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OPA News Release: [03/06/2003]
Contact Name: Elissa
Pruett
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Cameron Findlay Urges
Adoption of Administration’s Proposed Workforce Investment Act
Reforms
WASHINGTON—Deputy Secretary of Labor Cameron Findlay today
urged the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions’
Subcommittee on Employment, Safety, and Training to adopt the
Administration’s approach to reauthorizing the Workforce Investment
Act.
Said Findlay, “This Administration believes strongly that workforce
investment is an integral part of economic development, and that a
better-trained workforce promotes economic growth. The Administration’s
plan to reform the Workforce Investment Act shows our commitment to enhancing
economic growth and getting Americans back to work.”
The Administration’s plan is designed to continue to transform and
further integrate the One-Stop Career Center delivery system into a cohesive
workforce investment system that can respond quickly and effectively to the
changing needs of business and the new economy; build on and improve “what
works” in the system; eliminate barriers to successful implementation and
fix what doesn’t work. Finally, the proposal seeks to improve links with
the private sector and with post-secondary education and training, social
services, and economic development systems to prepare the 21st
century workforce for career opportunities in high growth sectors.
In previous testimony before the House Committee on Education and the
Workforce, Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao stated that the Department of Labor
had gone to considerable effort over the past year to gather input from
stakeholders on how they believe the workforce investment system can be
strengthened to help the country address the challenges workers face in
today’s economy.
In his testimony, Findlay also explained the Administration’s plan
to complement the Workforce Investment Act reauthorization plan with a proposal
to create Personal Reemployment Accounts. These accounts would be designed to
help certain unemployed workers purchase a variety of training and supportive
services.
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