Press Releases
Congressman Thompson Sends Letter Urging Department of Labor to Terminate Proposal to Reduce Job Corps Centers Across the Nation
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For Immediate Release |
LeMia Jenkins |
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April 15, 2013 |
(202) 225- 5898 |
Congressman Thompson Sends Letter Urging Department of Labor to Terminate Proposal to Reduce Job Corps Centers Across the Nation
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), joined by 33 of his colleagues, requesting that the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) terminate the agency’s proposals to reduce Job Corps center’s capacity nationwide. He released the following statement:
“The decision by ETA to reduce student slots is extremely shortsighted and seems to be another attempt to balance the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable population - our children. With the current unemployment rate for ages 16-24 hovering around 16 percent, ETA should focus on job creation for our youth, rather than job elimination. America needs a well-trained workforce to foster economic development; this is a time for innovation in industry and a focus on people. I am committed to holding ETA and other agencies accountable for reducing employment, particularly at the expense of our youth,” said Representative Thompson.
If implemented, ETA’s plan would result in 500 of the approximately 836 students across Mississippi’s three Job Corps Centers in Crystal Springs, Batesville and Gulfport being denied entry into the program. Many of their roughly 450 staff jobs would be placed in jeopardy. On January 28, 2013, ETA announced the first, indefinite, nationwide enrollment suspension in the almost 50-year history of Job Corps. ETA Assistant Secretary Jane Oates stated that the action was needed to address a $61.5 million Program Year 2012 Job Corps shortfall that ETA admitted to Congress was caused by their mismanagement of the Job Corps budget and poor financial controls. With the recent passage of H.R. 933 (P.L. 113-6), which requires the transfer of at least $10 million to Job Corps to ensure the program’s solvency, a reduction in Job Corps Center’s capacity is unnecessary
