Budget Action in the Senate
From
Capitol Hill
March
14, 2006 The Senate is debating the Budget Resolution on the floor all
week. Two amendments are being offered that are extremely important to WIA
funding. They both could be voted on as early as today.
First, Senators Specter and Harkin are offering an
amendment that would add $7 billion to Budget Functions 500, 550, and 600
(which are comprised of all programs within the purview of the Labor- HHS
Appropriations Subcommittee). The amendment would restore funding for
education, health, social services, and WIA programs to FY 05 levels. This is a
major amendment in the budget debate that would make a dramatic difference in
Senate funding prospects for key domestic programs, including WIA.
Second, NWA spoke to Senator Kennedy on Thursday
about the amendment he was expected to offer to restore funding for Higher
Education, asking him to also include WIA funding in this amendment. We are
pleased that his Kennedy/Collins/Menendez amendment now includes $750 million
for WIA, along with funding for higher ed.
The Kennedy amendment was debated this morning and
the Specter/Harkin amendment may receive floor time later today. We met with
Senators Specter and Harkin this morning, and they are concerned that if a vote
occurs on the Kennedy Amendment before the Specter/Harkin Amendment, they may
lose some support for their amendment, which refunds the entire Labor-HHS
funding allocation. Specter and Harkin are working to have their vote before
the Kennedy Amendment.
These amendments are both very important to the
workforce system and we support both of them strongly. We continue to hope that
the Specter/Harkin Amendment receives a vote and is adopted before the Kennedy
Amendment, allowing Senators to vote first on the entire funding
allocation.
The vote on both of these amendments are expected to
be extremely close and it is important to call your Senators today and ask for
their support of the Specter/Harkin amendment and the Kennedy/Collins/Menendez
education and job training amendment.
Learn more...
About the National Workforce Association
The National Workforce Association is a membership
organization dedicated to strengthening the nation's workforce development
system. Formerly called the National Association of County Training and
Employment Professionals, NWA is one of the largest of over 23 affiliates with
NACo (National Association of Counties). NWA members are directors and staff of
workforce investment areas, One-Stop Centers, service providers, educational
institutions, state associations representing workforce professionals and
corporations. Anyone is welcome to join. All that's needed is an interest in
workforce issues. NWA brings workforce development partners together!
GOALS For NWA
NWA's goal is to: • provide expertise and input
to federal, state and local elected officials to enable them to make sound
policy decisions about the workforce system and • promote innovation and
excellent performance in locally based workforce programs through conferences,
training sessions, publications and peer- to-peer exchanges.
| The
National Workforce Association
Mr. David Bradley
Mr. John Colbert
phone: 202 842-4004 |
|
This information is intended for the sole use of NWA
Members.
