Helping more Americans succeed

Since coming to Washington, I have worked to advance solutions that will revive faith in the American Dream. As the first member of my family to graduate from college, I have experienced the American Dream firsthand, and I firmly believe we must work together to make it easier for Ohioans – and Americans everywhere – to succeed.

To further that end, I recently introduced the Flexibility to Promote Reemployment Act, a bipartisan bill that encourages job creation by providing states with more flexibility to help unemployed individuals collect paychecks instead of benefit checks.

Why is this bill needed? Under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, the Department of Labor was granted waiver authority within the federal government’s unemployment insurance (UI) program. These waivers gave states latitude in using UI funds to help unemployed workers re-enter the workforce. However, the Department of Labor made it very difficult for states to apply; indeed, only one did and that application was quickly denied.

My bill would force the Department of Labor to go back to the drawing board. Specifically, it would implement a series of reforms to the current waiver program to make it more appealing to states and provide them with more flexibility to help unemployed individuals collect paychecks instead of benefits checks. At a time when many people in Ohio and around the country are still looking for work, we should be doing everything we can to make it easier, not harder, to re-enter the workforce. We need to reduce the unnecessary Washington red tape that stands in the way of job growth and states’ ability to make unemployment programs more effective.

In the coming weeks, I will also be introducing another bill, the Preparing More Welfare Recipients for Work Act. This legislation would allow states to engage more welfare recipients in activities that lead to self-reliance and better employment opportunities, putting more Americans on a path to escape poverty and find a good-paying job.

This bill would simplify current work participation requirements each state must meet. Current work requirements are set out in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, a federal assistance program established to provide aid to needy families while also preparing individuals to be self-sufficient by promoting job preparation and employment. However, those TANF work requirements can discourage states from working with individuals who have little education or job experience. In today’s ever changing economy, employers are increasingly looking for individuals with advanced skill sets and who possess more than a high school diploma. Individuals who lack the proper training and education are often left behind.

My bill would allow an individual up to the age of 26 to have their hours spent completing their GED count towards their work requirement — raised from the current age of 20. Additionally, it would allow an individual to count participation in vocational education for up to 24 months instead of the current 12 months. Many in-demand fields require more than two semesters of training, and expanding this timeframe will allow more individuals to pursue the rewarding careers a vocational education offers.

The 21st century economy requires individuals to be equipped with the necessary training and skills in order to find a good paying job. Congress has taken important steps in recent years to streamline education and job training back to the states. These two bills build upon this success and will provide states further flexibility to work with Americans in order to promote the skills needed to obtain a good paying job. Additionally, I look forward to working with the President and members of Congress from both parties to implement policies that will help grow the economy and provide more opportunities for every day Americans.

CREDIT: US REP JIM RENACCI 16TH DISTRICT