Space Introduces Legislation To Create Jobs, Train Much-Needed Health Care Workers

Press Release

Continuing the work currently underway on his FIGHTING TO RENEW OHIO tour, U.S. Rep. Zack Space (OH-18) today announced that he will introduce legislation to create jobs and help retrain out-of-work Ohioans to fill a growing need for skilled health care workers.

The action comes on the heels of Space's recent visit to Adena's PACCAR medical education facility in Chillicothe, which is currently accomplishing that goal.

"This is a great opportunity to create jobs and train health care workers," said Rep. Space. "We must address the needs of our aging population, or we will have a very serious crisis on our hands. If we do not ensure that effective programs are in place to train those workers here in Ohio, it will be done elsewhere."

"At the PACCAR facility last month, hospital administrators and others fought through the snow to share with me their input on how to address this crisis and train those workers," Space continued. "What I heard was that there is a need for these workers here in Ohio, and there's a need for the resources to train them. The bill I introduced today will be a leap forward toward ensuring that these jobs come to Ohio and stay in Ohio. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this much-needed legislation."

The Retraining a New Health Care Workforce Act of 2010, introduced by Congressman Space, would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to draft a strategic plan that retrains existing displaced workers to fill the growing demand for skilled health care professionals. The report would include an assessment of existing programs and would be required within nine months of the bill's passage. Following this strategic report, the legislation would authorize grant funding to states to implement the provisions and recommendations included in the report.

Congressman Space's legislation comes following his visit to Adena's PACCAR medical education facility in Chillicothe, which is currently retraining displaced workers to address the increasing needs of an aging population. The legislation Space introduced today would allow facilities like the PACCAR facility to continue their work to in retraining out-of-work Ohioans to fill jobs in the health care sector.

Congressman Space has represented Ohio's 18th Congressional District since 2007. He has been working to restore integrity to the office, and to create the conditions to bring new industry and jobs to Ohio. Recently, Congressman Space launched FIGHTING TO RENEW OHIO, the second phase of his plan to provide long-term economic growth in Ohio's 18th Congressional District. More information on FIGHTING TO RENEW OHIO is available at http://space.house.gov/RENEW.

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