Press Releases

This weekend, President Obama announced proposals to strengthen the unemployment insurance (UI) system and create wage insurance programs—policies that stand to benefit millions of unemployed and underemployed Floridians.According to a 2015 report from the National Employment Law Project, eligibility and procedural restrictions on Florida’s UI program have made it virtually… Read more »

Today we commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an American hero whose voice, vision, and legacy of leadership continue to influence the course of American history. Dr. King on occasion sacrificed his freedom and ultimately his life to ensure that all Americans are treated equally, and given the opportunity to participate fully in society and realize their… Read more »

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a funding opportunity that would enable incarcerated individuals to access the services and supports they need to secure jobs upon their release. Under the department’s Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) initiative, local workforce development boards may apply for one of ten $500,000 grants to place these vital… Read more »

Today, the Brookings Institution released a paper that ranks Miami, Florida, among the top ten U.S. cities with the highest levels of income inequality. Since 2007, Miami, much like other major cities, has experienced increased levels of income inequality due to marked declines in household incomes in the bottom 20th percentile in the past seven years.“This country, including the… Read more »

Six years ago, Haiti was literally rocked to its core by an earthquake that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, displaced more than one million people and destroyed much of the nation’s capital. The courage the Haitian people have displayed in the face of this and other adversities is truly admirable, but many obstacles remain on the path to recovery. Milestones like… Read more »

At a December 9 Subcommittee on Workforce Protections hearing on how Department of Labor regulations impact workers and employers, Ranking Member Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) extolled DOL's efforts to ensure that more American workers have the protections they need to build better lives for themselves and their families."Using its court-affirmed statutory authority, the department has… Read more »

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) released the following statement after President Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act: Today I witnessed with great pride and pleasure President Obama signing into law the Every Student Succeeds Act. As a former educator, I applaud any legislation that aims to ensure that our nation's public schools prepare every student to… Read more »

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed landmark legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as No Child Left Behind. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) includes an amendment from Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson to allow states to use Title IV funds to establish and improve dropout prevention and re-entry programs. As a result, more… Read more »

To say that I am deeply disappointed by the Florida Supreme Court's decision to approve the redistricting map drawn by the Fair Districts Coalition is a gross understatement. From the start, I strongly opposed the map known as CP-1 because it strips from District 24 several economic drivers and cultural attractions and threatens to return our community to its former status as the nation's… Read more »

Today the House-Senate conference committee successfully reached agreement on a policy framework to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). During the conference meeting, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) garnered bipartisan support for her amendment to allow school districts to use funds from the new Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to… Read more »