Senators Collins, Reed Lead Bipartisan Group of Appropriators Urging Labor Department to Reverse Closure of Job Corps Centers

Letter was signed by nine members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Jack Reed (D-RI) led a bipartisan group of Appropriations Committee members in sending a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the DOL to reverse its decision to begin the closure of Job Corps Centers nationwide.
Joining Senators Collins and Reed in signing the letter were Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Boozman (R-AR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).
“The sudden announcement that the Department of Labor began the process of closing all Job Corps Centers on May 29, 2025, will harm students and local economies in every state across the nation,”the Senators wrote. “We urge you to retract this announcement and to faithfully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, which President Trump signed into law and which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps.”
“Job Corps has helped millions of young people, ages 16 to 24, many of whom face significant economic and social challenges, develop the skills and resilience they need to succeed in work and in life through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting since its creation in 1964,”they continued.“The sudden closure of Job Corps Centers not only puts young people’s lives at risk, but local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the Centers and will lose their livelihoods.”
“Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps Centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and will undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. While we would be pleased to work with you to improve the Job Corps program to do even more to serve our young people and address growing workforce needs, it is essential that you faithfully implement the program in accordance with the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution and reopen all Job Corps Centers,”the Senators concluded.
The complete text of the letter can be readhere.
In April, Senator Collins sent aletterto Secretary Chavez-DeRemer urging the DOL to lift the halt on enrollment at Loring and Penobscot Job Corps Centers in Maine. Last month, Senators Collins and Reed sent a separateletterto Secretary Chavez-DeRemer requesting that the DOL provide information on the Job Corps’ contracts, background check processing, and evaluation plan.
Also last month, at ahearingto review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the DOL, Senator Collins urged Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to reverse the Department’s halt of new enrollment at Maine’s two Job Corps centers and the proposed elimination of the Job Corps program altogether. During the hearing, Senator Collins spoke about Adais Viruet-Torres, a graduate of the Loring Job Corps Center and later Husson University who overcame homelessness and now works as a nurse practitioner.
A long time champion of Job Corps, Senator Reedquestioned U.S. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer at a May 22 hearing about the Trump Administration’s efforts to terminate Job Corps.  Senator Reed helped launch Exeter Job Corps Center in Rhode Island, which has a capacity for 185 students, with rolling admissions throughout the year.  Exeter Job Corps Center employs a staff of about 85 and offers vocational training in 6 trades, a GED program, and two high school diploma programs.  Reed recently led arally to help save Job Corps.
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