The House-Passed Funding Would Make Technical & Accessibility Improvements to the American Job Center in Fredericksburg

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to pass U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger’s legislation that would provide $200,000 for improvements to the American Job Center in Fredericksburg. The American Job Center provides employment resources to job seekers in the Fredericksburg region to increase access to the job market and lower barriers to employment.

This investment — which Spanberger secured as part of a House-passed fiscal year (FY)2024 appropriations package — would allow the Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board to modernize the American Job Center in Fredericksburg and bring the facility up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This investment would help build a more accessible and conducive environment for employment services and job placements by outfitting the lobby, resource room, and conference room with ADA-compliant workstations and necessary infrastructure improvements, including furnishings, fixtures, and equipment. These enhancements would enable the Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board to provide high-speed internet access for both job seekers and staff, as well as address labor challenges faced by employers and job seekers.

“Our local economy is only as strong as our workforce. Valuable community resources — like the American Job Center in Fredericksburg — exist to help make sure all Virginians looking to join the workforce have the support they need to jump-start their careers,” said Spanberger. “The center is already making a real impact for hundreds of Virginians, and this investment would make a real difference to address labor shortages and lower barriers to employment for even more Virginians in the Fredericksburg region. I’m grateful to the Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board for working withme to move this investment forward, and I’m proud to have led this effort to secure funding in the House-passed appropriations bill for these much-needed improvements.”

“The Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board extends our deepest appreciation to Representative Spanberger for her instrumental role in securing this federal funding,” said Jackie Davis, Executive Director, Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board. “This investment will not only enhance the accessibility and infrastructure of the American Job Center located in Fredericksburg but will also serve as a catalyst for connecting Virginians to employment opportunities. By providing equal access to employment services and resources, we are enabling individuals to reach their true potential and contribute to the economic vitality of our community.”

Spanberger worked directly with the BayConsortium Workforce Development Board, Inc. to make sure the project was included in this federal funding legislation. The FY2024 appropriations package now goes to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

BACKGROUND

For FY2024, the U.S. House of Representatives allowed for specific Community Project Funding requests — as it did in FY2023. Spanberger worked directly with community leaders in localities across Virginia’s Seventh District to gather community-focused requests for her submissions. Click here for the full list of her submissions.

The Community Project Funding process was created to ensure that Members of Congress — in concert with the communities they represent — may submit direct applications for federal funding to support locally planned projects as part of the yearly appropriations process.

To be eligible, projects must be sponsored by local or state government entities or non-profit organizations and must be projects that would otherwise meet the qualifications to apply for federal grant funding. The purpose of Community Project Funding is to ensure direct, local engagement as part of the federal appropriations process. In line with this goal, funding applications needed to demonstrate significant local support for the projects.

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