National Apprenticeship Act of 2021
Floor Speech
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Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition of the National Apprenticeship Act.
As the co-chair of the Skilled Workforce Caucus with my friend from Michigan, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand, professional training programs in my home State of Arkansas and in Michigan.
And, I want to thank my Democratic colleagues for their sincere effort to prioritize work training programs, however their efforts are flawed.
I have heard my colleagues in the Democratic majority say they want our legislation to reflect America and I share that goal.
I agree that we need legislation that reflects the where people work in our economy.
However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 12.1 percent of Americans are employed by unions.
Frankly, this legislation does not reflect our country's workforce because it preferences one business model over another.
Rather than encouraging entities and businesses to be empowered to make training choices that are best for their industry, we are instead picking winners and losers.
As we move towards recovery from the COVID crisis, we need as wide of an approach to training programs as possible, and this bill is not the answer. Republicans, including myself have offered several amendments that will make a bad bill better. Please support my amendment change to this legislation. In that regard, I ask for unanimous consent to submit letters of support for my amendment.
I urge my colleagues to oppose the National Apprenticeship Act.
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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank my friend from Michigan and my friend from North Carolina for their leadership in promoting apprenticeship programs that benefit the American people.
Madam Speaker, my amendment is simple. It trades one word for another, but the impact is significant. The National Apprenticeship Act states, to the extent practicable, that the partnerships for funding under Title II be part of an industry or sector partnership and partner with a labor or joint labor-management organization.
My amendment changes ``and'' to an ``or.'' I am afraid that the unintended consequences of the word will be treated as a requirement for the Federal Government that entities requesting funding under Title II must partner with a union.
This bill, as written, allows the government to play favorites with Title II funding and, instead, we should encourage entities to be empowered to make choices that are best for the workforce in their area.
In my view, entities applying for Title II funding under the bill should be partnering with both non-union and union industry leaders. But I have no doubt that should this bill become law, bureaucrats at the Department of Labor will interpret the use of ``and'' in this section to mean that if you are not partnered with a union organization you will not receive funding. That is my concern.
My home State of Arkansas doesn't have a large union presence, like many States around the country, and this legislation would make it more difficult for entities in my home State to receive Title II funding.
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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record letters in support of my amendment from the National Association of Home Builders and the Associated General Contractors. National Association of Home Builders, Washington, DC, February 3, 2021. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy: On behalf of the more than 140,000 members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), I write to share our views on H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021.
NAHB shares Congress's desire to align the national apprenticeship system with the needs of a 21st century workforce and ensure it better serves students, employers, schools, and other stakeholders. For decades, NAHB's workforce development partner the Home Builders Institute (HBI) has offered skills development opportunities and career and technical education to underserved, non-traditional, and at-risk populations through its Department of Labor (DOL)- recognized pre-apprenticeship curriculum. We appreciate the Committee on Education and Labor's engagement with us last Congress to address concerns we raised during the committee process. This has, in our view, improved the bill.
However, we remain deeply concerned that the bill includes ambiguous language requiring eligible entities seeking access to robust new grant funding to partner with a labor or joint labor-management organization ``to the extent practicable.'' Consequently, this provision could restrict bona fide, respected training providers' access to grant opportunities or force them to partner with organized labor groups with which they have no purpose for affiliation. NAHB strongly supports Hill Amendment #29 which clarifies that entities may partner with an industry sector partnership or with a labor or joint labor management organization to satisfy the grant program's eligibility requirements. This will ensure access to critical funds by a diversity of registered training programs as employers seek to rebuild their workforces in the pandemic-ravaged economy.
NAHB recognizes Congress's work to expand youth and adult access to instruction in the skilled trades and believes the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is a step in the right direction. As the bill moves forward in the Senate, we look forward to working together to modernize the national apprenticeship system to ensure pre-apprenticeships remain a viable training tool for residential construction. Sincerely, James W. Tobin III ____ February 3, 2021. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. AGC Key Vote: Vote ``YES'' on Hill Amendment to H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021.
Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy: On behalf of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), I write to urge you to support the Rep. French Hill Amendment to H.R. 447 which would simply clarify that all registered apprenticeship programs are eligible for grants under the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. Despite the pandemic, the construction industry continues to experience a skilled worker shortage and anticipates that persisting in the future. As such, AGC urges a ``YES'' vote on this amendment and reserves the right to record your vote as a KEY VOTE for the education of our more than 27,000 member firms.
Workforce development has historically been a bipartisan issue. And H.R. 447 is well intentioned in seeking to expand apprenticeship opportunities and address the skilled worker shortage. The bill elevates and prioritizes the role apprenticeships can play, provides incentives for states to assist employers and offers technical assistance in the development of programs. Although the bill would provide new and significant funding increases for apprenticeship programs, the ability to fully capitalize on opportunities under Title II of the bill would be put into jeopardy and many registered apprenticeship programs would be ineligible to qualify.
The Rep. Hill Amendment addresses the inequities in the bill by clarifying that all registered apprenticeship programs would be eligible for grants, not just programs partnering with unions to receive taxpayer support. AGC is proud of our contractor members' support of union-affiliated joint apprenticeship training programs, but we believe all bona fide and high-quality apprenticeship programs that are registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and are not affiliated with a union program are still important components to addressing the workforce development problem and should also be eligible for Title II grants under H.R. 447.
Using the power of the federal purse to discriminate against any U.S. DOL registered apprenticeship program for the sole reason that they are not partnered with a labor or joint labor-management organization is contrary to the stated goals of the legislation. If a program meets DOL's rigorous standards for registration, then there's no valid reason Congress should be restricting tools to upskill and train Americans as the economy and industry emerge from the global pandemic.
Again, AGC urges a YES vote on Hill Amendment and looks forward to working with Congress on practicable solutions to our nation's workforce needs. Sincerely, James V. Christianson.
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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I thank my friend from Michigan. He, in the last Congress, in putting the word ``and'' into the act, said he wanted to give a shout-out to unions. Therefore, I think he has actually identified it very well, that this does improve flexibility and choice. I am concerned about the Department of Labor reading the ``and'' as essentially a directive. So I believe the ``or'' is important, Madam Speaker.
Americans are struggling with the COVID-19 crisis. Restrictions, as it relates to title II funding of this bill, unintentionally hurt the American people trying to get new jobs and opportunities. We need every angle to help our citizens get to a successful career.
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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
In closing, let me say this. Bottom line, in the construction industry, important to every one of our States, registered apprenticeships trained about 28,000 people a year, where the need is over 440,000 people a year in construction.
We need more flexibility. This amendment is flexible. It supports the American people.
Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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