President Bush’s proposed 2005 budget, which he recently submitted to Congress, addresses several issues in a new initiative that some members of the electrical industry have come forward to support.
The initiative titled, “Jobs for the 21st Century,” would provide $250 million for a new employer-focused grant program for training in community and technical colleges. To receive funding for the grant, applicants would be required to prepare a training plan with community colleges and employers, and certify that the training would focus on industries with demonstrated labor shortages.
President Bush’s budget also addresses the administration’s support for Association Health Plans, which would help small businesses provide health insurance coverage for their employees. On the issue of taxes, the budget aims to permanently extend many of the provisions of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Act of 2003.
The IEC recently released a press release that states the organization’s support for the initiative.
