[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2850]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PASS THE SKILLS ACT

  (Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. FOXX. Today, the Federal Government spends $18 billion a year to 
operate more than 50, often duplicative, workforce education programs. 
Even with that significant investment, roughly 20 million Americans 
remain un- or underemployed. Businesses, too, are also struggling, 
struggling to find workers with the right technical skill sets to fill 
vacant jobs on payroll.
  Why the mismatch? Why aren't workforce education programs efficiently 
preparing capable job seekers for these careers? Job seekers and 
employers alike would be better served by a more responsive, 
individualized, and modern workforce development strategy. With my 
colleagues on the Education and Workforce Committee, I have introduced 
H.R. 803, the SKILLS Act, which will eliminate arbitrary roadblocks 
within existing workforce education programs, prioritize well-paying, 
in-demand industries, expand opportunities at community colleges, and 
most importantly, treat all job seekers as individuals.
  Let's pass the SKILLS Act.

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