Congress Seeks Bipartisan Updates to the Workforce System

by Mitch Coopes, Government Relations Senior Specialist, Goodwill Industries International 

The House Education and Labor Committee recently held a hearing on the role of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in promoting successful reentry models for people impacted by the justice system. The committee heard testimony from a panel of witnesses that included representatives of community-based organizations, employers, and other stakeholder groups working to advance training and employment for justice-involved individuals. The witnesses described a range of best practices for reentry employment programs, such as providing stabilization and supportive services, engaging with incarcerated individuals pre-release, developing strong partnerships with second-chance employers, and many of the other holistic strategies that are being utilize by local Goodwill agencies.

Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee Chairwoman Frederica Wilson (D-FL) noted that programs like the Department of Labor’s Reentry Employment Opportunities grants provide community-based organizations, including local Goodwill agencies, with funds to offer reentry employment services, skills training, and wrap-around supports that help combat recidivism among justice-involved individuals. “As we reauthorize WIOA, we can make smart investments in promising approaches to reduce recidivism and expand employment opportunities for justice-impacted people,” said Wilson. “Empowering justice-involved individuals to find high-quality careers should be a bipartisan issue.”

The hearing was part of a series on the reauthorization of WIOA. The committee previously held hearings to examine the role of WIOA in creating employment opportunities for youth and career pathways for dislocated workers. The committee is working to produce a WIOA reauthorization bill in the coming months. In addition, Goodwill Industries International has provided policy recommendations to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to help inform the chamber’s ongoing efforts to update WIOA and the National Apprenticeship Act. Goodwill will continue to work with policymakers to advance bipartisan solutions to strengthen the nation’s workforce system.