Its About Jobs

Despite consistent polling showing jobs as the number one issue among voters, it is really only now, after finishing the 15 month effort to reform the health care system, that Congress is expected to focus almost exclusively on jobs and the economy.  

Theoretically, the more Congress adheres to a jobs agenda the greater the chances are that WIA reauthorization will get serious consideration. There are currently two jobs bills pending before Congress. The first bill, H.R. 4849, provides $16.8 billion for small businesses and state and local governments, and passed the House on March 24. The bill includes $2.5 billion for TANF emergency funding. The second jobs bill is the $140 billion package of tax extensions and safety net spending that passed the Senate on March 10. The House is likely to conference this bill with the Senate.  

From both bills and others being discussed, it is evident that there are clear differences in job creation approaches between the parties. Democrats place a priority on infrastructure spending as a way to produce jobs, while Republicans tend to favor tax policy specifically aimed to encourage small business job creation.  

The latest jobs bill to emerge in Congress is H.R. 4812 “The Local Jobs for America Act.” The bill, introduced on March 10 by Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA), currently has 105 cosponsors.

H.R. 4812 will provide $75 billion in funding to local communities largely in order to rehire workers or to keep from making employment cuts. The bill targets $500 million for on-the-job training under WIA; $23 billion to help states support 250,000 education jobs; $1.18 billion for 5,500 law enforcement officers; and $500 million to retain, rehire and hire firefighters

At this point the Senate has not introduced a companion bill to H.R. 4812. The bill faces continued spending concerns, especially among Blue Dog Democrats who expect Congressional spending to be paid for. It is likely that there will be a large push, through the press, to pass H.R. 4812. However, the outlook is no different than that of the other jobs bills we have seen come before Congress over the last several months. The key question (and stumbling block) remains, how are these programs paid for? 

NWA will keep its members informed as these and other jobs bills are considered in Congress.