Wagner-Peyser job training program moving toward including Am. Samoa and CNMI

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Congress is taking a step that, upon final passage, would finally include American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands in the Wagner-Peyser job training program, a priority that Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata has worked for alongside Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan of CNMI.

“Currently, our two territories are the only jurisdictions not included in this helpful job training program, and fundamental fairness and equity dictated that we be brought into this program consistent with all the other territories,” Congresswoman Amata said.

“I want to especially thank my friend Congressman Sablan, a senior member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, and Ranking Member Bobby Scott, for their hard work to help American Samoa and CNMI students and workers who will benefit from these new additional workforce development funds. I look forward to full House consideration and support of our provision early next year, and I appreciate the Committee’s work in passing this positive change that rightfully includes our people for equal treatment in this program.”

Congressman Sablan said, “First, I want to thank Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking Member Scott for including my bill, the Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act, in H.R. 6655. It has been a longstanding priority of mine, along with Congresswoman Radewagen, to include the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa under the Wagner-Peyser Act. We are the only two remaining U.S. jurisdictions ineligible to participate in the critical programs under Wagner-Peyser.”

As part of A Stronger Workforce for America Act, H.R. 6655, sponsored by Chairwoman Foxx, which was passed by the Committee with a bipartisan vote of 44-1, the Marianas and American Samoa would be added to the definition of “state” in this act and begin receiving the grant as the overall funding for the program increases above the Fiscal Year 24 level. This agreement protects existing grantees from losing funding as a result of the inclusion of the Marianas and American Samoa. Once the change is made, the Marianas and American Samoa would continue to receive the grant no matter whether overall funding for the program goes up or down. Funding has been increasing since 2017.

That broader bill now includes the content of the Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act, H.R. 3193, led by Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan of CNMI with original cosponsor Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen of American Samoa. Wagner-Peyser grant funds help match job seekers to training, and match employers to employees who have the training, experience and skills they need.

The grant amount takes into account population differences with Guam, which already received this grant, and at current funding levels the grant would be about $150,000 annually each for the Marianas and American Samoa.

OTHER U.S. HOUSE ACTION

A Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata sponsord bill — H.R. 6606 has been passed in the House Foreign Affairs Committee and is now ready for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

H.R. 6606 amends the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 statement of policy to better protect the trade secrets of the United States and the administration’s ability to respond. It was passed in a full Committee markup, along with other bills.

 “The United States faces unprecedented espionage by unfriendly states, and we have seen time and time again that these actors will steal everything they can from the American people,” said Congresswoman Amata. “My bill further clarifies U.S. policy for export controls to act against those that steal American trade and industrial secrets, and I want to especially thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Meeks for their support on this important issue and legislation.”

Chairman Mike McCaul said, “The CCP poses a direct threat to our national security. Each year, China steals upwards of 600 billion dollars’ worth of American technology and the [Federal Bureau of Investigation] opens a new case on CCP economic espionage every 12 hours. … It is well past time that we modernize the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to stay ahead of our adversaries.”

In other congressional activity last week, the House passed a bipartisan health care bill, H.R.2365, Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act. This act directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out a project to prevent and cure Parkinson's disease, improve treatment and diagnosis, and establish a council to advise HHS.

In the Veterans Affairs’ Committee, Amata took part in an oversight hearing of Subcommittee on Health examined the success of a program working to eliminate veteran suicide. The hearing was titled, SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Grants: Saving Veterans’ Lives Through Community Connection. The grants provide veteran-based outreach, veteran suicide prevention services, connections to VA, and community resources.