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Congressman Cohen Speaks in Favor of and Votes for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

May 17, 2022

Measure contains his amendment to include local experts and leaders on workforce development boards

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today spoke from the House floor in favor of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and later voted for it. The measure contains his amendment ensuring that subject matter experts in local agencies, local educators, and community leaders can be included on workforce development boards.

The vote on passage was 220 to 196.

In his floor speech, Congressman Cohen said that he recently visited the drive-thru at a Memphis Walgreens and was told the store didn't have enough employees to operate the drive-thru. He continued:

"Everywhere you go there's a need for work. We need to train people so they can fill the jobs that are made available… I'm proud to join my colleagues today to vote in favor of reauthorizing this program, which unfortunately expired in 2020. This bill would bring us back on track and would invest $78 billion over six years. It will train a million workers per year by 2028.

"Memphis is a proud working-class city, and we must prepare our workforce and community for the 21st century and for the jobs right now. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will ensure that critical resources are provided for essential institutions like our Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks Job Corps Center in Whitehaven.

"This transformational work should involve all of our local leaders and resources to ensure our programs and solutions are relevant and useful for our community. I offered an amendment, which was accepted, and I appreciate that, which will help ensure that subject matter experts in local agencies, local educators, and community leaders can be included as a part of workforce development boards.

"We look out for each other in Memphis, and we want to see us move forward in the 21st century."

See the entire speech here.

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