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House GOP seeks to block appropriation for ‘green jobs’ fund
House Republicans announced draft spending legislation Thursday that would block any fiscal year 2012 funding for the Labor Department’s Green Jobs Innovation Fund.
The restriction is contained in much wider spending legislation that the House Appropriations Committee unveiled for health and labor programs.
The proposed restriction comes as Republicans are attacking federal green-jobs efforts following the meltdown of Solyndra, the California solar company that went bankrupt several weeks ago despite receiving a $535 million Energy Department loan guarantee in 2009.
The White House fiscal 2012 budget request seeks $60 million for the Labor Department's Green Jobs Innovation Fund, an increase of $20 million from 2010 levels.
“In response to the demand in local and regional labor markets, states and local workforce investment areas across the country are interested in expanding training opportunities in green industry sectors and occupations to help workers get better jobs and increase compensation. Through competitive grant opportunities, the [Green Jobs Innovation Fund] will help workers receive job training in green industry sectors and occupations and access green career pathways,” the Labor Department’s proposal states.
The House legislation also seeks to defund portions of the healthcare reform law. The Hill’s Sam Baker has more on that here.
