Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 3, 1994 TAG: 9402030177
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
In an appearance Wednesday at a daylong employment training conference sponsored by the Labor Department, Clinton also said he will ask Congress to increase federal spending on job training, even while pursuing elimination of as many as 100 programs and spending cuts in another 300.
"In a time in which we have to cut domestic spending, we have to find more money to spend on this," he said.
The president said he will ask Congress to end what he called fragmented federal programs in favor of one system of funding successful local efforts.
Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has said the administration plans to scuttle some weaker programs designed to help people find jobs and use the money saved for an expanded effort to retrain those out of work because of industrial restructuring, liberalized trade or environmental policies.
The White House also is expected to recommend that the nation double the $1.5 billion it now spends to help dislocated workers.
"The welfare office ought to be the work office; it ought to be the job training office," Clinton said.
Linda Lyons Butler, a job placement specialist with Tradeswomen of Philadelphia, said those out of work are often discouraged by the number of places they must visit.
"The last thing you need is to go from pillar to post and then not get all the information you need," she said.
Clinton said he expects some objections in Congress to his plan to eliminate some programs. It already is coming from some black members of Congress upset with his plan to eliminate the Targeted Jobs Tax Credit. The 12-year-old program gives employers tax credits for hiring disadvantaged workers.
by CNB