Tell Congress to Protect Workforce Development Funding

By Laura Walling, Vice President of Government Affairs, Goodwill Industries International

As Congress enters the August recess, Members have a limited window to pass critical fiscal year 2024 (FY24) appropriations bills before the September 30th deadline. However, significant disagreements between the House and Senate on funding levels are putting the future of essential programs of importance to Goodwill and the people we serve in jeopardy.

During the negotiations around lifting the debt ceiling, Congress agreed to cap FY24 domestic spending at FY23 levels. Unfortunately, the House leadership drastically reduced overall non-defense discretionary spending allocations, leading to alarming reductions for many programs. The Labor-HHS-ED appropriations bill which passed out of a House Appropriations Subcommittee eliminates more than 60 percent of funding for workforce development programming. If enacted, this bill would have an immediate and devastating impact on the nation’s publicly funded workforce system. Rescinding funding from Adult Employment and Training activities provided by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), would effectively defund the nation’s primary funding stream for quickly connecting adults with employment and training opportunities. Further, the bill proposes to eliminate WIOA Youth Activities formula funding, which connects young people nationwide with career exploration, education, and employment opportunities. In addition, the bill would eliminate the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which helps low-income seniors update their skill sets, build work experience and confidence, and continue to have economic security and well-being.

On the other hand, the Senate appropriations committee members have provided allocations closer to level funding for workforce programs and in some cases even proposes increases for apprenticeships and vocational rehabilitation programs among others.

The gap between the House and Senate appropriation bills, combined with controversial policy amendments in the House bill, makes it extremely challenging to reach an agreement by the October 1st deadline. If Congress fails to pass the funding bills by then, the government could face a shutdown, putting critical services at risk.

During this month-long recess, we need your voice to make a difference! Contact your Members of Congress now and urge them to:

1. Work Together: Encourage your representatives to set aside differences and work in a bipartisan fashion to fund government programs, avoiding a disruptive shutdown.
2. Highlight the Importance of Federal Programs: Educate them about the significance of federal programs that support local Goodwill organizations and individuals in your community.

Visit our Legislative Action Center to contact your Member of Congress and help safeguard this funding.