Economy and Job Creation

Congressman Tierney is fighting for real solutions to rebuild our economy, create well-paying and sustainable jobs here at home, promote consumer and investor confidence, and expand opportunities for middle-class workers, families and small businesses.

To that end, Congressman Tierney recently assumed the role of Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee. This important Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all matters dealing with relationships between employers and employees including, but not limited to, the National Labor Relations Act, the Labor-Management Relations Act, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act; the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and employment-related health and retirement security including pension, health, and other employee benefits; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA); and all matters related to equal employment opportunity and civil rights in employment.

When Congressman Tierney assumed this role, Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member, George Miller (D-CA), said the following: “Throughout his time in Congress, John Tierney has been fighting for our workers, increased opportunity for the middle-class, quality affordable healthcare for our families and small businesses, and retirement security for our seniors. During his tenure on the Committee, John effectively used his seniority to author the highly popular “medical loss ratio” provision of the Affordable Care Act, which requires that insurance companies spend at least 80 cents of every dollar that Americans pay in premiums on health care, instead of on CEO pay and other administrative costs. I look forward to continuing to work with John in his new capacity as ranking member of the HELP Subcommittee.” 

The Workforce Investment Act

Congressmen John Tierney (D-MA), Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), and George Miller (D-CA) introduced sweeping legislation to increase opportunities for workers, help businesses fill high-skilled and open positions, and assure that tax-payer dollars are being spent wisely and efficiently.  

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was enacted in 1998, and it established a framework for how federally-funded employment and training services would be delivered in this country. The law created local workforce investment boards (WIB) made up of stakeholders including business representatives, labor organizations, educational institutions, economic development agencies, and community-based organizations.

The Workforce Investment Act of 2013 will build on the current systems by helping to cut out some of the red tape that is slowing down the process of getting men and women the resources they need, by creating a Workforce Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program to support the development of new strategies, by expanding the role of community colleges, involving more businesses and partnerships, and by increasing the use of on-the-job training, incumbent worker training, transitional jobs, paid work experience so that individuals can learn and work and enter/renter the labor market more quickly.

Information about the Workforce Investment Act of 2013:

• A press release announcing the introducing of the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 can be found here.
• A summary of the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 can be found here .
• Congressman Tierney’s Statement from the February 26, 2013 Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee hearing on the Republican WIA bill.
• Video of Congressman Tierney from the March 6, 2013 Education and Workforce Committee mark-up of the Republican WIA bill.

Support for the Workforce Investment Act of 2013:

• Letter to Salem News from Nancy Stager and Mary Sarris, North Shore Workforce Investment Board
• AFSCME: “H.R. 789 improves the existing workforce system by encouraging greater alignment of program operations but also maintains the current programs and funding streams…[it] acknowledges the importance of diversity on local workforce boards and, in particular, the contributions that local unions make in local workforce systems.”
• The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs: (AFOP): “The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs applauds this effort to ensure the most vulnerable Americans, like our nation’s farmworkers, have access to the tailored education and training they need to attain good, self- and family-sustaining jobs.”
• The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP): “We commend your efforts to better align workforce, education, and training programs and promote the development of multiple pathways to postsecondary education and employment for low-income or educationally underprepared adults and youth."
• The Corps Network: “We are particularly pleased the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 recognizes the important role Corps play in educating and training youth, particularly disconnected youth…Therefore, we also applaud your decision not to consolidate Youth Activities funding…”
• The Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation: “We trust that the introduction of this legislation will begin a dialogue of the critical need to strengthen the workforce system by reauthorizing this long awaited legislation.”
• The National Coalition for Literacy : “ H.R. 798 would help states modernize their adult education systems to meet the needs of this changing economy, particularly for lower-skilled adults with a longer path ahead of them.”
• The National Down Syndrome Congress : “The National Down Syndrome Congress is pleased to see the introduction of the Workforce Investment Act of 2013. We believe that this bill contains many provisions, such as a strong focus on transition services, integrated employment and integration of education, HCBS, and Vocational Rehabilitation services.”
• The Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination: “CPSD applauds bill language regarding an increased focus and use of vocational rehab dollars on youth with significant disabilities in transition.”
• TESOL International Association : "We are pleased to see steps have been taken to address the long overdue reauthorization of WIA, and that the need to align adult education and the workforce training have been recognized. Moreover, we are very pleased with the provisions addressing the education and training needs of the current adult learner population of the United States."

