A Stronger Workforce for America Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Scott for his unyielding and inspired leadership on this critical jobs training bill and for yielding me time. What America makes and grows, makes and grows America.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan reauthorization. The A Stronger Workforce for America Act legislation is a pivotal measure for workers across America. Particularly in regions like mine, the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs has left profound scars, especially the loss of real American wealth within our borders. That is the ability to feed, clothe, educate, transport, heal, and supply our people inside our borders and not become dependent on any outside force for the energy that fuels us or the clothing we wear.

This reauthorization makes critical investments in skilled training opportunities, and it bolsters vital apprenticeship funding. It paves the way for individuals to gain the necessary skills to thrive in today's rapidly evolving job market.

I am heartened by the enthusiasm that I witness in the aspiring generation to build forward skills inside America's borders that sustain the Nation itself.

Apprenticeship opportunities play a crucial role in restoring American job training capacity through focused hands-on experience, mentorship, and specialized skills development. Imagine our Nation unleashing the potential power of America's full capacity here at home.

In the heartland region, where NAFTA dealt a body blow to manufacturing jobs, I have committed a great deal of my service to help create new jobs for northwest and northern Ohio in steel, automotive, agriculture, food processing, technology, and so much more.

Apprenticeship programs offer a pathway to revitalizing our workforce and rebuilding our communities. With the historic job boom of over 15 million jobs created under the Biden administration, compared to the loss of nearly 3 million jobs under the prior administration, the importance of job training initiatives cannot be overstated.

By investing in our Nation's future workers and retraining the current workforce, we not only empower individuals to succeed, but we also lay a stronger foundation for our Nation's economy here at home, real wealth--not virtual wealth, real wealth.

Prioritizing workforce development means good-paying jobs for steelworkers, railroad workers, autoworkers, skilled mechanics, leather workers, carpenters, plumbers, joiners, and fitters, and members of our building trades. Let's lift up the talents of our people and teach these precious skills.

We will ensure that every American has the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the prosperity of our Nation. Let's build more houses. Let's build more American cars. Let's make more American products. Let's tap into the vital creativity that is the heart of innovation and growth in this economy.

Let's educate. Let's reeducate. Let's train.

Mr. Speaker, what America makes and grows, makes and grows America.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source