Goodwill on the Hill

On June 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted along party lines to approve a bill (S. 3295) that would provide $158.7 billion in FY 2013 discretionary spending for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education. Proponents of important job training programs feared that concerns about the deficit would fuel cuts to job training programs. Several of these programs leverage Goodwill’s resources and expertise.

On June 12, the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to take up the bill that provides funding for programs administered by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education.

These funds impact the Workforce Investment Act’s (WIA) job training programs for youth, adult and dislocated workers–many of which are also leveraging Goodwill® funding streams.

What do you do? Where do you work? These are probably the most common questions asked when you meet someone new. For better or for worse, your job defines you.

When I tell people I’m a lobbyist, they usually recoil (it’s even worse when I tell them I’m also an attorney). But when I tell them I advocate on behalf of Goodwill Industries® they smile and say, “That’s great! I love Goodwill®!” And then it hits them…Why does Goodwill need a lobbyist? What type of issues does the organization work on?