Washington, D.C. —U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Education and Workforce Policy Cheryl Oldham issued the following statement on the introduction of A Stronger Workforce for America Act, legislation amending and reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act:
“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauds Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member Scott, House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) and Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee for working together to improve education and workforce programs to better meet the needs of America’s students and workers. Expansion of Pell Grant eligibility and making necessary changes to the WIOA system to improve alignment with industry and the economy will allow more Americans to gain the skills necessary to meet their career goals and succeed in today’s most in-demand jobs.
Building a skilled workforce is a top issue for the U.S. Chamber. With millions of unfilled jobs, a shrinking workforce, and rapidly changing skill needs it’s imperative that our nation provide more opportunities and on-ramps for those seeking to develop the skills necessary for in-demand jobs. Talent drives the competitiveness of our nation, our local economies, and of individual employers. We look forward to working with Congress to ensure we have education and workforce development systems fit for this purpose.”
