Continuing an exciting week focused on job creation, at my request, Chairman Bennie Thompson (MS-2) and the Homeland Security Committee staff were at Penn Valley Community College today. The capacity event focused on helping small and minority-owned businesses learn how to do business with the Department of Homeland Security.
The Chairman and I, along with 150 business owners, spent the day with one focus: connecting federal prime contractors looking for sub-contractors with local businesses looking for work.
One of the best moves I made after my election to Congress was to speak with the Speaker of the House about an appointment to the House Homeland Security Committee. I wanted an opportunity to work with this panel, and devote my time to the incredibly important agenda set forth by this Committee. In 2005, the Homeland Security Committee was made a permanent committee, and was given jurisdiction of Congressional oversight for the Department of Homeland Security. In his role as Chair, Bennie Thompson has unapologetically and repeatedly demanded that the major contractors of that huge Department, which spend billions of dollars annually with vendors, spread the dollars among small and minority businesses. This is about connecting federal dollars to local jobs and I was proud to host the Chairman.
This was truly a unique experience. We had 15 federal department procurement chiefs in one place talking to small businesses from our community. This never happens outside of Washington, D.C. and I am happy to say, because of today’s success there will be many more sessions like this.
Before today, exactly zero businesses in the Fifth District had contracts to do work for the Department of Homeland Security. As I told the crowd and the federal officials assembled, if the conversations and instruction that happened today do not lead to money contracts for Fifth District businesses, I am going to be one unhappy committee Member. We can do the work required and I hope now our businesses are first in line.
Showing posts with label American Recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Recovery. Show all posts
Friday, February 19, 2010
FEC Receives $5 Million Grant for Health Care Jobs
U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (left), and FEC President and CEO Clyde McQueen (right) held a news conference last Friday announcing a major grant of nearly 5 million dollars coming to the metro. The two shook hands after announcing this will add more jobs and training in the healthcare field for the metro. (Picture from KC Hispanic News)
Reprinted from KC Hispanic News
By Joe Arce and Debra DeCoster
HISPANIC NEWS
FEBRUARY 18, 2010
Health care is a profession that is growing. As the population ages, predictions are that our society will need a large staff of health care workers to assist people who are living in managed care facilities, nursing homes, or who are in hospital. As the senior population grows, our society will have to have a growing workforce to care for their needs.
Last week, the federal government awarded a grant to the Kansas City Full Employment Council (FEC) to train the unemployed and under-employed for jobs in the health care field. “I was on the phone with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and she was very excited about making the announcement that a significant grant was coming to Kansas City,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.
The FEC was awarded $5 million in stimulus money for a new program to train individuals in the health care industry. The FEC received one of 55 awards that were given nationally. “It was awarded competitively which means that the proposal developed by Clyde McQueen and his staff was superior to just about every other proposal in the country, and when you look at the proposal that was developed and the inclusiveness you can understand why it caught the attention of the federal government,” said Cleaver.
The grant is part of the Recovery Act Initiative to fund workplace development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers.
Although the FEC received the grant it is a bi-state program that will be available to those in Missouri and Kansas. The Labor Department awarded $200 million in health care and high growth stimulus grants last week.
The stimulus money is good news to citizens in Missouri as the FEC is beginning to take names of people who are interested in enrolling in the training program for future health care professionals.
“We have a lot of people who are aging and going into managed care facilities and we are trying to address that. We have the Kansas City region, it is known primarily as a major health care hub and we want to meet those needs, and most important, it is going to be a focus for all the unemployed in our region and this is a way for us to train them for the long term,” said Clyde McQueen, FEC CEO.
The training courses for health care jobs will be on demand courses. Individuals wishing to take the course will not have to wait for a semester to begin.
The time line for the courses will depend on the health care field the individual would like to enter. As a phlebotomist or a medical technician it could take six to twelve weeks for training. A person who is currently an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and would like to become an RN (Registered Nurse) training could take two years.