News Coverage

• Tierney sponsors bill to modernize workforce - The Lynn Daily Item
• House Republican reject request for negotiations on job training legislation- CQ Roll Call
• Tierney, others protest GOP bill, Democrats walk out of workforce act debate, say Republican's won't negotiate - The Salem News
• Democrats protest committee vote with rare walkout, decry lack of bipartisanship - The Huffington Post

Strengthening the Economy and Creating Jobs

Congressman Tierney continues to fight daily to help American families confront the extraordinary economic situation currently facing this country, and his decisions are made with the situations, concerns, and challenges of Massachusetts families in mind.

John shares the view that more work remains to create jobs and put Americans back to work. To do so, Congressman Tierney believes we must direct our trade, monetary, tax, innovation and education/skills development policies toward keeping jobs here in America. Attracting private investment through policies that favor manufacturing – in addition to design and engineering, service and tourism jobs – here at home, and supporting science and technology advances that keep us competitive internationally will give us the best chance for economic growth and opportunity to reduce debt.

Congressman Tierney believes we can accomplish this goal -- and create millions of new jobs -- through targeted investment. One proposal to do just that includes creation of a national infrastructure bank that would bring government and the private sector together to support infrastructure projects in the realm of transportation (i.e. highways, transit, rail and air travel), the environment (i.e. drinking and wastewater facilities); energy (i.e. renewable energy transmission and building efficiency); and telecommunications (i.e. broadband development).

In contrast, the House Republican Majority in its most recent Ryan Budget proposed slashing domestic spending by more than 15% below the level called for by President Obama to ensure strong economic growth. In the following years, the cuts get even worse -- $1.3 trillion between Fiscal Years 2016 to 2024. As a share of the economy, this Ryan Budget reduces spending to a level almost 40% lower than at any time in the last 50 years. To achieve such steep and misguided spending reductions would require significant harm be inflicted on vital programs that sustain the middle class and, according to economists across the political spectrum, result in significant job losses and likely economic stagnation.

With the national debt now more than doubled and substantial annual deficits, Congressman Tierney argues we should be following the advice of conservative and liberal economists: in the short run, we must sustain our economy by supporting middle class and small business tax relief and making fiscally-smart job creation investments.

Congress should consider possible spending constraints and set them to go into effect once unemployment abates to more reasonable levels and economic growth is more evident. Spending should include a review of "tax expenditures" (credits, deductions and favorable tax rates for special interests) and eliminate those no longer necessary, poorly designed or not amounting to good public policy when compared to other needs. Spending in the military as well as domestic realm must be scrutinized, and revenues must be considered so everyone is contributing a fair share to the country's priorities.

Moving forward, Congress can be expected to continue its work to devise strategic responses to the current economic situation, create jobs, and help our nation on the path to a full recovery.

Restoring Fiscal Accountability and Budget Transparency

Congressman Tierney believes that any serious plan to responsibly tackle our long-term deficit must scrutinize the entire budget, including tax expenditures, and specifically address wasteful tax code spending. For this reason, Congressman Tierney voted against the House Republican Budget Proposal, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), which was passed by the House of Representatives in April 2014.

The House Republican budget would end the Medicare guarantee for seniors, continue billions of dollars of subsidies to oil and gas companies and would raise college costs for millions of students. Congressman Tierney instead supports spending reform that would create jobs and grow our economy such as middle class and small business tax relief and making fiscally-smart job creation investments.

