|
 Printer-Friendly Version
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: 202-219-8211
Congress could provoke another budget battle with President
Clinton if it ignores President Clinton's request for more than $4 billion in
additional investment in education and training for FY97, Secretary of Labor
Robert Reich warned today after the House Appropriations subcommittee acted on
its Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill.
"President Clinton showed that you can come up with a
budget that balances yet increases investment in the education, training,
safety and security of the nation's workforce," said Reich "There is still time
for Congress to adjust its priorities and pass a bill that won't shortchange
our economic future."
President Clinton's budget reaffirms his longstanding
commitment to education and training as necessary tools for building a highly
skilled competitive workforce for today's global economy.
"The president knows that our economy will grow faster and
stronger if we all grow together." said Reich. "Congress cannot deny the value
of education and training for all Americans, it should not deny the funding to
make it possible."
The subcommittee proposal is $1.3 billion below the
President's request for DOL programs--$1 billion of which is in employment and
training investments. Some of the ways the subcommittee bills falls short of
President Clinton's balanced budget request:
- 132,000 fewer disadvantaged young people will get summer jobs
bringing participation to its lowest point in 14 years
- 81,000 fewer dislocated workers would receive the training and
placement services they need after corporate and military downsizing.
- 28,000 fewer veterans will be trained and placed in jobs
$126 million (13%) below the President's request for
workplace safety and pension security. That will mean fewer inspections, fewer
investigations, and less compliance assistance services for small employers. It
eliminates funds for programs Congress favors such as small business
partnerships and streamline regulations.
Reich said he strongly objected to the Ergonomics rider
which would block the Occupational Health and Safety Administration from
developing solutions to workers' repetitive motion injuries. It continues 1996
ban on issuing proposed or final regulations or voluntary guidelines on
repetitive motion injuries and adds a prohibition against even collecting or
disclosing information on the injuries.
"First Congress tied our hands to prevent us from doing
anything to prevent or ease repetitive motion injuries which have driven
millions of workers from their jobs. Now it wants to gag us too, banning OSHA
from even collecting information on the fastest growing workplace injury," said
Reich.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
| 
