Press Releases

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) recognized the one-year anniversary of her comprehensive Jobs Agenda, a package of eight bills designed to strengthen Delaware’s economy, workforce, and communities. Blunt Rochester is renewing the call for these important bills to be brought up for a vote on the House Floor. In the past year, Blunt Rochester has been increasing momentum, raising awareness, and continuing her efforts to uplift the Jobs Agenda across the First State and in Congress. 

At a time when the nation has seen unprecedented economic advancement, comprehensive legislation in the Jobs Agenda would build on this progress for Americans and businesses alike. The legislative package would work to alleviate workforce shortages, strengthen our supply chains, boost American manufacturing, and expand access to affordable housing. Many of the bills are bipartisan and bicameral and have received support from interest groups, stakeholders, and constituents.

"Today marks one year since I proudly unveiled my Jobs Agenda,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “I remain incredibly grateful to the stakeholders, Delawareans, and my colleagues in the House who helped make this package a reality. Earlier this week, I was thrilled to see many of the provisions I’ve championed pass the House when we voted to reauthorize critical Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs. However, as we recognize this milestone, I renew my call for these important bills to be brought to the House Floor for a vote to help bolster high-quality jobs across Delaware and our nation,” continued Rep. Blunt Rochester. 

“Jobs have been at the center of my career. From my time as Delaware’s Secretary of Labor, Head of State Personnel, and CEO of the Wilmington Metropolitan Urban League, to the halls of Congress, the mission of creating good-paying jobs has been my guiding force,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “While we've seen a strong economy and record job creation under President Biden, my Jobs Agenda aims to take us even further by strengthening our manufacturing sector, addressing supply chain issues, expanding access to affordable housing, and providing second chances to justice-involved individuals. The Jobs Agenda is not only about creating high-quality opportunities and strengthening our competitiveness, it is also about reducing barriers to entering the workforce so that all Delawareans can succeed.”

“As founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Future of Work Caucus in Congress, I remain focused on preparing people to take on the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. With the rise of automation, machine learning, and other emerging technologies, it’s never been more important that we give people the resources they need to harness the potential of these technologies. These bills are critical to ensuring our national security and economic health status, and I’m looking forward to having these bills voted on and signed into law by President Biden,” concluded Rep. Blunt Rochester. 

Post-COVID-19, the U.S. has seen a record-breaking economic rebound under President Biden with 50-year low unemployment and the creation of over 15 million new jobs, including more than 800,000 manufacturing jobs. Delaware has seen an 8% economic growth rate over the past decade. But the progress cannot stop here.

Blunt Rochester was appointed by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to the Regional Leadership Council to help lead the implementation and communication of the legislation passed for Region 9, which includes Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. Blunt Rochester has continued to advocate for the priorities of the agenda and has taken the following actions: 

Investing in our Workforce

• Secured $5 million for workforce-related projects to improve workforce development programs, youth learning opportunities, and utilization of emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR);
• Secured provisions of the Jobs Agenda in the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) including investments in workforce education at community colleges, innovative applications of immersive technology, enhancement of adult education and digital literacy, strengthening of second chance initiatives, support for opportunity youth, and improving workforce data collection;
• Hosted bipartisan Future of Work Caucus roundtables on: 1) immersive technology for the workforce, 2) artificial intelligence and the health care workforce, 3) the cyber security workforce shortage;
• Became the lead sponsor of the bipartisan Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill in the Jobs Agenda to expand Pell grant eligibility for short-term job training programs;
• Partnered with U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons to secure Delaware’s designation as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) to become a global leader in precision medicine;
• Partnered with U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons to secure Delaware’s inclusion in the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) to fuel a national clean hydrogen network that will contribute substantially to decarbonizing multiple sectors of the economy while achieving environmental justice. MACH2 is expected to create more than 20,000 good-paying clean energy jobs, including union jobs.
• Participated in events across Delaware to highlight investments in workforce training such as aviation programming in Dover, child care in Wilmington, and an event in Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood focused on equipping young people with the skills they need to be successful;
• Advanced the National Nursing Workforce Center Act, a bill included in the Jobs Agenda to combat the nursing workforce shortage, by securing its inclusion in a House Health Subcommittee Legislative Hearing on the health and primary care workforce.

Fighting for a Second Chance and a Clean Slate for Justice-Involved Individuals

• Collaborated with Delaware banks, National Basketball Social Justice Coalition (NBSJC), and the Congressional Second Chance Task Force on which Blunt Rochester is co-chair to keep the momentum going on passing the Clean Slate Act nationwide; NBSJC is a coalition of players, coaches, team governors, and executives leading the National Basketball Association’s advocacy work to dismantle racial inequality and advance social justice;
• Led a multi-member request for funding for First Step Act programs in FY2024 appropriations process to promote second chances through skill building/vocational training that has been shown to reduce recidivism; and
• In 2023, two additional states enacted Clean Slate legislation bringing the total number of states to 12. Delaware passed Clean Slate in 2021.

Expanding Access to Affordable Housing

• Delivered over $6 million in community project funding for affordable housing opportunities across Delaware;
• Led a bipartisan amendment in support of the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) Grant program to fund zoning reform – a proven solution to remove barriers and grow our supply of affordable housing; and
• Participated in public-private partnerships in the announcement of investments in affordable housing opportunities.

Strengthening our Supply Chains

• Introduced the bipartisan Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, legislation based on the Supply CHAINS Act that was included in the Jobs Agenda to map and monitor supply chains to prevent and pre-empt supply chain shocks before they occur. The bill passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in December 2023;
• Toured the state of Delaware meeting with local unions, small businesses, and companies to discuss supply chain challenges and solutions; and
• Held a roundtable conversation on supply chain resiliency for Delaware life sciences and businesses with the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

A fact sheet on the Jobs Agenda can be found here.

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