Passage of the infrastructure bill is dominating headlines these days, and for good reason – it is past time that American roads, bridges, railways, and ports receive federal funding meant to rehabilitate and strengthen our infrastructure. All of that work will result in a number of new jobs, but will there be the workers to fill those roles? Congress can take meaningful action to address the current worker shortage by passing the JOBS Act, while simultaneously supporting industries that are ever-evolving and creating new jobs for Americans.
 
Introduced by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH), and co-sponsored by 42 of their Senate colleagues, the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students or JOBS Act of 2021 would expand Pell Grant eligibility to support students pursuing postsecondary education programs that are at least eight weeks in length as opposed to the current standard of a minimum of 15 weeks.
 
According to the bill’s FAQ document available online, “When the [Pell Grant] program was created in the 1970s, it was designed to tackle inequity in our postsecondary system and enable access to college for all students regardless of income. Pell Grants were created with more traditional students in mind — those who are younger, dependent, and able to attend school full-time. As a result, Pell Grant students must be enrolled in postsecondary programs that are at least 600 clock hours over 15 weeks of instruction.”
 
As society continues to change at a rapid pace and individuals often pursue reskilling to stay on top of new industries, it is not fair that people who want to become an automated truck operator or drone pilot, for instance, are unable to qualify for Pell Grant funding. Education is very expensive and as a result, most students look to loans to cover all or part of the costs. Yet if certain programs do not allow students to access federal funding, the government is in essence saying that those jobs do not matter – they are not as important as two- or four-year degree programs.
 
AUVSI is proud to lend our full support to Senators Kaine, Portman, and their 42 co-signers as they work to pass the JOBS Act, and we applaud Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI-09) for introducing an identical bill in the House of Representatives. It is past time that Congress shows bipartisan leadership and pass the JOBS Act, and show students of every background that their desire to reskill is worthwhile. We look forward to working with Members of Congress who have not yet signed on to help move this legislation over the finish line.