Text of UREAP's November 7, 2003 email to Jay Cobb, Senator Bennett's WIA specialist (similar email was sent to Jace Johnson of Senator Hatch's office), regarding S 1627, "Workforce Investment Act Amendments of 2003" prior to November 14 Floor vote. 
 
We spoke with you two weeks ago about the work of the Utah Reauthorization Project (UREAP) on WIA and TANF reauthorization and referred you to our website for further information. We are writing today, understanding that S 1627, "Workforce Investment Act Amendments of 2003," has been placed on the Senate's Consent Calendar. Senator Bennett will be voting on it in the near future, and we would like to convey the Utah Reauthorization Project's views on the bill.
 
UREAP supports S 1627, finding it a substantially better approach than HR 1261. UREAP has watched and participated in the processes that have led to both HR 1261 and S 1627. Although there are still a few changes we would like to see (below), S 1627 better corresponds with the Principles UREAP developed to guide our work on WIA reauthorization than does HR 1261.
 
We know that the bill still faces conferencing, whereby provisions that are superior to the House version could be lost. We therefore request that Senator Bennett communicate with Senate conferees to . . .
 
* resist amendments to S 1627 that would result in block granting or otherwise consolidating funding for the WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Wagner Peyser funding streams;
* resist amendments that would eliminate language in S 1627 that makes helping people move to "self-sufficiency" a major focus of the law;
* resist actions that would further reduce funding for any of the separate programs in the Act;
* resist amendments that would force states and localities to place a higher priority on serving people who are unemployed, but actively seeking work, than on those who are low-income and have other employment barriers;
* resist amendments that would shift resources from existing programs in order to establish a program that would set one group of unemployed workers apart for either special attention or reduced services, as does a proposal by the Administration to establish a new program, Personal Reemployment Accounts (this provision was not ultimately included in HR 1261, but we understand that there is still pressure coming from the Administration for its establishment);
* resist amendments that would eliminate the option in S 1627 for local area partners to develop an alternative method to fund One-Stop infrastructure (this would leave only the "State Infrastructure Funding Mechanism" as the only option, as is done in HR 1261);
* resist amendments that would reduce the flexibility states have to devote up to 60 percent of funding for WIA Youth on in-school youth (such a change would cause us to lose a golden opportunity to prevent students from dropping out in the first place);
* resist amendments that would change the appointment process for the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) from current law. (Current law establishes the appointment as presidential, with the advise and consent of the Senate, a process that is favored by Utah organizations working with people with disabilities.)
 
We understand that Floor amendments are not expected, but in case that is not accurate, there are four changes to S 1627 we believe would make important improvements to the bill so that it better addresses realities that stand in the way of effective workforce development. We would appreciate it if you would discuss them with the Senator and convey our request that he support efforts to make any or all of the following changes, should amendments be offered:
 
* Amend Sec. 112 of S 1627 to maintain the mandatory seat for community-based organizations (CBOs) on State Workforce Investment Boards as in current law.
 
Rationale: Both HR 1261 and S 1627 eliminate this seat, and instead allow Governors to create additional seats at their discretion, one of which could go to a CBO. The CBO seat is retained on Local Workforce Investment Boards, but these only act in an advisory capacity to the State Board. We think it is a mistake for Congress to send the message that state level policies affecting the job-seeking population can be made without the perspective of SBOs. These organizations work with WIA state partners to help job seekers find and keep employment."
 
* Amend S 1627 to retain the current law's flexibility for states to choose either the Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) or the Federal Poverty Level to define "low-income individual."
 
Rationale: We think that there are short-comings in both of these measures--some would argue the greater flaws are in the Federal Poverty Level. Until a better approach can be adopted nationwide, we see no reason to change the appraoch in the current law.
 
* Amend S 1627 to cap One-Stop Infrastructure funding from Vocational Rehabilitation programs to .75 per year, rather than the year-by-year incremental increase currently in S 1627.
 
Rationale: This change would contribute to the administrative ease of implementing the provision and will eliminate the need to adjust state appropriations formulas each year.
 
* Amend S 1627 so that states have the flexibility to elect to apply to adult education and literacy programs either proficiency-based performance measures in the current law or employment-based measures described in S 1627 to be applied to employment programs.
 
Rationale: Employment-based performance measures may conflict with the mission and best practices of a state's adult education programs.
 
One important provision in both the Senate and House bills that corrects a serious barrier to effective workforce development in the current law is the elimination of "sequential eligibility" for intensive services and training. We trust that this provision will remain in any reauthorization legislation that passes.
 
Thank you for your consideration of this information and feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments.
 
Sincerely,
 
Shirley Weathers and Bill Walsh, UREAP staff
Walsh & Weathers Research and Policy Studies
P. O. Box 270090
Fruitland, UT 84027-0090
(435) 548-2630
FAX: (435) 548-2438
 
for the Utah Reauthorization Project (UREAP)
 
Active Re-Entry, Price, (Southeastern Utah)
Box Elder Family Support Center, Brigham City, (Box Elder County)
Bringing Hope to Single Moms, Logan, (Cache and Box Elder Counties)
Community Action Services, Provo, (Utah, Wasatch, and Summit Counties)
Disabled Rights Action Coalition (DRAC), Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake County)
Family Support & Children's Justice Center, Price, (Carbon County)
Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake City)
International Rescue Committee, Salt Lake City, (statewide) JEDI for Women, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
League of Women Voters of Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake County)
Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
Mental Health Association in Utah, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
Multiple Sclerosis Society, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
New Hope Refugee and Multicultural Center, Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake City)
Options for Independence, Logan, (Northern Utah)
Peace & Justice Commission, Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
People Helping People, Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake County)
Salt Lake Community Action Program (SLCAP), Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake and Tooele Counties)
Tri-County Independent Living Center, Ogden (Weber, Davis, and Morgan Counties)
United Way Executive Directors Association (UWEDA), SLC, (Salt Lake County)
Utah Children, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
Utah Community Action Program Association (UCAPA), (statewide)
Utah Issues, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
Utahns Against Hunger, Salt Lake City, (statewide)
Ute Tribe Social Services, Ft. Duchesne
Valley Mental Health, Salt Lake City, (Salt Lake and Tooele Counties)
Walsh & Weathers Research and Policy Studies, Fruitland
Your Community Connection, Ogden, (Weber County)