Political Quotes

“First, let me thank Chairman Scott for his leadership and for bringing this exceptional reauthorization to the floor today. Before I begin speaking about this amendment, I would like to acknowledge the important role that labor unions have played in building the national apprenticeship system. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the AFL-CIO in support of H.R. 8294. AFL-CIO, Washington, DC, November 19, 2020. Dear Representative: The AFL-CIO urges you to support the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 (H.R. 8294), scheduled for floor consideration later this week. R.R. 8294 recognizes that Registered Apprenticeship programs are the `gold standard' in our nation's workforce development system, and we welcome this effort to modernize a law that has not been meaningfully updated since it was enacted 83 years ago. Unions and our signatory employers have a long history of establishing joint labor-management partnerships to design and implement Registered Apprenticeship programs, so we have a deep interest in maintaining and strengthening our nation's Registered Apprenticeship system. These programs provide good jobs with good wages and benefits that increase as apprentices build their skills. They provide a valuable credential that can help secure future employment and advancement along a rewarding career path, and the opportunities they provide are particularly important for women, people of color and veterans. H.R.…”