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OPA News Release: [03/16/2005]
Contact Name: Jane
Norris or Stephanie Cathcart
Phone Number: 202-693-4676
Release
Number: 05-0426-NAT
Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Says UI and Pension
Reforms Will Help Workers
WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
today told the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee that the President's FY 2006
budget will help the Labor Department better serve America's workers. According
to Secretary Chao, budget initiatives will enhance the integrity of the
Federal-State Unemployment Insurance system, strengthen funding for
single-employer pension plans, improve the Trade Adjustment Assistance for
Workers program, reform job training programs, and restructure the Black Lung
Disability Trust Fund.
“President Bush has put forth a bold agenda to ensure that
America's economy remains the most prosperous in the world,” Secretary
Elaine L. Chao testified. “The President's economic
policies have helped create over three million jobs in the past 21 months. Our
budget will ensure that American workers have access to quality skills
training, which we can better achieve by reforming the current workforce
training system to double the number of people trained for high demand
occupations.”
In her testimony, Secretary Chao outlined the Administration's strategy
for continued economic growth, which includes:
- restraining spending by the federal government;
- working with Congress to pass legislation that promotes economic
growth, and
- reforming government institutions to better serve people in the 21st
century.
Secretary Chao noted that the total FY 2006 Budget request for the
Department of Labor is $54.5 billion, which reflects a $4.3 billion projected
increase in mandatory spending and includes $2.6 billion in discretionary
funding for grants to states for unemployment insurance administration. This
includes an increase of $30 million for states to address the serious issue of
identity theft and an increase of $10 million to continue an effort begun this
year to ensure that unemployment insurance beneficiaries are meeting
reemployment goals by connecting with local One-Stop Career Centers.
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