New Democrat Coalition Announces Co-Chairs of 21st Century Job Skills Working Group
The New Democrat Coalition announced that Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) will lead its new working group on job training and workforce development issues – the 21st Century Job Skills Working Group.
The 20-Member working group formed earlier in July with the announcement of its support for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). That bill, which passed the House by a vote of 415-6, received the support of every member of the working group. Each of the Co-Chairs have taken an active role on workforce issues in the 113th Congress: Rep. Schneider’s amendments to WIOA enhanced public-private partnerships and programs to help workers receive on-the-job training, Rep. Kuster’s jobs plan includes investments in training and streamlining government programs, Rep. DelBene secured $200 million in the Farm Bill to expand job-training programs for SNAP recipients, and Rep. Esty’s bill to boost STEM education passed the House earlier this month.
Other Members of the group have also been active on job training issues in their districts throughout the 113th Congress, releasing jobs plans, launching economic development initiatives, jumpstarting efforts to highlight the crucial role America’s startups play in job creation, and penning op-eds to tout next-generation solutions for workforce development.
“I am pleased to announce the selection of the Co-Chairs of the 21st Century Job Skills Working Group,” New Democrat Coalition Chairman Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) said in a statement. “These leaders have demonstrated a commitment to advocating for smart, evidence-based approaches to job training that will help Americans get the skills they need to fill the jobs that are available and stay ahead of the curve in the global economy. I look forward to working with each of them.”
“To expand Americans’ access to opportunity, our workforce development system needs to prepare workers to compete in a 21st century economy,” Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) said. “We cannot expect outdated approaches to yield the same results they did 15 or 20 years ago. Now is the time to build on the success of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and modernize our job-training infrastructure to close the skills gap and ensure our nation’s workers can find good-paying jobs.”
“The American people aren’t worried about who’s ‘winning’ in Washington. They want their leaders to work together and develop real solutions to help families that are still struggling to recover from the recession,” Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) said. “I hear time and time again from manufacturers and small businesses in my district who tell me about their difficulty finding or training workers with the right skill sets. As a co-chair of this new working group, I look forward to advancing job training programs that focus on best practices from both America’s public and private sectors.”
“From day one, I’ve made job creation and increased economic opportunities for Granite State families my number one priority,” said Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH). “The first legislation I introduced in the House encourages businesses to partner with local colleges to prepare students for the workforce. Programs like these help New Hampshire students learn the skills they need to succeed, and I’m proud to co-chair this Working Group and to fight to help prepare American workers for 21st century jobs and opportunities.”
“Congress can give Americans a way up the economic ladder by backing policies that expand access to personalized, on-the-job training,” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) said. “As New Dems, we will work diligently to open doors for America’s workers by connecting them to world-class job training resources that give everyone a chance to make it in America. I am excited to collaborate with my colleagues on the 21st Century Job Skills Working Group as we find new approaches to getting Americans back to work and our economy growing.”
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