WIA Fact of the Day, Employment & Training Administration (ETA)

February 9, 2005

Question:

What is the connection between the President's Job Training Reform proposal and the Fiscal Year 2006 Budget request for the Employment and Training Administration?

Answer:

It is important to note that these are two separate Congressional actions which are not on the same track.

On February 7th, 2005, the President presented his Budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006. The President's Budget includes a request of $10.6 billion for the employment, training, and related programs administered by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

ETA used the FY 2006 Budget announcement as an opportunity to highlight the President's Job Training Reform proposal, which would consolidate the WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth funding streams and the Employment Service into a single grant to states. In addition, Governors will have the option - called "WIA Plus" - of consolidating their share of resources from other Federal job training and employment programs into the state's core consolidated grant program. We believe these reforms will provide Governors, as well as local officials, with more flexibility to design workforce investment systems that respond to the unique needs of their states.

Although announced on the same day, the President's Job Training Reform proposal is a separate and distinct effort from the FY 2006 Budget request. The Administration will seek Congressional action on the reform proposal as part of its consideration of Workforce Investment Act reauthorization in 2005. Congress will therefore be making decisions separately on FY 2006 funding levels for ETA (through the appropriations process) and the President's Job Training Reform proposal (through authorizing legislation).