Category: Advocate

The administration’s budget request, released last week, outlines a plan that proposes to avoid the automatic spending cuts required by the Budget Control Act that Congress passed last year. Under the proposal, the automatic cuts – some of which would affect federal investments that support local Goodwill agencies’ efforts to help people find jobs and advance in careers – would be avoided by cutting mandatory spending, and increasing tax revenue.

READ MORE from Deficit Reduction Has Implications for Goodwill®

This week, the Obama administration unveiled its budget request for FY 2013. Goodwill® is pleased to report that proposed federal funding remains steady for programs that support our mission. Read more about our priority issues below and click here (PDF) to view ourside-by-side comparison of FY 2012 appropriations to FY 2013 proposals. American Jobs Act (AJA) Obama’s plan proposes

READ MORE from Goodwill® Programs Fare Well under Federal Spending Plan

Numerous times over the past several years, policymakers have considered proposals to drastically reduce or eliminate investments that help educate and train people to improve their skills, find jobs, and advance in careers. In anticipation that this trend will continue, a new effort was launched last week by 35 national organizations including Goodwill Industries®. Called the Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce, the initiative engages a diverse coalition.

READ MORE from Goodwill® a Founding Member of Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce

Senior job seekers stand to benefit from a new bill recently introduced in the Senate to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the bill (S. 2037) on January 26 and highlighted several provisions in the legislation, including those intended to strengthen and expand the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP).

READ MORE from Senior Job Seekers Stand to Benefit from New Senate Bill

On Tuesday evening, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address to Congress, outlining messages that are likely to form the foundation for his reelection campaign. The president’s speech acknowledged that, at a time when unemployment is stubbornly declining from the highest rates experienced in a generation, growing industries in science and technology can’t find workers with the right skills to perform the jobs they need to fill.

READ MORE from State of the Union Address Includes Programs for Job Seekers

A new study released by Indiana University finds that poverty is likely to get worse despite a recovering economy due to long periods of unemployment, continued impact on budget cuts to social programs and the quality of new jobs. The study warns that if Congress does not protect benefits for the long-term unemployed, and continues to make cuts to social safety net programs while reducing state fiscal relief, the poverty situation will worsen.

READ MORE from Congressional Action Can Prevent Worsening Poverty Situation

While jobless claims and the unemployment rate are showing some improvement in the overall employment picture, it’s interesting to look behind these numbers and examine just who is suffering – and benefiting — the most during this modest recovery. In consonance with these findings, GII’s 2012 Public Policy Agenda was drafted in close consultation with Goodwill members and leaders of GII’s mission advancement team.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Sets Agenda to Support Job Seekers in the Recovery

When the 112th Congress wrapped up its first session in December, it left behind a legacy of partisanship that caused public approval ratings to reach historic lows. As the second session kicks into gear this month, lawmakers will have to work quickly on payroll tax relief, emergency unemployment benefits, and reauthorization of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), all of which were only extended through February .Goodwill® looks forward to Congress addressing several other issues of importance to the enterprise and the people we serve.

READ MORE from Congress to Resume Spending Bill Discussions on Heels of 2011 Logjams

On December 17, the Senate voted 67-32 to approve a $915 billion “megabus” spending package. The bill provides $10.7 billion to the Department of Labor’s Employment Training Administration (ETA), which administers several programs that support local Goodwill® agencies’ efforts to help people find jobs and advance in careers.

READ MORE from Congress’ Year-End Spending Agreement Includes Support for Programs Significant to Goodwill®

African-American man participants in automotive job training programIn response to a January 2011 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), introduced the Streamlining Workforce Development Programs Act last week, which proposes to eliminate 33 existing training programs and consolidate them under four new workforce investment funds.

READ MORE from Proposed Legislation Aims to Consolidate Federal Job Training Programs

U.S. Capitol BuildingWhile election-year politics are expected to dominate the 2012 congressional session, a number of issues that Goodwill® cares about are likely to be up for discussion by Congress next year. In anticipation of these conversations, Goodwill has released its official public policy agenda for 2012.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Announces 2012 Public Policy Priorities

During the economic downturn of the past few years, charitable donations have decreased dramatically across the nonprofit sector, with some leaders predicting it will it take charities six years to return to where they were financially in 2007. Further reductions in these donations will reduce nonprofits’ ability to serve the individuals and families who rely on them for job training and other critical community-based services. With one month remaining in the 2011 tax year, Goodwill® is empowering donors like you to make informed decisions about where you donate, and urging Congress to protect charitable giving incentives that ensure you continue to receive a deduction for your contributions.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Educates Donors, Congress on Charitable Giving This Holiday Season