Answer. PBGC's FY 1991 budget does not include resources to handle new large pan terminations. However, PBGC has identified four companies that have terminated or are expected to terminate large plans during FY 1991. This includes the recently terminated Eastern airline plans. The PBGC is currently in the process of assessing the resource requirements to handle these large terminations. PBGC estimates that the administrative costs for just the Eastern airline plans will be about $10.5 million for the remainder of FY 1991. The timing of the termination of the other large plans expected during FY 1991 will dictate any additional amounts that will be needed.

NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION COORDINATING COMMITTEE

Question. The National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee provides basic support of State Committees in meeting their mandates to provide occupational information to support JTPA and vocational education planning and career information delivery. It is my understanding that, if approved, the proposed reduction in this area would only permit about 80 percent of the State Coordinating Committees to maintain their existing occupational and career information delivery systems. How will the other 20 percent of these State Committees be impacted?

Answer. The Administration's 1992 request of $2.5 million for the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) will enable basic support of State Committees in meeting their mandates to provide occupational information to support JTPA and vocational education planning and career information delivery. In addition, the Department of Education is requesting $4.88 million for NOICC, the same as in 1991. Funding in 1992 would enable about 80 percent of the State Occupational Information Coordinating Committees (SOICCS) to maintain their existing occupational and career information delivery systems. We estimate that operations will be reduced in 10 to 12 States.

YOUTH DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

Question. You support a new $25 million program for a new demonstration program called "Youth Opportunity Unlimited" which is similar to last year's legislative proposal that was not enacted into law.

Don't you have authority to conduct such youth demonstration projects under existing law?

Answer. The Department believes that the crisis situation affecting youth growing up in high-poverty areas warrants a separately authorized program directly targeted towards such youth. The Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) initiative targets money directly into high-poverty inner-city and rural areas where the need is most great. Further, the initiative emphasizes comprehensive services of demonstrated effectiveness and integrating as many social services as possible to assist highly at-risk youth. Making YOU an ongoing program in its own right will provide it with its own stable, dependable source of funds from year to year, which will enable sites to provide a strong foundation for their programs over time.

Question. Why don't you simply propose a $25 million increase

for youth job training "pilot and demonstration" projects, instead of the $8 million reduction in your budget request?

Answer. As noted above, the Department believes that the severe social problems affecting youth living in high-poverty areas requires a program in its own right with its own design.

Question. This Committee specifically included increased pilot and demonstration funding for the new program year that begins July 1, 1991, to enhance the education and employability of at-risk and minority youth. What progress are you making toward having this special demonstration effort operational by this summer?

Answer. We plan to set aside $3 million in our PY 1991 P&D budget to fund three to five sites in this demonstration. We will put out a competitive grant announcement for the project sometime shortly after the program year begins.

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING

Question. Our job training programs for young people have been criticized for being too narrowly focused on skill requirements for specific occupations, instead of preparing youth for careers that require a broad range of knowledge and abilities. What are you doing to make job training programs more flexible, to prepare youth for a wider range of employment opportunities?

Answer. Under the National Apprenticeship Program, registered apprenticeship is training in occupations that require a wide and diverse range of skills and knowledge. Apprenticeship as practiced by modern industry is a business-like system designed to provide workers entering industry with comprehensive training by exposing them to the practical and theoretical aspects of the work required in a highly skilled occupation. This is accomplished through structured training on the job and related theoretical instruction.

Bureau staff provide technical assistance to apprenticeship sponsors to develop skill training programs that can be adapted to meet local industry requirements and still meet required standards necessary for registration. These programs do require broad knowledge and ability and are flexible in terms of addressing specific local needs. In addition, Bureau staff can help sponsors establish performance-based programs allowing for completion based not only on time devoted to the training but also considering individual progress in learning and producing quality products and services.

Further, DOL has funded a series of demonstration projects to explore and evaluate various approaches to providing youth with a wider range of employment opportunities through the development of school-to-work transition models. The projects (funded at $3.2 million in federal contributions and $7.3 million in local funding) are with six organizations:

O The Pennsylvania Department of Commerce project is designed to prepare young people for entry level positions in the state's metalworking industry.

O

O

The L.A. Unified School District project has as its focus entry into telecommunications, banking services, and public service.

Project Protech with the Boston Private Industry Council is designed to create pathways for youth to enter the healthcare industry.

O Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development provides entry into a variety of technical occupations for its participants.

O The National Alliance of Business projects will prepare youth as Sears appliance technicians, and as bank tellers.

O The Electronics Industry Foundation project will prepare students for careers in the electronics industry.

DOL is considering the funding of a second round of school-towork transition projects that would expand the training into additional occupational categories.

Question.

What success have you had in expanding the apprenticeship concept beyond its heavy concentration in the building trades?

Answer. A comprehensive study of the apprenticeship concept of training has recently been completed by the Department. Based upon the findings of this study the Department has undertaken a new initiative to expand the apprenticeship concept of training. A number of significant actions have been initiated. The Federal Committee on Apprenticeships is examining ways to expand the National Apprenticeship System. A series of demonstration programs are currently underway which will test various approaches to utilizing the apprenticeship concept of training in non-traditional areas such as banking and the medical area. Also a national commission on work-based learning has been established to provide direction for supporting and assisting in the delivery of work-based training programs. Expectations are that successful program models will be replicated and that commission deliberations and recommendations will result in successful expansion of the apprenticeship concept of training to many non-traditional areas.

