Despite the objections of many House Democrats, Republicans passed a bill today that aims to make it much easier for prospective employees to complete job training programs.
Specifically, the bill aims to either merge or do away with training programs that are deemed to be either redundant or ineffective. Many federal job training programs have come under scrutiny of late, and there has been a widespread demand for reform on the issue. The vote on the bill passed 215-203.
President Obama has stated that he agrees with the need for reform, but does not believe the Republicans are going about it in the correct way. So far, Democrats have voiced concerns that the proposed bill would eliminate programs that currently help the underserved populations such as veterans, ex-cons, and the disabled.
The bill will now go to Congress, where it is expected not to pass in its current form due to the democratic majority in control there.
What is most at issue here is the need for expediency vs. the need to serve as many people as possible. Republicans are offering a solution that will immediately give relief to a program that has been widely maligned by many for its bureaucratic inefficiency. While Democrats are understandably worried that certain subsections of people will fall through the cracks, are those worries justified?
In trying to be expedient and reform, the Republicans are putting more power in the hands of employers by increasing their influence on the system. The bill proposes that the number of companies on the investment boards under the current law must be increased from 51% to two-thirds.
"[The bill] helps ensure that the training you receive is related to the jobs actually available in your area," claims Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.
Democrats, however, believe that this has little to do with expediency, and much more to do with the Republican desire to limit the power of unions and the working class in favor of big business.
Democratic Rep. George Miller of California believes that the bill will "lock out key stakeholders, including labor, community-based organizations, community colleges, or people who work with youth or workers with disabilities."
The bill is tentatively known as the SKILLS act, and much of the derision being drawn around it comes from the basic ideological differences between Democrats and Republicans. The Republicans are trying to limit federal government intervention by letting governors decide which training programs are relevant for the state and also capping the amount of money spent on the programs at $6 billion a year. Democrats, with their eye always towards social equality, are worried that federal intervention is necessary to ensure that all get served fairly.
