Frederica Wilson

I am concerned about the raging, raging of mental health issues in our school districts and in our colleges and universities.

We can help break this cycle of incarceration by including reentry programs.

Empowering justice-involved individuals to find high-quality careers should be a bipartisan issue. It's not only the right thing to do, its' also a smart thing to do.

We spend so much money on incarcerating hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. It's time that we invest in the training and support services to help individuals find sustainable high-quality careers that will reduce recidivism and…

If we really want to break the cycle of costly incarceration, we need to reject dehumanizing policies in favor of investing in opportunities for these individuals to succeed.

If we want, if we really, really want to break the cycle of costly incarceration we need to reject dehumanizing policies in favor of investing in opportunities for these individuals to succeed.

Today's hearing shed a helpful light on the challenges that justice-involved individuals face to find employment.

I applaud you and President Biden for fighting to build back our economy and we all share the commitment to ensuring that all workers are allowed to organize and collectively bargain.

If our workforce system focuses on today's jobs only, then we won't be equipped for the economy of the future.

we need to raise the minimum wage, and why this Committee right here that you're sitting on has led the charge of increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour.

As my colleague from Washington Ms. Jayapal pointed out, reports show that women of color have been disproportionately affected.

Our primary goal and focus should be creating additional pathways for workers to reskill and upskill.

This bipartisan reauthorization is an opportunity for Congress to realize the full potential of WIOA's program for both workers and employers.

Today, we meet for our second bipartisan hearing on reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA.

Congress creates pathways when we remove unnecessary barriers and offer services that help workers build skills.

70 percent is not a passing grade, and we can do better.

the wages and the benefits employers are offering are too, too low they don't even make the positions attractive to potential candidates.

And I appreciate your comments.

I look forward to continuing today's discussion with all of my colleagues as we work toward providing all young people with the support, they need to lead fulfilling lives and strengthen our communities.

I will point to one example of my former boss, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who has the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project.

We get what we pay for. No program can be expected to meet the needs of our communities while we consistently underfund it every year.

We have to fund it. We have to make it programming, and someone has to be in charge of and accountable for this work.

Now is the time for us to build on the broad support of the WIOA and strengthen these critical services for the millions of young people who urgently need them, particularly now during this pandemic.

Today, we meet for the first of three bipartisan hearings focusing on reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

My mantra in Congress has always been jobs, jobs, jobs.