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February 21, 2008As Economy Weakens, Bush Budget Request Leaves Low-Income Individuals, Laid-Off Workers, and Disconnected Youth Behind (Updated) |
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From Center for Law and Social Policy: Instead of addressing our country's pressing need for investment in workforce education and training programs, the Bush administration, in its FY 2009 budget, is once again proposing deep cuts to critical employment and training programs that help many Americans find work and build the skills necessary to secure good jobs. These cuts come at a time when workers and their families are already struggling in a softening labor market, and employers have growing needs for a skilled workforce in order to compete in the global economy. The administration's Career Advancement Account (CAA) proposal to consolidate core employment and training programs is a smokescreen for deep budget cuts. Congress will surely reject the administration's proposal to consolidate existing programs. However, the FY 2009 request still includes painful cuts to each individual program as authorized under current law. The FY 2009 funding request for current law would eliminate all funding for the Employment Service State Grants, funded at $703 million in 2008. The Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational projections show that the highest rates of net job changes between 2004 and 2014 will occur in jobs requiring at least some postsecondary certification or college degree.vi However, a large proportion of our current workforce lack even basic literacy skills. At a time when the demand for basic skills and English language instruction is exploding, state grants for adult education programs would be held to their FY 2008 level---about $10 million below their FY 2007 total. As our nation heads into uncertain times, the President should be proposing to expand these critical programs, not dismantle them.
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