March 16, 2023

Duckworth Joins Klobuchar, Braun in Reintroducing Bipartisan Legislation to Help Americans Save and Pay for Skills Training and Credentialing Programs

Legislation would allow Americans to use ‘529’ education savings accounts to pay for training programs

 

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN) in reintroducing the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to allow Americans to use ‘529’ education savings accounts for skills training, credentialing and certification programs. Current law only permits workers and families to use ‘529’ accounts to pay for college, university and vocational school expenses. 

“The bipartisan Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act can help Americans access good-paying career opportunities that don’t require a four-year college education, and desperately need additional talent,” said Duckworth. “By allowing families to use 529 plans for job training and credential programs, more people can be put on a path toward high-skilled jobs while strengthening the nation’s economy.”

“Skills training and development programs help provide people with the tools and resources they need to succeed in our economy,” said Klobuchar. “By allowing workers to use their ‘529’ educational savings to pay for additional training and certification, our bipartisan legislation will enable more Americans to access and benefit from these valuable programs.” 

“Every high school student in America needs to know that you don’t necessarily have to go to college to have a great career. By expanding opportunities and access to skills training programs, and letting Americans use their ‘529’ education savings to pay for it, we can address the nationwide skills shortage and fill American jobs,” said Braun. 

Along with Duckworth, Klobuchar and Braun, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Peter Welch (D-VT).

Last month, Duckworth, a vocal supporter of workforce development, helped reintroduce the bipartisan Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants to afford high-quality, shorter-term job training programs for the first time.