Category: Advocate

On May 1st 130 leaders from local Goodwill organizations from across the United States are together on Capitol Hill, connecting with nearly 300 lawmakers and staff. Goodwill's advocates are talking with lawmakers about workforce development system reforms and funding, the impact of tax policies on nonprofits and Goodwill's role in textile recycling. You can help support these efforts virtually by sending a message to your lawmakers as part of Goodwill’s Virtual Advocacy Day!

READ MORE from Be an Advocate and Participate in Goodwill’s Virtual Advocacy Day!

On Thursday, May 1st, Goodwill leaders, employees, board members and program participants from across the country will travel to Capitol Hill to advocate for the issues that matter most to local Goodwill organizations and the people they serve. You can help amplify our advocacy. Virtual advocacy is a powerful tool to communicate with elected officials, and our Legislative Action Center makes it easy for you to contact your lawmakers.

READ MORE from Advocate Virtually Next Week During Goodwill on the Hill

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 650,000 people are released from federal and state prisons every year. The overwhelming majority of incarcerated people will return to their communities at some point, and many will confront significant challenges to finding employment, housing, education and other opportunities when reentering society.

READ MORE from Second Chance Month 2025

Recently, the House and Senate agreed to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).  The bill, which was signed into law by President Trump, averted a government shutdown that would have gone into effect on March 15 when the previous CR expired. 

READ MORE from Congress Resolves Funding Impasse and Turns to President’s Priorities

The House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee of the Education and the Workforce Committee recently held a hearing on strengthening the workforce system and improving outcomes for job seekers through the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

READ MORE from House Committee Revisits Workforce Training Reauthorization

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to advance the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be the next Secretary of Labor. The former U.S. Representative from Oregon received bipartisan support in the committee and her nomination will now be considered by the full Senate.

READ MORE from Cabinet Picks Advance in the Senate

Preparing youth and adult learners for good-paying jobs in in-demand industries requires continued education and training beyond high school. But for many students, the lack of affordable options in traditional higher education has created challenges to enrollment and completion of the education and credentialing opportunities they need to achieve college and career success.

READ MORE from Senate Bill Offers New Pathways to Good JOBS

The executive branch continues to issue numerous orders and memos with the goals of reducing the size of government, identifying waste, fraud and abuse, and eliminating initiatives related to diversity, equity, inclusion and environmental justice. Some members of the legislative branch are pushing back on these measures via introducing legislation, submitting formal inquiries, and using procedural levers to slow confirmations; while other members of Congress are proposing legislation that align with the President’s agenda. With such close margins in the House and Senate, few bills are likely to pass both chambers.

READ MORE from Checks and Balances

Many nonprofits including Goodwill spent the week analyzing the scope of President Trump’s executive orders, assessing the impact of the temporary freeze in federal funding, looking at ways in which federally funded programs align with the new administration’s priorities, and monitoring court cases while still executing on our mission and serving our communities.

READ MORE from A Whirlwind Week

President Trump wasted no time settling back into the oval office, issuing more than 40 executive orders (EOs) in his first week of his second administration. During his first term, Trump signed 14 executive orders and memoranda over his first week. The broad range of issues covered by the actions of interest to Goodwill and the people we serve include diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs; government grants and contracts; civic engagement; and immigration. Some EOs may not take effect immediately and some face legal challenges.

READ MORE from President Trump’s Second First Week

The 119th Congress welcomes 65 freshman members of the House of Representatives and 12 new Senators. In some of the key congressional committees that oversee federal workforce and employment policies, these freshman lawmakers have joined their ranks as veteran members have taken on new roles.

READ MORE from Meet the New Faces and New Leaders Tackling Workforce Policy in Congress

The 119th Congress gaveled into session on January 3 as lawmakers returned to Washington with a long list of unfinished legislative business and new policy priorities to tackle in the coming months. Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown in late December by passing a stopgap continuing resolution to fund the government through March 14.

READ MORE from 119th Congress Begins with New Priorities and Unfinished Business