I’m writing on behalf of the Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition to express our support for Congress’s efforts to advance reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). We’re encouraged to see the legislation come to the floor and find things to admire in both Democratic and Republican versions – the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022 (H.R. 7309) and the Republican substitute amendment. We hope that when a law is finally passed, it will be bipartisan and borrow from both proposals.

The Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity (PPWO or Partnership) and the 93 undersigned organizations urge the Department of Labor’s (DOL or Department) Wage and Hour Division to abandon or at least postpone issuance of its announced proposed rulemaking altering the overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Due to significant concerns with supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages, inflationary pressures, and the shifting dynamics of the American workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic, any rule change now would be ill-advised.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides you with a unique opportunity to directly confront the supply-chain challenges that are adversely impacting the U.S. economy and the daily lives of all Americans. We urge you to dedicate as much as allowable by law in discretionary grants for FY 2022 to support projects that will facilitate and ease the movement of goods. Over the past two years, the supply chain has endured extreme slowdowns due to pandemic-related pressures.

As Congress returns to session, we urge immediate consideration and passage of H.R. 4373, which would provide additional support for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. The legislation also includes S. 3011/H.R. 5735, a measure to provide greater flexibility to American Rescue Plan (ARP) state and local resources. The ARP law provided $350 billion in relief funds and $10 billion in capital improvement assistance, which was critical to state and local governments managing pandemic-induced budget shortfalls.

As Congress moves to consider H.R. 4373, which would provide additional support for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, we applaud the inclusion of S. 3011/H.R. 5735, a measure to provide greater flexibility to American Rescue Plan (ARP) state and local resources. The ARP law provided $350 billion in relief funds and $10 billion in capital improvement assistance, which was critical to state and local governments managing pandemic-induced budget shortfalls.

I’m writing on behalf of the Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition to express our support for the committee’s efforts to advance reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition is a Washington-based business group focused on job training and workforce development. Members include employers and employer associations from a broad range of industries experiencing skills mismatches and worker shortages – IT, manufacturing, construction, retail and hospitality, among others.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Asphalt paving and aggregates professionals filled in a sold-out Music City Center exhibition floor in Nashville as World of Asphalt’s 20th Anniversary and AGG1 brought the industry back together. Organizations from across the country, including Rogers Group, Inc. and Milestone Contractors sent representatives ranging from C-Suite executives to field operators, to view specialized exhibits and product unveilings, take in the latest education offerings, learn about the latest innovations in the asphalt and aggregates industries and make purchasing decisions.

We, the undersigned associations, represent both public and private sector organizations that produce and use the materials, products, and equipment necessary to build America’s infrastructure and employ millions of hard-working Americans in well-paying jobs.

On behalf of the 400 members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, I want to thank you for holding today’s hearing on “Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) by the U.S. Department of Transportation” with Secretary Buttigieg. I would like to take this opportunity to share the viewpoints of our members on several critical priorities, as Congress and the administration work to implement the historic IIJA. NSSGA represents aggregates producers and those who manufacture equipment and services that support the construction industry.

The diverse group of construction and business associations undersigned below writes in strong support of the Fair and Open Competition Act (S. 403/H.R. 1284), sponsored by Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind. and Rep. Ted Budd, R-N.C. The Fair and Open Competition Act would prevent federal agencies and recipients of federal assistance from requiring or encouraging contractors to sign a controversial project labor agreement as a condition of winning a federal or federally assisted, taxpayer-funded construction contract.