Ashford Cosponsors Job Training and Apprenticeship Bill

Statement

This week, Congressman Brad Ashford partnered with Congressmen David Scott (GA-13) and Kevin Cramer (ND-AL) to introduce bipartisan legislation helping young African American men learn new skills to rebuild the country's crumbling infrastructure.

The Jobs, On-the-Jobs "Earn While You Learn' Training, and Apprenticeships for African American Young Men Act would recruit, hire and train on-the-job African American males ages 18-39 through their existing jobs, apprenticeships, and "Earn As You Learn" programs.

"I believe that trade skills training and education is one of the best ways to get young people to work in high-wage, high demanding careers," said Congressman Brad Ashford. "By helping young men find work with businesses, general contractors and labor unions in apprentice roles and "Earn as You Learn" programs, we can rebuild our nation's crumbling infrastructure and help secure the future of a generation." Ashford said.

"I appreciate Brad Ashford's partnership on this bill as an original cosponsor," said Congressman David Scott (GA-13). "We are responding to a national crisis, a national tragedy, which is the soaring unemployment rate of young African American men ages 18-39. This group is the hardest hit with an unemployment rate of 41%, and in our inner cities over 50%. We appreciate the valuable role that my good friend Brad Ashford is playing in getting this needed bill passed."

Under the legislation, the Department of Labor to is instructed to assist trade businesses, contractors and union organizations to reach out to African American churches, fraternities, urban leagues, NAACP chapters, 100 black men of America and similar African American organizations in cities and communities across America.

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