The stimulus money will also help individuals that want a health care career with tuition. “We know that some people will have problems trying to keep their rent up or trying to figure out how they will pay their bills and care for their children. The bulk of the grant money will go to tuition payments for college or vocational schools,” said McQueen.
“This is a high growth area. What the labor department is doing is pumping $226 million into high growth areas. It doesn’t make sense for us to put money into something that is not going to be growing in the future. As Americans live longer there is going to be a greater need for health care workers and that is exactly what this project will do,” stated Cleaver.
Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and workforce investment boards. The FEC has joined with partners Kansas City Metropolitan Health Care Council, the Kansas City Area Nurse Executives, the Kansas City Greater Chamber of Commerce, Health Care Foundation of Kansas City, the Collegiate Nurse Educators of Kansas City, and the United Services Community Action Agency Work Force and the Work Force Investment Board of Kansas City Local Area 3, along with the metropolitan area community colleges, to get the health care program rolling within a month of receiving the grant. Training will be conducted locally and it is tied to jobs that will be available to individuals entering the health care field.
“We have employers who have said we have jobs and we need to have people to meet the jobs that we have. We have employers identified, we just need to get people trained to enter the health care field,” said McQueen.
Reprinted from KC Hispanic News
By Joe Arce and Debra DeCoster
HISPANIC NEWS
FEBRUARY 18, 2010
Health care is a profession that is growing. As the population ages, predictions are that our society will need a large staff of health care workers to assist people who are living in managed care facilities, nursing homes, or who are in hospital. As the senior population grows, our society will have to have a growing workforce to care for their needs.
Last week, the federal government awarded a grant to the Kansas City Full Employment Council (FEC) to train the unemployed and under-employed for jobs in the health care field. “I was on the phone with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and she was very excited about making the announcement that a significant grant was coming to Kansas City,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.
The FEC was awarded $5 million in stimulus money for a new program to train individuals in the health care industry. The FEC received one of 55 awards that were given nationally. “It was awarded competitively which means that the proposal developed by Clyde McQueen and his staff was superior to just about every other proposal in the country, and when you look at the proposal that was developed and the inclusiveness you can understand why it caught the attention of the federal government,” said Cleaver.
The grant is part of the Recovery Act Initiative to fund workplace development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers.
Although the FEC received the grant it is a bi-state program that will be available to those in Missouri and Kansas. The Labor Department awarded $200 million in health care and high growth stimulus grants last week.
The stimulus money is good news to citizens in Missouri as the FEC is beginning to take names of people who are interested in enrolling in the training program for future health care professionals.
“We have a lot of people who are aging and going into managed care facilities and we are trying to address that. We have the Kansas City region, it is known primarily as a major health care hub and we want to meet those needs, and most important, it is going to be a focus for all the unemployed in our region and this is a way for us to train them for the long term,” said Clyde McQueen, FEC CEO.
The training courses for health care jobs will be on demand courses. Individuals wishing to take the course will not have to wait for a semester to begin.
The time line for the courses will depend on the health care field the individual would like to enter. As a phlebotomist or a medical technician it could take six to twelve weeks for training. A person who is currently an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and would like to become an RN (Registered Nurse) training could take two years.
The stimulus money will also help individuals that want a health care career with tuition. “We know that some people will have problems trying to keep their rent up or trying to figure out how they will pay their bills and care for their children. The bulk of the grant money will go to tuition payments for college or vocational schools,” said McQueen.
“This is a high growth area. What the labor department is doing is pumping $226 million into high growth areas. It doesn’t make sense for us to put money into something that is not going to be growing in the future. As Americans live longer there is going to be a greater need for health care workers and that is exactly what this project will do,” stated Cleaver.
Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and workforce investment boards. The FEC has joined with partners Kansas City Metropolitan Health Care Council, the Kansas City Area Nurse Executives, the Kansas City Greater Chamber of Commerce, Health Care Foundation of Kansas City, the Collegiate Nurse Educators of Kansas City, and the United Services Community Action Agency Work Force and the Work Force Investment Board of Kansas City Local Area 3, along with the metropolitan area community colleges, to get the health care program rolling within a month of receiving the grant. Training will be conducted locally and it is tied to jobs that will be available to individuals entering the health care field.
