The Latest

Here’s What We Know:

• Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States. In his previous term, the former President supported workforce development policies that emphasized employers’ roles and contributions to the workforce system.
• Republicans have regained control of the U.S. Senate for the 119th Congress, which begins in January, but the final margin of control is still being sorted out.
• The Senate Republican conference is expected to begin deliberations to elect a new Majority Leader in the next few weeks. Current frontrunners for this position are Senators John Thune (R-SD), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Rick Scott (R-FL).
• As the party controlling the Senate, Republicans will serve as Chair of each Senate committee:
• The Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will likely be led by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
• The Senate Appropriations Committee will likely be chaired by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
• There will be many new U.S. Senators in the 119th Congress, including:
  • Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD)
  • Jim Banks (R-IN)
  • John Curtis (R-UT)
  • Jim Justice (R-WV)
  • Andy Kim (D-NJ)
  • Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)
  • Pete Ricketts (R-NE)
  • Adam Schiff (D-CA)
  • Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
  • Tim Sheehy (R-MT)
• Several races are still too close to call.
• U.S. House races will take more time to be determined, so control of the House remains uncertain at this time.

Here’s What’s Next:

• NAWB will share information as it becomes available on committee leadership, the final makeup of Congress, and prospects for workforce policy in the 119th Congress.
• NAWB will advocate for a strong investment in workforce development in the new president’s budget, inaugural address, and Cabinet nominations. This includes reaching out to the White House Transition Team.
• NAWB will host a special post-election Public Policy PowerUp for our members on Friday, Nov. 22, at 1pm EST.
• NAWB is already planning Workforce Advocacy Day, which will take place immediately following The Forum in Washington DC.

Here’s What You Can Do:

• Tell us about your connections to newly-elected (or re-elected) members of Congress or local officials. This will help us in planning our advocacy throughout the year. Email us at nawb@nawb.org
• Plan to join us for Workforce Advocacy Day. This is the ideal opportunity to tell the powerful story of workforce development in your community and to build strong relationships with our elected officials in Washington.
• Congratulate everyone in your community who ran for office, even if they didn’t win. This is a great way to acknowledge community leaders and build relationships with potential future leaders.

Your Voice Matters:

Every new member of Congress will come to Washington with a different level of knowledge about the workforce development system. It will be up to all of us to educate them about how the system serves their constituents and how Congress can bolster it.

NAWB is committed to providing the tools and resources needed to advocate effectively on these issues.