Democrats Take Control as 110th Congress Convenes

The 110th Congress convened on Thursday, January 4th, amid vows from both sides of the aisle to operate in a spirit of bipartisan cooperation and the Democratic majority’s promise to act quickly during its “first 100 hours” to pass priority legislation.

Among the first order of business was Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) election as the first woman Speaker of the House. Also assuming leadership positions in the new Congress are Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD) as House Majority Leader, Representative John Boehner (R-OH) as House Minority Leader, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) as Senate Majority Leader, and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as Senate Minority Leader.

The Democratic leadership outlined an ambitious agenda for its first few weeks. Some of the high- profile matters are lobbying and earmark reforms, an increase in the minimum wage, student loan interest rates, “pay/go” rules for spending and tax cuts, reform of immigration laws, funding for stem cell research, global warming, and consideration of the 9/11 Commission recommendations.

Committee Chairs and Ranking Members Selected

Both Democrats and Republicans have nearly completed their work of appointing committee and subcommittee chairs and ranking members and assigning Members of Congress to the various congressional committees. Of particular interest to the education and workforce development communities are the following appointments:

Chairman, Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions - Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Ranking Member, Senate HELP - Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Chairman, House Education and Labor - George Miller (D-CA)
Ranking Member, House Education and Labor - “Buck” McKeon (R-CA)
Chairman, Senate Appropriations - Robert Byrd (D- WV)
Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations - Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Chairman, House Appropriations - David Obey (D-WI)
Ranking Member, House Appropriations - Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Chairman, Labor/HHS Subcommittee on Appropriations - David Obey (D-WI)
Ranking Member, Labor/HHS Subcommittee on Appropriations - James Walsh (R-NY)
Chairman, Senate Budget - Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Ranking Member, Senate Budget - Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Chairman, House Ways and Means - Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Ranking Member, House Ways and Means - Jim McCrery (R-LA)

Congress Will Likely Consider a Joint Resolution for FY 2007 Appropriations

In order to deal with the nine unfinished FY 2007 spending bills, the Democratic leadership intends to pass a joint resolution prior to the February 15th expiration date of the current continuing resolution. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Obey and Senate Appropriations Chairman Byrd say the resolution would fund most agencies and programs at current levels, but may include some adjustments providing additional funding for programs and services such as veterans’ health and the National Guard.

Minimum Wage Bill Passes in House

On Wednesday, the House passed a bill on a vote of 315-116 that would boost the federal minimum wage for the first time in ten years. The increase would happen in stages with the wage going from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour 60 days after the bill is signed into law, then to $6.55 per hour a year later, and finally to $7.25 per hour after another year. The Senate is expected to consider its own version of the bill next week, which is expected to contain some provisions to help alleviate the effects of the minimum wage increase on small businesses.

No Child Left Behind Due for Reauthorization

With the No Child Left Behind Act having reached its five-year anniversary, this high-profile legislation will be up for reauthorization this year. The leadership of the Senate HELP Committee (Senators Kennedy and Enzi) and the House Education and Labor Committee (Representatives Miller and McKeon) met with President Bush at The White House this week to discuss the reauthorization, which is expected to occupy much of the time and attention of Congress this year. This could delay consideration of other legislation under the jurisdiction of the Senate HELP and House Education and Labor Committees, including reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act.

Economic Development Administration (EDA) to Hold Regional Symposia in 2007

The Economic Development Administration and EDA regional offices, in partnership with the International Economic Development Council and National Association of Regional Councils, will hold five Regional Economic Development Symposia in 2007.

The one-day symposia will focus on regional strategies, policies, and best practices to create jobs and economic opportunity. Speakers will include regional and national leaders from the private and public sectors. The program will include keynote presentations, case studies of approaches to economic development, and region-specific training related to EDA investment policies and procedures.

The five symposia will be held on March 13th in Philadelphia, PA; April 12th in San Antonio, TX; May 16th in Long Beach, CA; June 14th in Atlanta, GA; and September 26th in Kansas City, MO Attendance is free but registration is required. Information regarding venues, program content, and online registration is available at www. iedconline.org/EDASymposia.

NAWB to Feature Two Sessions at 2007 Heartland Professional Development Symposium

The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) will be featuring two pre-conference sessions at the Heartland Professional Development Symposium, to be held April 16th-19th, 2007 at The Millenium Hotel in St. Louis, MO. The featured sessions are Sector Strategies: Targeted Approaches to Critical Industries, and Becoming a Catalyst for Change: The Role of the Workforce Board. Additional information on these sessions is available at http://www.theeventconn.com/eve nts/conf.php?get=info&eid=20.

“What You Need to Know: Powerful Tools for a Changing Workforce System -- The Heartland Symposium,” is sponsored by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) and the Great Lakes Employment and Training Associations (GLETA). This premier venue for the Heartland Region V/10 State Area brings together a broad range of workforce development professionals, private-sector employers, and human resource agencies seeking the latest technical assistance about the workforce development industry.

Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell has announced that $5 million in just-awarded grants will help workers to improve their skills and find good jobs in a variety of key industries. The strategic investments announced this week provide $2.8 million for workforce training and $2.1 million to develop industry partnerships in which employers, workers, and workers’ representatives from vital industries cooperate to improve their collective competitive position in the marketplace.

24 grants have been awarded serving 47 counties, and will target a variety of industries, including manufacturing, building and construction, logistics and transportation, mining, life sciences, business and financial services, and agriculture and food production. For more information, see the Governor’s announcement at http://www.paworkforce.state.pa. us/media/cwp/view.asp?a=470&q=157356.

Don't miss Forum 2007, NAWB's signature event, to be held February 24 - 27, 2007 at the Renaissance Hotel, Washington, D.C. Pre-conference sessions start Saturday, February 24th.