Press Releases

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) joined his Republican colleagues in voting against H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020. While this legislation would expand the national apprenticeship system to include apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeship programs registered under the National Apprenticeship Act, it fails to include House Republicans’ push for employer-driven innovation and new models for apprenticeship programs.

“In its current form, the National Apprenticeship Act limits job growth by imposing bureaucratic hurdles into the apprenticeship process. While both Democrats and Republicans agree that we need to provide good jobs to the American people, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Leadership have refused to consider common-sense reforms to the registered apprenticeship program, and this type of partisan showmanship has greatly limited the momentum towards a solution with Arkansas families are paying the price,” said Rep. Hill. “While this system has historically driven workforce development, it requires modernization with a focus on innovation and flexibility to best serve the current and future needs of our citizens. To address the flaws of the current system, Republicans built on the framework of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and have proposed new, dynamic programs that promote employer-driven innovation. I urge my Democratic colleagues to reconsider their partisan stance and embrace this opportunity to provide lasting benefits to all Americans.”

Earlier today, the Washington Examiner published an op-ed from Rep. Hill detailing the flaws in the House Democrats’ proposed legislation.