Retailers Urge Congress to Pass Workforce Training Bill

By [ Evan Armstrong ]
Washington, DC
12/06/2024

The Retail Industry Leaders Association, RILA, has joined fellow members of the Skills First Coalition in signing a letter sent to leadership in both chambers of Congress commending the bipartisan, bicameral, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, and urging its swift passage.

The Coalition, a consortium of employers and education providers advocating to advance policies that invest in and strengthen reskilling and upskilling of America’s workforce, has consistently encouraged the modernization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

“The enactment of this legislation would integrate more pathways to learning, including on-the-job training and other employer-led and industry relevant initiatives, and raise the state spending cap on incumbent worker training,” said Evan Armstrong, RILA vice president, workforce. “Ultimately, this bill would better equip retailers to offer opportunities to their current and future employees and more effectively support those employers who have already shown an effort to help workers reach their potential through training.”

RILA urges final passage of the Stronger Workforce for America Act before this session of Congress ends.

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RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.

RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $2.7 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and hundreds of thousands of stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.