H.R. 9607: Less Bureaucracy, Better Workforce Development Act

This bill would move a set of education and workforce-development functions out of the U.S. Department of Education and into the U.S. Department of Labor.

What would be transferred

The bill would transfer responsibility for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education-related functions to the Secretary of Labor, acting through the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. That includes:

• Administration of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, except for sections 116 and 117.
• Administration of Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
• Programs and initiatives aimed at helping adults become literate, gain job skills, earn high school diplomas, and move into postsecondary education and training.
• Work that supports coordination among states, school districts, community colleges, and organizations to prepare people for education and for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand jobs.
• Efforts to improve career and technical education and adult education through data, accountability, and quality-assurance systems.
• Any other related functions now carried out by the Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.

How the transfer would work

The bill would give the Department of Labor the same legal authorities the Department of Education currently has for these programs. It would also transfer the related staff, assets, liabilities, contracts, records, and unspent funds connected to these functions, while requiring that transferred funds still be used for their original purposes.

Implementation and transition

The Office of Management and Budget would be responsible for making needed determinations during the transition, including making sure the change does not increase the total number of federal full-time equivalent employees at the affected agencies. The bill also allows the Secretary of Labor to temporarily use Education Department staff, assets, and funds to help carry out the transfer during the transition period.

What happens to existing rules and cases

The bill says existing orders, rules, grants, contracts, licenses, and similar arrangements tied to the transferred functions would generally stay in effect until changed under law. Pending applications, proceedings, and lawsuits would continue, but the Department of Labor would replace the Department of Education as the responsible agency for the transferred functions.

Timing

The bill would generally take effect 6 months after enactment, though some transfer activities could begin earlier, starting on the date of enactment.

Relevant Companies

None found