02.02.23

Hoeven Supports Bipartisan Bill to Help More Americans Access High-Quality Job Training, Get Good-Paying Jobs

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven joined Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) in reintroducing the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, bipartisan legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing eligible students to use federal Pell Grants to afford high-quality, shorter-term job training programs for the first time.

“This legislation is about helping meet workforce needs,” said Hoeven. “By creating additional flexibility for the use of Pell Grants, individuals will be better able to receive the hands-on training required to fill open jobs across North Dakota."

The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term, high-quality job training programs ineligible for crucial assistance.

In addition to Hoeven, Braun and Kaine, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 

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