As many of you know, one of ASTD's top legislative priorities is the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). First passed in 1998, it's long overdue to be reworked.

Over the past 6 months, ASTD has been on Hill conducting meetings with staff of the Senate and House Republicans on this issue and offering our expertise and our members' feedback on what changes should be made to the new bill. We have been with staff leaders on the House side who control, for the most part, the timing and the debate on this issue.

Several of us did meet with House Democratic staff last week, and it was a very productive meeting. After introductions and "niceties", we did get down to discussing some of the substantive issues about the bill and how we may be able to assist staff in ensuring that current best practices in training and performance are considered in the new bill.

Our plan is to schedule a follow up meeting soon (probably after ICE) and continue our discussions with both the Senate and the House on this issue. Hopefully we will have some movement soon.

For all of you who are coming to Chicago for ICE, please stop by one of our three policy sessions at ICE:

The 411 on Grants: How to Access Public Funding for Your Organization

Sunday, May 16, 1:45-3:00 p.m.

This session will walk you through the necessary steps to understand how to identify grant opportunities, how to identify partners, and how to help your organization apply for and win funding.

Building a Partnership with the Publicly Funded Workforce System

Monday, May 17, 2:15-3:30 p.m.

The session will explain how to develop partnerships with the workforce system at the local level, and how to influence state and local funding priorities. There will also be a review current federal legislation affecting the learning and development field.

Show Me the Money Where to Find Public Funding and Resources for Training Programs

Wednesday, May 19, 10:30-11:45 a.m.

By understanding the funding streams and different programs that are available for workforce training, you may be able to tap into a new pool of resources. Join this panel of experts for a discussion about how their organizations engage in the public workforce system and tips for success to implement in your own organization.

See you in Chicago!