The future of workforce funding hinges on congressional actions in the next few months. With a new administration in office, there is always a transition period, often marked by a whirlwind of executive actions and policy shifts. The early days of the new Trump administration have been no exception. The president has signed nearly 50 Executive Orders that make significant changes to the country’s education, workforce, and immigration systems. For those working in skills and workforce advocacy, it can be difficult to know where to focus attention amidst the rapid changes.
At National Skills Coalition, our federal advocacy priorities remain clear: sustained, bold advocacy in the reconciliation and appropriation processes. With tumultuous and changing activity in DC, these two funding mechanisms offer a set of predictable opportunities for skills advocates to influence workforce investments.
Why Advocacy Matters Now
In today’s highly partisan environment, workforce and skills offer a way to bridge these divides. The American public is also aligned with our priorities:
- 82% of voters support increasing government funding for skills training.
- Nearly 70% of voters view limited access to skills training as a significant challenge facing workers.
The advocacy we undertake now will remain relevant throughout 2025. By staying focused and united, we can ensure Congress prioritizes the workforce needs of workers in America: effective and efficient investment and good policies to prepare more workers for jobs that businesses are hiring today.
Understanding Reconciliation
- What is it? Reconciliation is a legislative process that allows Congress to pass budget-related bills with a simple majority, bypassing the usual 60-vote threshold in the Senate. However, the process comes with trade-offs: The Byrd Rule prevents Congress from adding policies that don’t have a direct budgetary impact. If Republicans stay unified, they could pass two reconciliation bills – one tied to the 2025 Budget Resolution and another for 2026.
- Key Date to Watch: Spring-Summer. Republicans have indicated they want to pass their reconciliation package by early spring, but the timeline remains uncertain. The next few months will be critical in determining whether they meet their goal.
- Key Priorities: A list of programs most at risk of cuts leaked earlier this year and signaled an intent to make significant cuts to federal programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid—programs that impact workers’ and students’ ability to advance skills. While we must work to defend those programs, expanding Pell Grants to high-quality short-term programs—an issue National Skills Coalition and our network have championed for over a decade—are being discussed as a priority by Republicans in both chambers, barring Byrd Rule challenges.
- Potential Cuts: Federal education and safety net programs are at risk for dramatic reductions. These cuts could severely impact students and workers across the country. These cuts would also undermine strong workforce programs, including any expansion of Pell Grants. Students and workers could lose access to essential supports like child care and transportation, making it harder to benefit from workforce training. Last year, we shared real-life testimonies and policy recommendations on what students in these programs want. As one student put it:
“Simply put, people cannot worry about getting their higher education if their basic needs are not met. They’re worrying about putting food on their table, and how they’re going to pay rent, and how they’re going to pay for child care and things of that nature. So, if there are resources that will consistently help them meet their needs during their time at the college, whatever time it takes for them to get their degree or certification, that would definitely help.”
Congressional Republicans are also considering rolling back key provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, threatening critical investments in clean energy and infrastructure. These cuts could stall projects that are already underway, reduce the number of jobs created, and undermine workforce training programs that help workers access infrastructure and energy careers. Research commissioned by NSC indicated that infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing investments enacted during the last administration could create nearly 3 million jobs annually. Rescinding funds and tax incentives would put job growth at risk and limit opportunities for workers.
Understanding Appropriations
Key Dates to Watch:
- 2025 spending – Spring: On March 14, the current federal funding bill expires. Congress could pass either a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) or extend funding through the end of the fiscal year (September 30, 2025) at that point – meaning current cuts to SNAP benefits and other programs would be ongoing. President Trump has also tasked Republicans with extending or eliminating the Debt Limit as part of appropriations. Congress would need to pass something before early Summer. The timeline is a bit malleable based on how successful the administration is at implementing “extraordinary measures” that help elongate the applicability of the current limits.
- 2026 spending – Fall: Once Congress advances work on 2025, it will turn to 2026 funding. Congress must act by the September 30th deadline, either through negotiated bills or in the form of another continuing resolution (CR). With ongoing and overlapping timelines on reconciliation, both sides of the aisle will leverage the funding conversations to offset losses in reconciliation.
- Opportunity for Bipartisan Solutions: Given margins in both chambers, both Republican and Democrat support will be necessary to pass these two appropriations packages. This means that in addition to working with Republican champions, we will have the opportunity to equip Democrat skills champions with what they need to elevate the needs of our workforce as a bipartisan issue. This effort can elevate skills as having support across Congress and, therefore, make it easier to protect and highlight.
- Workforce Funding at Risk: For the past two decades, Congress has consistently cut workforce appropriations. Our advocacy will focus on protecting existing workforce funding, defending programs like Youth WIOA funds which have faced elimination threats in recent years, and raising the profile of skills training among negotiators on both sides.
- Unified and Ongoing Advocacy is Key: We must stand firm in defending funding for skills programs and initiatives and highlight the real-life impacts of funding cuts on workers and businesses. Members of our Business Leaders United network have consistently defended funding for skills training over the years, sharing how critical workforce investments are for the growth of our workforce. As one worker shared during one of our recent listening sessions with more than a dozen workers and students from six states, to ensure they can inform NSC’s policy recommendations, these programs can be life-changing:
“[Participating in a job training program] is the most rewarding thing I’ve done for myself,” said Oklahoma City-born Denise, a worker who participated in a payroll training program nearly a decade ago. “I wake up in awe because it has changed my life so much.”
Additional Legislative Developments
- Expanding Pell Grants to high-quality programs is moving forward: On Feb. 4, 2025, the bipartisan JOBS Act—a bipartisan bill that would expand Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term education and training programs at community and technical colleges—was introduced in the Senate.
- WIOA reauthorization efforts continue: With a focus on serving businesses and workers, the anticipated reintroduction of last year’s bipartisan, bicameral A Stronger Workforce Act is advancing. Both Chair Walberg (R-MI) and Ranking Member Scott (D-VA) are publicly championing the reintroduction of the bipartisan WIOA reauthorization from last year.
How to Take Action
- Contact Your Members of Congress: Contact your members of Congress to advocate for key workforce priorities and ensure they understand the real impact of these policies. Contact them here.
- Attend the Skills Summit: Register today to join the conversation and advocate for workforce funding in May. Register here.
- Share Your Story: If your organization or community you represent is affected by existing or potential cuts, we encourage you to share your story with others. Submit your story here.
We can help shape federal policies that support America’s workers and businesses by staying focused and engaged. Over the next few months, National Skills Coalition will continue to lead in skills and workforce advocacy and share actions you can take to join our efforts.