“We have employers who have said we have jobs and we need to have people to meet the jobs that we have. We have employers identified, we just need to get people trained to enter the health care field,” said McQueen.
Friday, January 30, 2009
American Recovery
Wednesday, I voted for the President’s $825 billion stimulus with one hand, and crossed my fingers with the other. The bill did not change too much from the recap I sent you last week, and sadly it was a strictly partisan vote. But let us be clear, despite Republican opposition (and I read Rep. Jenkin’s piece in the Star today) every American, left, right and midland needs to be hoping that this package works.
Failure is not something we honestly can consider. If after two years the speed, spread and scope of this package does not pay off, we will be entering our fifth and sixth year of recession and our problems will be far greater than asking where $825 billion went.
As you know I have as many friends on the other side of the aisle as I do on my side, but after their stewardship of the economy over the last 8 years, criticism from the right is a little hard to take. This may not be the answer, but every single one of us needs to be hoping for success instead of sharpening our partisan knives.
Jobs
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, by rebuilding America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; giving 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and investing quickly in the economy – with 75 percent of these job-creating investments in the economy in the next 18 months.
America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression. A staggering 2.6 million American jobs were lost in the last year. I do not need to tell you, things are bad. The unemployment rate here in Missouri has climbed to 7.3 percent.
As a result of the stimulus passed this week, independent economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s projects Missouri will save or create and estimated 71,030 jobs, growing our workforce by 2.2 percent.
Energy
The bill seeks to double our renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. The energy provisions of the plan will create more than 500,000 jobs by accelerating deployment of smart grid technology and the building of new electric transmission lines for renewable energy, spurring energy efficiency investment in our homes and schools to cut energy costs, offering support for the nation’s governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and spurring investment in renewable energy and better fuel efficient cars for a greener future. These are all things that HAVE to be done in the near future, so providing funding and concentrated effort both completes a national priority and puts people back to work.
Health Care
To reduce health care costs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act invests in a practical investment to bring our health care system into the 21st century with health information technology – that is proven not only to reduce costs but also to increase the quality of care, save lives, and create jobs.
While we are on the subject of health care, the millions of people who have lost their jobs in this recession have also lost their health insurance. This package provides those losing their jobs new affordable options for maintaining their health care coverage. And, to protect existing Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, the package provides $1.49 billion here in Missouri in additional federal matching Medicaid funds to help stave off cuts in health care in the face of massive state budget shortfalls. Yes that is billion with a “b”.
Education
Strategic investments in education are one of the best ways to help America become more productive and competitive – spurring long-term growth. This recovery package will make bold investments to provide children with a 21st century education. In Missouri, this means $1,22 billion to prevent teacher layoffs and other cutbacks in education and other key services and over $344 million to modernize our schools and colleges, which will create good- paying jobs. It will also make college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 138, 591 Pell Grant recipients in Missouri and a higher education tax credit for an additional 74,000 students in our state so that they can stay in college.
Construction
The bill also concentrates on construction. The Act will make large investments to repair and modernize thousands of miles of roadways in the U.S., provide new mass transit options for millions of Americans, and invest in clean water infrastructure. These provisions would create about 1.5 million American jobs nationwide. In Missouri, this will provide more than $954 million to invest in these key infrastructure projects that are ready to go and will begin to create jobs for Missourians right away.
Tax Relief
As a downpayment on permanent middle-class tax cuts promised by President Obama, the plan includes tax cuts for 95% of American workers, including Over 2 million families here in Missouri with the “Making Work Pay” Tax Credit. Expanding the Child Tax Credit will help the families of 326,000 children in Missouri. The business tax cuts in the package will also spur new job-creating investments by businesses large and small, that will transform our economy for years to come, such as in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
In this economic crisis, high unemployment and rising costs have put a huge strain on many American families. The package contains a series of additional provisions to help, including helping workers train and find jobs, extending unemployment benefits for 48,000 people here in Missouri, and increasing food stamp benefits for nearly a million more people in need our home state.
