Washington Update

Budget Resolution Update

The House passed its $2.7 trillion Budget Resolution on a 218–210 vote last week.
There were 12 Republican defections, while all Democrats voted against the Budget Resolution. Moderates had attempted to increase the budget caps for the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations, but GOP leaders were unwilling to increase discretionary spending above the $873 billion spending cap, essentially providing a blueprint for cuts in 2007.

FY ’06 Emergency Supplemental Spending Bill
House and Senate negotiators have agreed to hold the emergency war spending and hurricane relief bill to no more than $94.5 billion. This agreement will now avert a veto fight with the White House. This FY06 budget supplement may pass before the Memorial Day recess (May 29 – June2) but getting all the paperwork done and putting the bill to a vote in time to get it to the President’s desk for signature may be difficult.

WIA Programs Compensation Capped in Senate Emergency Supplemental Bill
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) proposed an amendment limiting compensation levels for Employment and Training Administration federal programs to the Senate's FY 2006 Emergency Supplemental bill that passed on May 4th. This amendment will cap program salaries in WIA as well as all other federally funded programs at a Federal Executive Level II salary ($165,000). This will include all salaries at the state and local level involved in the administration of federal programs, including those funded under the Employment and Training Administration

The text of the amendment follows:

SA 3600. Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Ensign, and Mrs. Murray) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

At the end of page 248, line 22, insert the following:

"SEC. None of the funds appropriated in Public Law 109-149 under the heading Employment and Training Administration shall be used to pay the compensation of an individual, either as direct costs or any pro-ration as an indirect cost, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. Where Employment and Training Administration funds appropriated in Public Law 109-149 are used for compensation of an individual, the total federal funding that may go to compensation of that individual shall not exceed a rate in excess of Executive Level II. States may establish a lower limit of total compensation for those receiving compensation from Employment and Training Administration funding employed in that state, taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-living in the state, the compensation levels for comparable state or local government employees, and the size of the organizations that administer federal programs involved including Employment and Training Administration programs."

Final passage of this provision will occur when the FY 06 Emergency Supplemental Bill passes.

New House Bills Proposed for Older Workers’ Training

Earlier this month, Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) and Rep. David Wu (D-OR) introduced H.R. 5275 and H.R. 5276—two bills to amend the Older Americans Act to stimulate education and training among seniors. The first proposal would establish Silver Scholarships or $1,000 educational awards that would be transferable to other parties and that would be granted to seniors in return for six months of volunteer work. The second proposal would authorize a $15 million grants program to fund college initiatives that increase access to post-secondary education and training for older workers.

Administration Requests Authority to Grant Waivers of Federal UI Policies

The Bush Administration is asking Congress for authority to grant waivers of federal unemployment insurance policies that would allow states to implement novel strategies aimed at accelerating claimant reemployment. At a recent hearing, DoL’s Employment and Training Administration officials presented the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources with a request for a number of legislative reforms to Title III of the Social Security Act, which governs UI programs. Most of the reforms focus on ways to help state prevent overpayment of benefits. Recommendations include:

National Conferences

NAWB Co-sponsors the 2006 Intelligent Communities Forum

Building the Broadband Economy 2006 (June 8th-9th, New York City) is presented by the non-profit Intelligent Community Forum, in association with the National Association of Workforce Boards. Featured speakers include James Balsillie, Chairman, Research in Motion (creator of the BlackBerry); Jerry Hultin, President, Polytechnic University and former U.S. Navy Undersecretary; William Eggers, Global Director, Deloitte Research Public Sector and author of Government 2.0; and, Chris Vein, Acting Executive Director, Department of Telecom and Information Services, City and County of San Francisco. NAWB’s CEO Stephanie Powers will facilitate a panel entitled “Employers and Employees in a Flat World” that includes Joe Carbone, the Executive Director of the Workplace, Inc., Bridgeport, CT and Rob Walsh, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services, NYC as well as international representatives.

Now in its third year, Building the Broadband Economy is an international meeting place and idea exchange for government officials and their private-sector partners. It provides a global perspective on the best ways to create broadband infrastructure, educate knowledge workers, foster innovation, and implement e-government programs that contribute to economic development.

NAWB members receive a registration discount. On the registration page, click on the link for NAWB and enter promotional code 'nawb6064' (case-sensitive). Register before June 2nd to avoid a late-registration penalty.

For more information, go to: www.intelligentcommunity.org.

Grants

USDOL Announces $298,500 in Grants to Train Hurricane-Impacted Workers

The U.S. Department of Labor will award $298,500 in grants to three Historically-Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Gulf Coast region to train individuals in the hardest-hit hurricane areas in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. $99,500 will be given to Dillard University in New Orleans, La., Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., and Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. All three schools have established education and job training assistance programs to help displaced workers and unemployed individuals gain the skills necessary for re-employment. For more information about these grant awards, please visit www.doleta.gov.

State News

Florida

Vol VI Issue 11
May 22, 2006

IN THIS ISSUE:

State News, Florida

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Upcoming Congressional Recess: Call to Action Task

Have you invited your Congressional House Representatives to visit your One-Stop or meet with your WIB during the upcoming Congressional recess? It is crucial that every Member have personal contacts when they are home for the Memorial Day May 29-June 2.

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National Association of Workforce Boards
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