[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 144 (Monday, August 9, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6113-S6114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 346--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2021 AS ``NATIONAL 
                     WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MONTH''

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Young, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Scott of 
South Carolina, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Braun, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Wicker, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. 
Hyde-Smith, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Daines, Ms. Smith, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. 
Murphy, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Peters, Mr. Durbin, 
and Ms. Ernst) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 346

       Whereas investment in the education, training, and career 
     advancement of the workforce in the United States, known as 
     ``workforce development'', is crucial to the ability of the 
     United States to compete in the global economy;
       Whereas collaboration among Governors, local governments, 
     State and local education, workforce, and human services 
     agencies, community colleges, local businesses, employment 
     service providers, community-based organizations, and 
     workforce development boards provides for long-term, 
     sustainable, and successful workforce development across 
     traditional sectors and emerging industries;
       Whereas jobs that require more than a high school diploma 
     but not a 4-year degree comprise 52 percent of the labor 
     market, but only 42 percent of workers in the United States 
     have been able to access training at that level, creating a 
     discrepancy that may limit growth in changing industries such 
     as health care, manufacturing, and information technology;
       Whereas 76 percent of business leaders say greater 
     investment in skills training would help their businesses;
       Whereas, as of summer 2021 in the United States--
       (1) nearly 10,000,000 individuals are unemployed;
       (2) unemployment rates for Black and Hispanic adults are 
     well above the unemployment rates for White adults;
       (3) workers without a bachelor's degree are nearly 2 times 
     more likely to be unemployed;
       (4) more than \1/2\ of the jobs lost due to the Coronavirus 
     Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were by workers earning less 
     than $40,000 per year; and
       (5) according to a recent poll, nearly \1/2\ of workers 
     said they will need to learn new skills in the next year to 
     do their jobs, while more than \1/2\ said they would retrain 
     for a career in a different field or industry if they had the 
     opportunity;
       Whereas, as of June 2021, employment rates among workers 
     with lower levels of educational attainment remained far 
     below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, including 7.2 percent 
     below those levels for workers with a high school diploma and 
     10.1 percent below those levels for workers without a high 
     school diploma, even as workers with higher levels of 
     educational attainment have nearly returned to pre-COVID-19 
     pandemic employment levels;
       Whereas, in 2014, Congress reauthorized the Workforce 
     Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) with 
     overwhelming bipartisan support in recognition of the need to 
     strengthen the focus of the United States on the skills 
     necessary to fill jobs in local and regional industries;
       Whereas the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
     U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) supports employment, training, and 
     support services for individuals with barriers to employment, 
     including--
       (1) individuals who earn low incomes;
       (2) individuals who are out of work, including the long-
     term unemployed;
       (3) individuals displaced by outsourcing;
       (4) individuals living in rural areas or areas with 
     persistently high unemployment;
       (5) individuals looking to learn new skills; and
       (6) individuals with disabilities;
       Whereas the more than 550 workforce development boards and 
     2,400 American Job Centers are a driving force behind growing 
     regional economies by providing training, resources, and 
     assistance to workers who aim to compete in the 21st century 
     economy;
       Whereas ongoing State and local implementation of the 
     Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et 
     seq.) provides unprecedented opportunities to develop the 
     skills of workers in the United States through access to 
     effective, quality workforce education and training, 
     including the development and delivery of proven strategies 
     such as sector partnerships, career pathways, integrated 
     education and training, work-based learning models, and paid 
     internships;
       Whereas, in 2019, programs authorized under the Workforce 
     Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.)--
       (1) served nearly 6,300,000 young people and adults; and
       (2) exceeded employment targets across all programs;
       Whereas State programs established under the Wagner-Peyser 
     Act (29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.)--
       (1) ensured that more than 3,400,000 workers, including 
     more than 212,000 veterans, had access to career services 
     through American Job Centers in 2019; and
       (2) are a foundational part of the workforce development 
     system;
       Whereas workforce development programs will play a critical 
     role in addressing the 500,000 additional jobs that remain 
     open in manufacturing industries compared to pre-COVID-19 
     pandemic levels;

[[Page S6114]]

       Whereas community colleges and other workforce development 
     training providers across the United States are well 
     situated--
       (1) to train the next generation of workers in the United 
     States; and
       (2) to address the educational challenges created by 
     emerging industries and technological advancements;
       Whereas participation in a career and technical education 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``CTE'') program decreases 
     the risk of students dropping out of high school, and all 50 
     States and the District of Columbia report higher graduation 
     rates for CTE students, as compared to other students;
       Whereas community and technical colleges operate as open 
     access institutions serving millions of students annually at 
     a comparatively low cost;
       Whereas the Strengthening Career and Technical Education 
     for the 21st Century Act (Public Law 115-224; 132 Stat. 1563) 
     supports the development and implementation of high-quality 
     CTE programs that--
       (1) combine rigorous academic content with occupational 
     skills; and
       (2) served approximately 12,500,000 high school and college 
     students between 2018 and 2019;
       Whereas there are more than 600,000 registered apprentices 
     in the United States, and there is growing and bipartisan 
     support for expanding quality earn-and-learn strategies to 
     help current and future workers gain skills and work 
     experience;
       Whereas the federally supported workforce system and 
     partner programs--
       (1) have helped rebuild the economy of the United States 
     and provide increased economic opportunities; and
       (2) provide a pathway into 21st century jobs that support 
     families while ensuring that businesses in the United States 
     find the skilled workforce needed to compete in the global 
     economy; and
       Whereas workforce development is crucial to sustaining 
     economic security for workers in the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates September 2021 as ``National Workforce 
     Development Month'';
       (2) supports Federal initiatives to promote workforce 
     development; and
       (3) acknowledges that workforce development plays a crucial 
     role in supporting workers and growing the economy.

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