New legislation to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) has been approved by the Education and the Workforce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is scheduled for a vote on the House floor by 15 March. The bill, the
Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (“SKILLS”) Act (H.R. 803), resembles a similar bill proposed last year. It would allow adult education funding to be consolidated among other federal funding mechanisms. Because of this provision, and because the bill fails to make other needed improvements to WIA, TESOL International Association has sent a
letter to Congressional leaders detailing its concerns.
Another bill to reauthorize WIA, the
Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (H.R. 798), has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Because this bill contains many provisions and improvements to WIA advocated by TESOL International Association and the adult education community, the association has sent a
letter of support to Congressional leaders.