Please contact your United States Representative TODAY at 202-224-3121 and urge her/him to support the passage of H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The Senate recently passed this bill with a bipartisan vote of 95-3. Your help is crucial to ensure that the House does the same thing.
H.R. 803 would reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and has the following provisions supporting public libraries:
Title I – Workforce Development Activities
- Allows public libraries to be considered additional One-Stop partners. Meaning that Libraries will now have access to federal funding for job training and job search programs.
- Functions of the State and Local Workforce Development Board. State and Local Workforce Boards must include plans to improve digital literacy skills at One-Stop delivery systems.
- Prohibits federal supervision or control over selection of library resources.
- Allowable Statewide Employment and Training Activities. Authorizes adult education and literacy activities provided by public libraries as an allowable statewide employment and training activity.
Title II – Adult Education and Literacy
- Definition of Workforce Preparation Activities. Includes a definition of “workforce preparation activities” that specifically includes digital literacy skills.
H.R. 803 could be a huge victory for libraries and your call could get this legislation to the President’s desk. Your participation can make all the difference. Please call today!
