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Issues
Working Wisconsin E4 Initiative
I introduced the E4 Initiative – dubbed E4 because of its focus on Economy,
Employment, Education, and Energy – to help meet the challenges
facing Wisconsin’s working families. The Initiative is a multi-faceted
approach to harnessing Wisconsin’s strengths in order to create
jobs and enhance economic development. It focuses on four
key areas: boosting small business innovation, strengthening
workforce development, supporting job growth in the emerging
energy sector, and building new education partnerships among
our communities, high schools and businesses.
Boosting Small Business
American small businesses generate approximately
half of our nation’s payroll jobs and most of our new employment
opportunities. Studies also have shown that small businesses
are the greatest source of net new employment in inner cities,
generating 80 percent of the total employment in these urban
areas. Small businesses also drive product innovation, translating
their cutting edge efforts and those of our research institutions
into products that improve our lives and our economy. As the
premier job growth engine in our nation, small businesses
deserve our support in Congress.
As part of my E4 Initiative, I introduced legislation to expand
and improve federal support for small businesses. My bill
increases total federal spending on, and the size of, grants
for small business research through the Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer
(STTR) programs. It will also prioritize grants for work on
energy, water, transportation and domestic security issues,
which are key national priorities and areas where Wisconsin
has a competitive advantage.
Strengthening Workforce Development
We must help Wisconsin's strong and able workers, especially
those who may have seen their jobs leave our shores, use their
education to find jobs in existing and emerging areas of the
economy. My E4 Initiative expands awareness of and access
to existing skills standards so more people are prepared and
certified to work in emerging fields.
The initiative promotes uniform skills standards certificates.
Workers can get this certification on the job, or if they
looking for employment in a new industry. Skill standard certificates
empower workers by providing them with proof of their skills,
an important bargaining chip that can mean better wages and
benefits, more opportunities, and less time searching for
employment.
While workers may have the necessary skills to get hired,
it’s difficult to do so if they simply are unable to get to
where the available jobs are. Skilled and certified workers
can expand their employment opportunities if they have more
access to transportation. That is why I introduced the Jobs
Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Program Improvement Act
as part of the E4 Initiative.
This bill tackles transportation challenges that many workers
face by increasing funding for the current JARC program by
$100 million over the next five years. The JARC program provides
reliable transportation to help low income workers reach more
destinations so they can have access to better jobs. My bill
also streamlines reporting and paperwork requirements for
JARC and establishes a pilot program to further evaluate possible
improvements to the program.
Job Growth in the Emerging Energy Sector
One of our country’s great challenges is solving the energy
crisis. Skyrocketing energy prices are creating a huge demand
for jobs to help make buildings more energy efficient, to
conserve energy, and to expand renewables. These are good
jobs that are likely to stay right here in America.
Wisconsin is well positioned to become a leader in emerging
energy industries. That is why the E4 Initiative continues
my strong support of “green-collar jobs” and federal programs
that create jobs as they fund renewable energy and help communities,
farmers and businesses become more energy efficient.
My Initiative also includes a measure to help businesses
develop new technologies. Businesses often have trouble finding
investors if they are unable to prove their new technology
at the pilot scale.
I introduced the Energy and Technology Advancement (ETA)
Act to help businesses move new technologies from the research
and development phase to the marketplace. By encouraging partnerships
between government and businesses, this bill can move up the
ETA – estimated time of arrival – for bringing new technologies
to the market and increase employment opportunities in these
businesses.
Education
With a number of cities confronting staggering high school
dropout rates, we should find ways to better engage students
in learning. Academic success in high school and beyond is
critical for young Americans to be competitive in the global
marketplace. One way to help boost student engagement is to
show students how what they learn in school can lead to real-world
skills and good jobs down the road.
My E4 Initiative seeks to revitalize academic and technical
education programs to promote new and exciting career paths
in emerging industries and give students the opportunity to
explore those paths, whether they are going onto college or
directly into the workforce.
The Connecting Education and Emerging Professions Act of
2008 (CEEP) provides grants, awarded on a competitive basis,
to states and school districts to form education partnerships
with state, regional, and local businesses, workforce development
groups, postsecondary institutions, and other non-profit groups.
The partnerships will help improve graduation rates and prepare
young Americans for professions in emerging industries.
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