McKeon Highlights Jobs Gains,

Calls for Renewed Action on Job Training Reforms

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Workforce Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) today highlighted the latest U.S. Labor Department employment report, which shows 121,000 new jobs created in the month of June and average wages rising sharply as well.  With these gains, about 5.4 million jobs have been added since August 2003.  The nation’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.6 percent – the lowest since July 2001 and lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

            “Another month, another batch of good economic news,” McKeon said.  “The common sense policies championed by Republicans in Congress continue to benefit millions of working Americans and their families.  But as our economy gains strength, so too should our workforce training system.  I look forward to working with Senate leaders on a final, comprehensive job training measure that will enable workers to take advantage of our nation’s ever-expanding employment opportunities.”

Last week, nearly 16 months after the House approved the Job Training Improvement Act (H.R. 27), the Senate passed a measure to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act – the chief law governing federal job training services.  The House bill, passed on March 2, 2005, strengthens opportunities for Americans looking for work or looking to acquire new skills to acquire better-paying jobs and streamlines government bureaucracy in job training services.

            “Providing workers the resources and training they need to secure new jobs is essential in today’s competitive, global economy,” concluded McKeon.  “The Senate has taken an important step forward by joining the House and passing a long-awaited job training bill of its own.  Our task now is to complete action on these reforms.  Enhancing workers’ access to key job training services is too important a priority to squander for purely partisan purposes.”

Further information on Republican efforts to renew and strengthen America’s job training system for workers is available online at http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/workforce/wia/wia.htm.

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