Press Releases

Today, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, of which Congressman Allen is a member, advanced H.R. 6655, the bipartisan Stronger Workforce for America Act. This legislation makes needed improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) while maintaining Fiscal Year 2020 funding levels.

Included in H.R. 6655 are provisions from Congressman Allen's Startup Act, introduced earlier this year, to incorporate entrepreneurial skills development training into the current workforce development system.

Following the committee's approval of the bill, Congressman Allen issued the following statement:

"I am pleased the committee today advanced the bipartisan Stronger Workforce for America Act, which makes needed improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). To strengthen America’s resilient and evolving workforce, we must ensure these federal dollars are dedicated to upskilling and making the shift to skills-based hiring, and H.R. 6655 does just that," said Congressman Allen. "As a small business owner, I am proud today’s legislation includes commonsense provisions from my Startup Act to support American entrepreneurs by expanding access to programs that offer training and resources to individuals seeking to start their own business. By bridging the gap between the education and business communities, H.R. 6655 will equip our workforce with the tools needed to spark innovation and achieve the American Dream."

"Starting a business is one of the primary ways to create generational wealth. This legislation will help level the playing field by helping those facing generational poverty and unemployment to receive the support they need from our workforce development system," said Eric R. Parker, AIA, Cofounder & CEO, Make Startups, Inc.

BACKGROUND: The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.

Congressman Allen's remarks during today's full committee markup can be viewed here.