Question. How do you assure that expanding the apprenticeship system will not dilute the quality of existing programs?

Answer. One of the recommendations emanating from the comprehensive review of the apprenticeship concept of training was that program criteria and measurements be developed and implemented to ensure that all programs provide quality training. The Department's Federal Committee on Apprenticeship (FCA), which was recently reconstituted, will be taking a hard look at this issue and will be providing advice and assistance to the Department. FCA subcommittee will be focusing specifically on this issue. In addition, the Department, in conjunction with the FCA, is developing a Quality Handbook for apprenticeship programs. Finally, improving the quality of apprenticeship is one of the important goals of any revisions to the apprenticeship regulations.

One

NEW DISPLACED HOMEMAKERS LEGISLATION

Question. You are not requesting any funds to implement the newly enacted Displaced Homemakers Self-Sufficiency Assistance Act, authorized at $35 million.

In my home State of Iowa, I am aware that there are 18 Displaced Homemaker projects that receive limited funding under the Perkins Vocational Education Act. These projects are being severely strained by the war in the Gulf, which has left many more women needing economic and emotional support services.

Don't you agree that it is cost effective in the long run to help displaced homemakers achieve self sufficiency, rather than having to depend on expensive welfare programs and the accompanying loss of dignity?

Answer. We have not conducted scientific studies that measured the cost-effective impact of programs to help displaced homemakers. Developing a sense of dignity and self-esteem are particularly important prerequisites for successful skill development for succeeding in the world of work. It is the first step for many displaced homemakers on their way to their own economic self

sufficiency.

Question. What Labor Department services are currently available to Displaced Homemakers?

Answer. The Job Training Partnership Act is the major source of training funds in the Department. This Act provides money for job training for displaced, older, low-income and disadvantaged workers. Displaced homemakers seeking job search assistance may be eligible for help under the Job Training and Partnership Act or may receive help from the employment service. Since a majority of displaced homemakers are over age 65, many also may be eligible to participate in the Community Service Employment for Older Americans (CSEOA) program.

OSHA'S EFFECTIVENESS

Question. This April will mark the 20th anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. How do you assess the effectiveness of OSHA in improving workplace health and safety?

Answer.

OSHA'S first twenty years has brought about a fundamental change in the workplace, as well as the relationships among industry, labor and government--how they address workplace safety and health and how they meet their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Although OSHA has not been without criticism, it can be credited with preventing injuries, preserving health, and saving lives. OSHA has prompted the creation of many safety and health programs and has helped to generate a new caliber of safety and health professionals. OSHA has also served as the national focus for examining and debating occupational safety and health problems.

The effectiveness of the agency's programs is ensured in a number of ways. The agency has established procedures for sending its safety and health professionals into workplaces most likely to

have serious workplace hazards.

Quality is assured by focusing on improving the agency's processes and capabilities, through continuous compliance officer training and through pilot projects to test new approaches for targeting high risk workplaces and high risk worker populations. Data are reviewed to assess effectiveness, including trends in employer and employee complaints. Further agency monitoring involves the workplaces inspected, total inspection hours, the number and types of violations found, and penalties assessed.

By a number of objective measures, OSHA enforcement has been more vigorous in the past two years. In FY 1990, OSHA compliance officers spent significantly more time on each inspection; an average of 15 hours on each safety inspection and 40 hours for each health inspection. This compares with 10 hours for safety inspections and 30 hours for health inspections in 1985. From 1987 to 1990 there was an increase of 160 percent in willful, serious, repeat or failure-to-abate violations, and the dollar amount of the penalties proposed by the agency increased 176 percent.

LEGISLATIVE CHANGES

Question. Would you support legislative efforts to further strengthen OSHA by: mandating joint labor-management health and safety committees; giving employees the right to participate in negotiations over settlement of employer penalties for violations; allowing issuance of criminal complaints against employers for certain willful violations; and extending coverage to State and local public employees?

Answer. After twenty years experience in administering the Occupational Safety and Health Act, our preference is to work administratively to improve OSHA. We believe that legislative action, in general, is not necessary.

With regard to the specific issues you raised, I do not favor mandatory federal requirements for joint labor-management health and safety committees. Such requirements would limit needed flexibility. The design and operation of such committees should be the subject of labor-management negotiations and agreements. Success must be based upon commitments of the participants, not imposed by some government agency. The sensitive issue of giving employees the right to participate in negotiations over settlement of employer penalties is of great concern. We have opposed similar requirements in past legislative proposals.

Regarding allowing issuance of criminal complaints against employers for certain willful violations, the Department of Labor is on record as supporting proposals to change the characterization from misdemeanor to felony for cases where willful violations lead to death. Finally, we would support efforts to extend safety and health protection to State and local public employees, in federal jurisdiction states, that are not now covered under the Act.

JTPA CAPACITY BUILDING

Question. The Partnership for Training and Employment Careers has recommended creation of a line item for staff training and