Murray Secures $125,000 for NORTHWEST Workforce Develpment Program

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that she has secured over $7.3 million for critical investments in workplace, healthcare, and education priorities throughout Washington state. The funding was included in the Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. Senator Murray is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“I am proud to have helped bring funding to a variety of very worthwhile programs throughout our state,” said Senator Murray. “This bill will get health care initiatives off the ground, bring new technology to existing programs, support workforce training programs, and will ultimately make a difference in the lives of Washingtonians.”

In northwest Washington, Senator Murray was able to provide $125,000 for the Northwest Washington Electrical Industry Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. The funds will be used to recruit and train new workers, and to update the skills of workers on new technologies needed to assemble the Boeing Dreamliner and for infrastructure needs like the Brightwater wastewater treatment project. Specifically the funding will be used for additional classroom instructors, to upgrade existing equipment, and to purchase additional training equipment specific to the industry.

“When I travel around Washington State employers tell me they are desperate to find workers with the skills they need to grow their businesses,” said Senator Murray. “Yet, for the sixth year in a row President Bush has proposed cutting hundreds of millions of dollars to job training programs. I have worked hard to bring funding to worker training programs like this Apprenticeship and Training Committee because they are critical to the upward mobility of our nation’s workforce.”

Now that the bill has passed the full Appropriations Committee it must be brought up for a vote on the Senate floor.

To view a full list of projects that Sen. Murray was able to provide funding for across Washington state visit : http://murray.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=259038