The package now moves to the Senate who, last I knew, were contemplating a package of $900 billion which alters some of these formulas a bit, so the numbers may change from what I have outlined here. I will try to keep you up to date as the bill moves forward. We expect the bill to be on the President’s desk before Presidents’ Day as he has requested.
Failure is not something we honestly can consider. If after two years the speed, spread and scope of this package does not pay off, we will be entering our fifth and sixth year of recession and our problems will be far greater than asking where $825 billion went.
As you know I have as many friends on the other side of the aisle as I do on my side, but after their stewardship of the economy over the last 8 years, criticism from the right is a little hard to take. This may not be the answer, but every single one of us needs to be hoping for success instead of sharpening our partisan knives.
Jobs
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, by rebuilding America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; giving 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and investing quickly in the economy – with 75 percent of these job-creating investments in the economy in the next 18 months.
America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression. A staggering 2.6 million American jobs were lost in the last year. I do not need to tell you, things are bad. The unemployment rate here in Missouri has climbed to 7.3 percent.
As a result of the stimulus passed this week, independent economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s projects Missouri will save or create and estimated 71,030 jobs, growing our workforce by 2.2 percent.
Energy
The bill seeks to double our renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. The energy provisions of the plan will create more than 500,000 jobs by accelerating deployment of smart grid technology and the building of new electric transmission lines for renewable energy, spurring energy efficiency investment in our homes and schools to cut energy costs, offering support for the nation’s governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and spurring investment in renewable energy and better fuel efficient cars for a greener future. These are all things that HAVE to be done in the near future, so providing funding and concentrated effort both completes a national priority and puts people back to work.
Health Care
To reduce health care costs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act invests in a practical investment to bring our health care system into the 21st century with health information technology – that is proven not only to reduce costs but also to increase the quality of care, save lives, and create jobs.
While we are on the subject of health care, the millions of people who have lost their jobs in this recession have also lost their health insurance. This package provides those losing their jobs new affordable options for maintaining their health care coverage. And, to protect existing Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, the package provides $1.49 billion here in Missouri in additional federal matching Medicaid funds to help stave off cuts in health care in the face of massive state budget shortfalls. Yes that is billion with a “b”.
Education
Strategic investments in education are one of the best ways to help America become more productive and competitive – spurring long-term growth. This recovery package will make bold investments to provide children with a 21st century education. In Missouri, this means $1,22 billion to prevent teacher layoffs and other cutbacks in education and other key services and over $344 million to modernize our schools and colleges, which will create good- paying jobs. It will also make college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 138, 591 Pell Grant recipients in Missouri and a higher education tax credit for an additional 74,000 students in our state so that they can stay in college.
Construction
The bill also concentrates on construction. The Act will make large investments to repair and modernize thousands of miles of roadways in the U.S., provide new mass transit options for millions of Americans, and invest in clean water infrastructure. These provisions would create about 1.5 million American jobs nationwide. In Missouri, this will provide more than $954 million to invest in these key infrastructure projects that are ready to go and will begin to create jobs for Missourians right away.
Tax Relief
As a downpayment on permanent middle-class tax cuts promised by President Obama, the plan includes tax cuts for 95% of American workers, including Over 2 million families here in Missouri with the “Making Work Pay” Tax Credit. Expanding the Child Tax Credit will help the families of 326,000 children in Missouri. The business tax cuts in the package will also spur new job-creating investments by businesses large and small, that will transform our economy for years to come, such as in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
In this economic crisis, high unemployment and rising costs have put a huge strain on many American families. The package contains a series of additional provisions to help, including helping workers train and find jobs, extending unemployment benefits for 48,000 people here in Missouri, and increasing food stamp benefits for nearly a million more people in need our home state.
The package now moves to the Senate who, last I knew, were contemplating a package of $900 billion which alters some of these formulas a bit, so the numbers may change from what I have outlined here. I will try to keep you up to date as the bill moves forward. We expect the bill to be on the President’s desk before Presidents’ Day as he has requested.
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