Legislation introduced to address the impacts of COVID-19 on the nation’s workforce

Key Takeaways

On May 1, U.S. House Education and Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) led congressional Democrats in introducing the Relaunching America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 6646) that would invest $15 billion in America’s workforce development system in response to the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the nation’s workers and businesses. The legislation authorizes funding to help workers sharpen their skills and quickly re-enter the workforce as the U.S. economy emerges fromsteep decline. 

The Relaunching America's Workforce Act is based on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (P.L. 111-5) model and funding would be directed through existing workforce development programs to direct resources to the local level as quickly as possible. The legislation includes $7.5 billion for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, including $2.5 billion each for Adults, Dislocated Workers and Youth grants, a key workforce funding program for state and county governments.

The legislation includes:

• $2.5 billion for Dislocated Worker Grants
• $2.5 billion for Youth Workforce Activities
• $2.5 billion for Adult Training Activities
• $1 billion for Wagner- Peyser/Employment Services
• $500 million for Registered Apprenticeships
• $500 million for National Dislocated Worker Grants
• $500 million for JobCorps
• $350 million for Reentry Employment Opportunities
• $250 million for YouthBuild
• $150 million for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers
• $150 million for Native American Programs
• $1 billion for Adult Education and Literacy
• $2 billion for Community College and Industry Partnership Grants

The U.S. House bill is co-led by Reps. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Susan Davis (D-Calif.) Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Joe Courtney (D-Conn.). The companion U.S. Senate legislation is co-led by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

NACo collaborated with National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), National League of Cities (NLC) and the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) to send a letter of support for the legislation.

To view a section by section summary of the legislation, click here.

For additional NACo resources on workforce development programs, please see the following links:

• NACo Policy Brief: Support Workforce and Local Business Development: The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
• NACo Report: Counties and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act