Keeping America Competitive in the 21st Century

Congressman Tierney remains committed to implementing tax and trade policies that will end the off-shoring of American jobs and promote a vibrant domestic economy. He believes that we must once again regain our leadership in manufacturing in order to rebuild the middle class, which is essential to a healthy economy.

Ensuring Fair Trade

Over recent years, and with the countless "Free Trade Agreements" negotiated, America is losing some of our best jobs to off-shoring, which is also driving down wages and benefits at home. When evaluating free trade agreements, it has always been the Congressman's highest priority to ensure such agreements uphold responsible standards and protections for both our own citizens and the citizens of the countries with whom we trade. We must ensure that trade agreements include verifiable and enforceable environmental, health, and safety standards. We must see that our trade pacts safeguard much-needed and hard-earned worker protections. Most of all, we must develop trade policies that do not result in continued job losses or make life more difficult for our country's already-challenged working and middle class.

That is why the Congressman has been a supporter of the TRADE Act, which requires a review of all current U.S. Free Trade Agreements to implement certain standards with respect to: (1) labor; (2) human rights; (3) environment and public safety; (4) food and product health and safety; (5) provision of services; (6) investment; (7) procurement; (8) intellectual property; (9) agriculture; (10) trade remedies and safeguards; (11) dispute resolution and enforcement; (12) technical assistance; (13) national security; and (14) taxation.

Additionally, Congressman Tierney has been a leader in opposing the use of “fast track” procedures to bypass Congress’s authority over trade matters. Specifically, Congressman Tierney has weighed in with President Obama in opposition to using “fast track” to advance the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and other future trade agreements. 

Protecting and Providing Opportunity to America's Workers

Congressman Tierney recently assumed the role of Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee. This important Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all matters dealing with relationships between employers and employees including, but not limited to, the National Labor Relations Act, the Labor-Management Relations Act, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act; the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and employment-related health and retirement security including pension, health, and other employee benefits; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA); and all matters related to equal employment opportunity and civil rights in employment.

In this capacity, Congressman Tierney will continue his efforts in support of giving workers a free choice to join together to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions which he believes is a critical step to easing the squeeze and strengthening the middle class. He remains a strong supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act. This important bill is intended to help workers get a fair share and ensure that they have the basic right to choose their own representative. It strengthens the penalties for discrimination against workers who favor a union, and it will allow employees to choose a union when a majority of them sign an authorization designating a union as their bargaining representative.

Additionally, John continues to play a lead role in strengthening the primary federal law, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), governing the nation's job training, employment, adult education, literacy and vocational rehabilitation programs.

Congressman Tierney continues taking active steps to help reinvigorate America's workforce. With then-Representative and now-Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Congressman Tierney co-authored the innovative Green Jobs Act. The legislation, which is now law, aims to help meet the renewable and alternative energy industries' demands for a skilled work force, while boosting America's global competitiveness in those industries. Investments in renewable energy, green retrofitting of buildings, and green transportation have the potential to create millions of jobs.

Improving the Tax Code

Congressman Tierney believes that we must revise our tax code to provide additional relief to America's working families. He believes that the current system has become littered with special tax preferences that serve to unfairly reduce the tax liability that some corporations and the very wealthy owe the federal government, diminish its progressivity, and increase its complexity. Accordingly, the Congressman continues to work with others in Congress to promote tax reforms that will create a system that is simple, fair, equitable, and responsible for middle-class families and future generations.

Congressman Tierney has authored legislation, which terminates nearly 30 tax expenditures that serve little or no public purpose, are poorly designed, or have not fulfilled their original intent. Tax expenditures are hidden in the tax code in that once enacted they do not have to be reauthorized or included in annual appropriations legislation. Through this bill, Congressman Tierney believes we can achieve budget savings without slashing critical investments in job training and workforce development, health, education or community development programs on which working and middle-class Americans rely.