Retailers Support Workforce Development Legislation

By [ Evan Armstrong ]
Washington, DC
04/10/2024

Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, legislation which modernizes the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to expand skills development and put more Americans on the pathway to successful careers. The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Vice President of Workforce Policy Evan Armstrong issued the following statement in response.

“We’re pleased to see this critical legislation pass the House today in bipartisan fashion. Dynamic career pathways and upward mobility are a hallmark of the retail industry, and access to employer-led training programs and upskilling opportunities is crucial to supporting those ideals. The A Stronger Workforce for America Act ensures that retailers are incentivized and enabled to continue investing in their workforce, and that retail workers continue to have access to training and career advancement opportunities.”

“We encourage the Senate to consider this important bipartisan legislation to preserve pathways to success for today’s workforce.”

The Skills First Coalition, of which RILA is a member, sent a letter of support for this legislation earlier this week.

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RILA is a trade association of the world’s largest, most innovative, and recognizable retail companies and brands. RILA members include more than two hundred retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, who together employ over 42 million Americans and account for $2.7 trillion in annual sales and hundreds of thousands of stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.