BANGOR, ME  – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) introduced the Invest in America Act, legislation that will create competitive grant programs to expand the workforce, modernize training tools, and promote job creation. Organizations that wish to apply for these grants would first apply for a planning grant to help prepare an Invest in America plan that identifies industries and occupations to be targeted as part of the implementation phase of a project. Planning grant recipients would then apply for an implementation grant to put their Invest in America plan into action to support targeted economic expansion and resilience, job creation, and associated workforce development and re-employment opportunities. The bill is also supported by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

“Everywhere I go in Maine, businesses large and small tell me the same thing – they need more qualified workers,” said Senator King. “As our state’s population ages, it becomes more important that we look for creative approaches to bolster our workforce, train our young people, and keep current workers’ skills on the cutting edge – especially for the forest economy that drives so many of our rural communities. By investing in our workforce and our economic development infrastructure, our state will be able to reap the benefits for generations to come.”

“The Maine forest economy is in the midst of a strong recovery from unprecedented challenges in recent years,” said Dana Doran, Executive Director, Professional Logging Contractors of Maine. “Our remaining mills are making strong investments for the future and we are poised for future growth.  However, before we can take advantage of our tremendous forest resource and realize our potential, we must tackle a workforce shortage in logging and trucking that could limit our opportunities.  The strategy to do this includes worker recruitment and a comprehensive approach to workforce development that encourages our youth to see logging and trucking as a viable and worthwhile career choice.  This Act represents an important piece of those efforts and Senator King should be applauded for his efforts to tackle this issue as soon as possible.”

Specifically, the Invest in America Act will:

• Target assistance to rural high-need communities. Grant amounts will be determined according to factors including long-term economic growth rates, prevalence of skill mismatches between employers and potential employees, long-term unemployment and underemployment, poverty and persistent poverty rates, and the number and percent of workers and employers impacted by economic shifts related to trade, regulation, or technological change.
• Award grants to local or regional economic development agencies, local workforce development boards, Native American tribes, career and technical education centers, and postsecondary educational institutions. These grants will support economic and workforce development initiatives such as: career and technical education, broadband access, support systems (e.g., drug treatment, child care) for members of low-income families seeking employment, business incubators, transitional jobs for low-income workers, and adult education with occupational training.
• Monitor results of the grants to maximize benefits.

Senator King has made workforce development one of his top priorities. Last month, Senator King joined with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) applauded the 2018 FOR/Maine Initiative, to grow Maine’s forest economy and increase workforce prosperity in rural communities. In 2016, Senators King and Collins called on the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT), that would work across agencies and sectors to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine’s rural communities, the creation of the EDAT and its subsequent research led to the EDA and the U.S. Forest Service providing funding for the initiative. This April, Senator King highlighted the importance of developing Maine’s workforce in his monthly podcast. Senator King supported the March omnibus funding bill because of important benefits for economic growth, including a $75 million increase for the Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) state grant and a $15 million increase in funding for Jobs Corps. He also voted last month for a funding bill for fiscal year 2019 that maintained support for Job Corps and increased funding by $70 million for CTE and by $15 million for apprenticeships. In April 2017, Senator King outlined strategies to modernize and expand Maine’s workforce in the economic agenda he introduced in April 2017. The January 2017 assessment from the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT), originally requested by Senators Collins and King in March 2016, also outlined strategies to grow Maine’s economy and bolster the workforce in rural parts of the state.

A wide range of forest industry, education, and workforce stakeholders have endorsed Senator King’s Invest in America Act, including: the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, the Forestry and Wood Harvesting Program at Oxford Hills Technical School, Irving Woodlands LLC, the Maine Forest Products Council, Maine Woodland Owners, Milton Cat, Sappi, and the National Skills Coalition.