Newhouse Praises USDA Decision to Continue Operation of U.S. Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement following the announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Labor (DOL) that USDA does not intend to transfer operations of U.S. Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs) or close the 9 of 25 CCCs that were included in their original proposal:
"Over the past few weeks, I have worked with a bipartisan coalition in Congress of Members whose districts were directly affected by USDA's decision to close or permanently alter U.S. Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, and it is with great pride that I announce the decision has been reversed," said Rep. Newhouse. "Thank you, Secretary Perdue, for listening to the concerns of Central Washington communities and for preserving the unique and important role these Centers play in rural communities. Hearing the success stories from CCCs in White Swan and Moses Lake have reaffirmed my belief that these programs – and these students – deserve our investment. I look forward to witnessing their future successes as they continue to carry out the U.S. Forest Service motto, ‘Caring for the land and serving people,' in Central Washington and across the country."
Background:
On May 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that they had accepted a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stating that USDA would withdraw from operating Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC), deactivating 9 of the 25 Centers across the country and transferring operations of the remaining Centers to DOL. Rep. Newhouse and Rep. McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) immediately released a statement in opposition.
On June 4, Rep. Newhouse offered an amendment to the FY2020 Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to prohibit funds being used to transfer operations of the U.S. Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the U.S. Department of Labor, preventing the closure or alteration of these Centers. The amendment was adopted and included in the Committee's passage of the bill.Click here to watch the full amendment debate.
On June 4, Rep. Newhouse, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), and Senator Merkley (D-OR) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter signed by 18 senators and 33 representatives to USDA and DOL, pushing them to reverse their decision and request additional information. Click here to read the letter.
On June 12, Rep. DeFazio and Rep. Newhouse offered an amendment to the FY2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill to prohibit funds being used to transfer the Centers. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 313-109. Click here to watch Rep. Newhouse's remarks on the floor.
Job Corps CCCs help conserve, develop, and manage public natural resources and public recreation areas and respond to natural disasters, including wildfires and hurricanes. The 25 CCCs operate in 17 national forests and grasslands across 16 states and train over 4,000 young adults annually. These centers provide critical capacity for the U.S. Forest Service to fulfill its mission while at the same time providing job training and economic opportunity in rural areas.
There are three USDA Forest Service Job Corps CCCs in Washington State. Fort Simcoe, located at 40 Abella Lane, White Swan, WA, and Columbia Basin, located at 6739 24th Avenue NE, Moses Lake, WA, are in Washington's 4th Congressional District. Curlew, located at 3 Campus Street, Curlew, WA, is in Washington's 5th Congressional District. These centers provide at-risk youth with skills training and employment, as well as providing critical support to rural communities, such as wildfire recovery and forest management.