Thank you, Sen. Murkowski

To the editor:

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has worked hard to keep funding in place for the Alaska Job Corps Center, and I am writing in appreciation of the heart she has shown for our community and the students at Job Corps.

In the last few months, the Alaska Job Corps Center in Palmer was operating under a national “stop work” order by the Department of Labor.

This meant that hundreds of potential students were denied enrollment. Sen. Murkowski cut through the fiscal mess and championed the necessity of vocational training for our young people.

Recognizing that Job Corps graduates and veterans are a solid part of the labor force, paying taxes and contributing to our many small and large communities, the senator knows that vocational job training is an essential part of a healthy community.

She outlined specific economic commitments with Department of Labor Nominee Thomas Perez to ensure that the Alaska Job Corps training program will stay open to all needy Alaska students.

Sen. Murkowski’s actions, coupled with strong support from U.S. Rep. Don Young and U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, makes it likely that the Alaska Job Corps Center will continue to operate with good enrollment and only small reductions in operations and staffing. Thank you to all of our congressional delegation for supporting this community and region in keeping the Mat-Su Valley’s Alaska Job Corps Center alive.

DeLena Johnson

Palmer Mayor