U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) has penned a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, expressing his support for Pennsylvanian applicants to the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program. The program, created by the CHIPS and Science Act under the Economic Development Administration, aims to aid struggling communities in surmounting barriers to employment such as inadequate transportation, childcare, and job training.
In his letter, Casey underscored the potential benefits that the program could bring to Pennsylvania. He addressed the economic challenges faced by many communities due to shifts in policy that favored big corporations and outsourcing.
“For decades, lawmakers have made decisions that prioritized big corporations and outsourcing over American communities, manufacturing, and workers…The broad demand from Pennsylvania communities for funding through the Recompete Pilot Program demonstrates how ready our stakeholders are to seize this opportunity and close the gap—for our workers, for our communities, for our state,” wrote Casey.
He further emphasized that investing in systems that give everyone a fair shot contributes to a healthier economy and more vibrant places for Pennsylvanians to live and work.
The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program is a targeted, place-based economic development grant program. It provides support to communities with a high prime-age employment gap, where the share of workers aged 25 to 54 participating in the labor force is significantly lower than the national average.
Casey’s advocacy for the program emphasizes its potential to help Pennsylvania communities overcome employment barriers and build a stronger, more inclusive economy.
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