December 2025

Last week, America Forward sent recommendations to House and Senate appropriations leaders to inform bicameral, bipartisan negotiations as Congress continues the fiscal year 2026 (FY2026) appropriations progress. Our recommendations emphasize the programs and policies to which the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have proposed distinct approaches to date. America Forward urged congressional leaders to adopt these priorities as they reconcile

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration recently published a significant guidance letter, Maximizing Innovation in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Programs. The letter invites state waiver requests under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and highlights numerous existing flexibilities as a means “to maximize innovation in the public workforce system and better serve job seekers and