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This week, the Department of Labor released finalized program year (PY) 2014 allotments for WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth programs, the Wagner-Peyser Employment Services, and Workforce Information Grants to States.
Overall, WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth programs will be funded at 4.85 percent, 3.63 percent and 5 percent above FY 2013 post-sequester levels, respectively. Funding for Wagner/Peyser and the Workforce Information Grants is relatively unchanged from FY 2013.
These final allocations reflect the funding levels set by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (H.R. 3547) which became law in January and funds the government through the remainder of the fiscal year. Within H.R. 3547, funding for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) was set at $156.8 billion; $2 million above FY 2013 enacted (pre-sequester) levels.
While the law increased funding for several workforce programs above FY 2013 post-sequestration levels, but did not fully restore the cuts made by sequestration. In some cases, education and training programs were funded at or below-post sequestration levels. For instance, WIA formula programs were funded $35 million above post-sequestration levels but $10 million below FY 2013 enacted levels, and the Wagner/Peyser state grants were funded slightly below post-sequestration levels. NSC has prepared a chart detailing funding for key education and training programs under H.R. 3547.
Congress has already begun work on appropriations for FY 2015. The Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2013, which set topline spending levels for FY 2014 and 2015 provides just $18 billion in sequester relief in 2015, compared to $45 billion in 2014. Over the next several months, the appropriators will move to set specific spending levels for programs within the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. In March, NSC, along with more than 1,000 local, regional, state and national organizations wrote to the Labor-HHS appropriators urging them to restore funding for programs under their jurisdiction to the FY 2010 level of $163.3 billion.
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