 2013 appropriations cycle—an unlikely scenario, given recent efforts by the committee to eliminate all funding for WIA in FY 2011—the funding levels provided for each of the three WIA formula programs in the FY 2012 bill are far below what would be necessary to maintain state and local workforce development activities at their current levels.

The House Labor-H bill would cut funding for the WIA Adult program by more than 73 percent compared to FY 2011, while funding for the Dislocated Worker and Youth programs would be reduced by 91 percent and 50 percent, respectively. If enacted, these cuts would eliminate services for an estimated 6.5 million individuals in PY 2012 alone, including an estimated 5.2 million WIA Adult participants. Millions more would lose services in future years.

Ensuring that workers have the skills employers need is a critical to our nation’s economic recovery. Workforce advocates are encouraged to share these state reports with their policymakers to educate them on the potential impact of drastic cuts to WIA and other workforce programs, and urge Congress to work to ensure that any final FY 2012 appropriations bill includes adequate funding for workforce development and job training so that U.S. workers and businesses have the skills they need to compete in today’s global economy.