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Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 13, 2003
Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act of 2003 - Revises and reauthorizes appropriations for: (1) Workforce Investment Systems for job training and employment services under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA); (2) Adult Basic Skills Education, including adult education and family literacy programs; and (3) vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.Amends WIA to revise Workforce Investment Systems requirements for State and local planning, allocation, work force investment board membership, and performance accountability. Requires State certification of one-stop centers for allocation of infrastructure funds. Consolidates, under a formula grant for a comprehensive program for adult activities, funding for adult job training, dislocated worker retraining, the employment service system, and reemployment grants. Requires youth training programs to spend a greater portion of their funds on out-of-school youth. Reauthorizes various national job training programs, including the Job Corps and programs for Native Americans, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and veterans. Replaces the Youth Opportunity Grants program with a Youth Challenge Grants program for in-school and out-of-school youth.Directs the Secretary of Labor to allot grants to States to allocate funds to local areas to establish personal reemployment accounts for individuals likely to exhaust their unemployment compensation.Exempts religious organizations, with respect to their employment of individuals of a particular religion, from WIA nondiscrimination requirements.Adult Basic Skills Education Act - Revises, reauthorizes, and renames WIA title II as Adult Basic Skills Education (currently the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act). Requires focus on, and State demonstration of progress in, basic skills, such as English language acquisition, reading, writing, and mathematics. Directs the Secretary of Education to carry out a program of national leadership activities.Repeals Wagner-Peyser Act provisions relating to the U.S. Employment Service.Amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to revise and reauthorize vocational rehabilitation programs. Places the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) in the Department of Education (currently Office of the Secretary), with an RSA Director (currently Commissioner) appointed by the Secretary of Education (currently President). Revises transitional services for special education students moving from school to post-school activities, and coordination of such services with those under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
People & committees
Rep. McKeon, Howard P. "Buck" [R-CA-25] · R–CA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House requests a conference.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Education and the Workforce for consideration of the House bill and the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Boehner, Petri, McKeon, Castle, Isakson, Porter, Kildee, Hinojosa, Tierney, and McCollum.
On motion that the House disagree to the Senate amendment, and request a conference Agreed to without objection. (consideration: CR H3741)
Mr. Boehner asked unanimous consent that the House disagree to the Senate amendment, and request a conference.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1627 with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1627 with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Senate struck all after the Enacting Clause and substituted the language of S.1627 amended.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S14919)
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 1261.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 220 - 204 (Roll no. 175).
House roll call 175 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 220 - 204 (Roll no. 175).
House roll call 175 · Individual votesOn motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 202 - 223 (Roll no. 174).
House roll call 174 · Individual votesThe previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the George Miller (CA) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require that the bill be reported back to the House promptly with an amendment that will achieve the policy of providing direct spending for 26 weeks of income support for unemployed individuals who have exhausted regular unemployment benefits and an additional 13 weeks of income support for individuals who have exhausted their Federal extended unemployment benefits, through the Workforce Investment Act in a manner equivalent to the receipt of Federal extended unemployment insurance.
Mr. Miller, George moved to recommit with instructions to Education and Labor. (consideration: CR H3817-3819; text: CR H3817)
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1261.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of an amendment which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kaptur amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Millender-McDonald amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kildee amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lewis (GA) amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kline amendment.
POSTPONED VOTE - At the conclusion of debate on the Vitter amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Vitter demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until later in the legislative day.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Vitter amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Allen amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 221, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the McKeon amendment.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1261.
The Speaker designated the Honorable Ray LaHood to act as Chairman of the Committee.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 221 and Rule XXIII.
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1261 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and the Workforce now printed in the bill (H. Rept. 108-82) shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. Makes in order only those amendments printed in H.Rept. 108-92 and provides that the amendments may be considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, debatable for the time specified, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of...
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 221. (consideration: CR H3766, H3767-3776, H3777-3809, H3819-3820)
Rule H. Res. 221 passed House.
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 221 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1261 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and the Workforce now printed in the bill (H. Rept. 108-82) shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. Makes in order only those amendments printed in H.Rept. 108-92 and provides that the amendments may be considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, debatable for the time specified, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of...
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 46.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 108-82. (text of measure as reported in House: CR H3789-3806)
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 108-82.(text of measure as reported in House: CR H3789-3806)
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 21.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 12.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E475-476)
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Mar 23, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.1261 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.1261 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
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