[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 8 (Friday, January 13, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E95-E96]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               WORKFORCE PREPARATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACT

                                 ______


                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 13, 1995
  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, today I am joining with my distinguished 
colleague from Pennsylvania, the new chairman of the Committee on 
Economic and Educational Opportunities, Representative Bill Goodling, 
with all other Republican members of our committee, and with Mr. 
Kasich, Mr. Zeliff, Mr. Boehner, and Mr. Mica, in introduction of the 
Workforce Preparation and Development Act--legislation that establishes 
the reform of this Nation's vast array of job training programs as a 
high priority of the 104th Congress. Specifically, this legislation 
pledges that the Congress will carefully evaluate and subsequently 
enact legislation that significantly consolidates and reforms all 
Federal career-related education, job training, and employment 
assistance programs into a true system of workforce preparation and 
development prior to the end of the 104th Congress.
  As was brought to the attention of the U.S. Congress in numerous 
reports issued by the General Accounting Office over the past several 
years, the United States currently has over 154 different Federal 
education and job training programs, totaling $24 billion, administered 
by 14 different Federal agencies, which 
[[Page E96]] offer some form of job training and/or employment 
assistance for youth and adults. In addition to the excessive number of 
Federal programs, the quality of U.S. training programs varies 
significantly. Last Congress, several important legislative initiatives 
were introduced with the goal of consolidating Federal job training 
programs--however with the advent of the new Congress, we have 
determined to take a step back, and to carefully examine all programs 
before our committee's jurisdiction, particularly those programs 
offering some form of employment or training assistance, to determine 
the best approach to be taken in development of a consolidated and 
reformed workforce preparation system.
  The legislation we are introducing today, begins a vital 
transformation process--consolidating and reforming the numerous 
Federal workforce preparation and development programs that currently 
exist in this country--from a collection of fragmented and duplicative 
categorical programs into a streamlined, comprehensive, coherent, high-
quality, cost-effective, and accountable workforce preparation and 
development system, designed to meet the education, employment and 
training needs of the U.S. workforce both today and in the future.
  Specifically, the Workforce Preparation and Development Act, states 
that prior to the end of the 104th Congress, all Federal workforce 
preparation and development programs will be thoroughly evaluated to 
determine the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of such programs. 
The legislation further pledges the enactment of legislation by the end 
of the 104th Congress that: First, eliminates duplication and 
fragmentation in Federal workforce preparation and development programs 
through the consolidation and where appropriate elimination of such 
programs; second, transfers major decision-making to States and local 
communities for the design, governance, and implementation of 
comprehensive, integrated workforce preparation systems; third, 
stresses the vital role of the private sector, at all levels, in the 
design and implementation of a national workforce preparation system, 
and encourages the utilization of State and local employer-led boards 
responsible for strategic planning and program oversight of State and 
local systems; fourth, establishes a national workforce preparation 
system that--is market driven and accountable, reinforces individual 
responsibility through attachment to employment, and provides customer 
choice and easy access to services; and fifth, establishes a national 
labor market information system that provides employers, job seekers, 
students, teachers, training providers, and others with accurate and 
timely information on the local economy, on occupations in demand and 
the skill requirements for such occupations, and information on the 
performance of service providers in the local community. Finally, the 
Workforce Preparation and Development Act calls for the repeal of 
existing workforce preparation and development programs, as 
appropriate, upon enactment of reform legislation.
  The skills levels of this Nation's workforce are more important today 
than ever before to U.S. competitiveness, however our current patchwork 
of Federal programs is not the answer. In my new role as chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Training and Lifelong 
Learning, I will have the opportunity to make changes in these Federal 
education and job training programs to create a seamless system for 
youth and adults to meet the competitive needs of our workforce. I 
believe that the Workforce Preparation and Development Act sets the 
stage for meaningful reform, and I invite all of my colleagues to join 
with us in this exciting reform process.


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