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Press Releases

WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04) announced that the Trump administration will withdraw plans to end the Jobs Corps Civilian Conservation Center (CCC) program. 

“The Cass Center provides invaluable skills training for young Arkansans. I’m pleased to hear that the administration will continue operating this workforce development program because it expands economic opportunity in the region. The U.S. Forest Service should work with Congress to ensure that CCCs meet the needs of participants and taxpayers,” Boozman said. 

“Civilian Conservation Centers are a unique part of the Job Corps, and I’m pleased to see that the program will continue at Cass. Not only do CCCs educate young people in rural communities across the country, but they also play a critical role in immediate disaster relief, including wildfires. I appreciate Agriculture Secretary Perdue’s choice to keep CCCs operational and look forward to working with him to make sure students and taxpayers are getting the most benefits for the investment,” Westerman said. 

Background:

On May 24, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the closure of nine CCCs, without prior notice or consulting Congress.

Last week, Boozman, Cotton and Westerman sent a letter to USDA and Department of Labor (DOL) secretaries, expressing their concern about the proposed closure of the Cass Center.

Additionally, Boozman was the lead Republican cosponsor of the Job Corps Protection Act, which was introduced to block the administration from using federal government funds in 2019 or 2020 to close any CCC. 

Under this pressure from Congress, the USDA and DOL announced Wednesday evening that they would withdraw plans to close CCCs.