On August 1, 2024, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill that would, if enacted, provide funding for programs under the Department of Labor, including funds for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for the upcoming 2025 federal fiscal year (FY25).
Unlike a recently advanced House bill, which proposed deep cuts for (or elimination of) many programs, the Senate bill would maintain funding for most workforce development programs, including $2.9 billion for WIOA formula grants. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved this measure on a bipartisan vote of 25-3.
The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) greatly appreciates that the Senate rejected the severe House-proposed funding levels for FY25. However, we also recognize that there has been a steady erosion of federal funding for WIOA in recent years, complicating efforts by workforce development boards to serve both jobseekers with complex needs and businesses seeking to fill nearly nine million job openings. The Senate and House must now reconcile spending plans before the new fiscal year begins on October 1 or pass a temporary spending measure to postpone these decisions until later in the year.
“Congress is at a real inflection point when it comes to workforce development,” said NAWB President and CEO, Brad Turner-Little. “With both the appropriations and authorization for WIOA currently being considered, Congress must make a stronger investment in the nation’s public workforce system, one that prioritizes workers, learners, and employers. The economic vitality of local communities is on the line.”
NAWB urges its network of workforce professionals to highlight how workforce development boards are serving both jobseekers and businesses in local communities. Our new guide, Hosting a Congressional Site Visit, is a timely resource to help arrange site visits by members of Congress.
The House and Senate are in a District/State Work Period until September 9, 2024, when Congress will return to Washington to finish up its legislative work on annual spending bills and numerous pieces of legislation, including, potentially, WIOA Reauthorization.
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