Senator Bernie Sanders, alongside 39 other senators, has urged the Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to reconsider recent cuts to the Job Corps program. This initiative, which serves as a training platform for low-income and at-risk youth, faces potential shutdowns due to decisions made by the Trump administration.
In their letter, Sanders and his colleagues highlighted the impact of these cuts on approximately 25,000 students and thousands of staff members across 99 Job Corps centers. “The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch,” they stated. The senators emphasized that halting operations could jeopardize young people who rely on these programs for education and support services.
For over six decades, Job Corps has provided opportunities for young individuals to gain skills necessary for employment in various fields such as firefighting, nursing, and welding. However, with the current administration’s indefinite pause on operations at these sites, concerns about job security for center employees have also been raised.
Sanders and his fellow senators called for immediate action to reverse these decisions. “We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students,” they wrote. They further requested the Department to resume enrollments and background checks swiftly.
The letter was supported by several senators including Tammy Duckworth, Richard Blumenthal, Tim Kaine, Ed Markey, among others from different states.
