[NCL_Update] WIA Reauthorization: Update and Next Steps

[Jon Randall]

National Coalition for Literacy Update
By Jon Randall for ProLiteracy Worldwide
And the NCL Public Policy Committee
April 11, 2003, Washington, DC

UPDATE
H.R. 1261 was reported out by the full Committee on
Education and the Workforce on March 27th. It still contains
a number of provisions vehemently opposed by the National
Coalition for Literacy. This bill will come to the House
floor after the Easter Recess, which tentatively begins
tomorrow.

In the Senate, staff of the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions (HELP) are discussing the matter, but
have not yet prepared a draft bill. The HELP Committee is
not expected to do so until early to mid-May.

The National Coalition for Literacy's (NCL) Public Policy
Committee has determined that further advocacy action by our
field on the deficiencies in H.R. 1261 would be
unproductive. A letter will be sent to the Committee
outlining these deficiencies. The letter will also indicate
that the NCL cannot support this bill. I will post the text
of this letter to this list once it has been approved by the
NCL's Board.

To our friends on Senate HELP Committee, the NCL will soon
send a set of very specific reauthorization recommendations
for Title II of WIA, the Workforce Investment Act. I will
post the text of these recommendations to this list as soon
as they go to the Committee.

NEXT STEPS
In its conference call last week, the NCL Public Policy
Committee agreed that grassroots advocacy efforts should be
directed to the Senate. An alert recommending specific
actions will be posted to this list shortly. This alert will
take into consideration advice from our friends in the
Senate based on their review of our recommendations.

Right now - while Senators and Congresspersons are home for
the two-week Easter recess -- grassroots advocates should
focus efforts on making the case for increased funding for
literacy programs. A separate alert is being posted on this
issue.

Have a great weekend!

Questions should be directed to Jon Randall at
ncl at fedstrategics.com.

Jon Randall
Consultant, Government Relations
ProLiteracy Worldwide
and Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

ProLiteracy Worldwide continues to underwrite
the coordination of NCL policy efforts
www.proliteracy.org

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