On March 28, the House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing titled, “Unleashing America’s Opportunities for Hiring and Employment.” The Committee’s Chairwoman, Virginia Foxx (R-VA), issued a press release stating the committee would examine how the current economic conditions and the Biden Administration are impacting employment for workers and job creators.

Chairwoman Foxx said in her opening statement, “The economy has not recovered, and workforce participation still lags behind pre-pandemic rates.”

Republican members used the hearing as an opportunity to address the burdens of the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2023 (H.R. 20). The House bill was introduced by the Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). Rep. Scott’s Fact Sheet states the PRO Act “strengthens the federal law that protects workers’ right to join a union and bargain for higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces.” 

Additionally, Chairwoman Foxx highlights “skills-based education is one pathway to prepare students for the job market, and by increasing work-based learning opportunities and extending the Pell Grant to short-term, high-quality programs, we can help workers get the skills they need for lifelong success.”

The Committee’s Hearing Recap provides additional highlights, and the hearing can be viewed on the Committee’s YouTube page.