Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced the allocation of an additional $100 million in Recovery Act funds for green-jobs training Wednesday. (0:09)

 

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By Laura Smith – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis was the featured speaker at the sixth annual Latina Luncheon Series in Washington, D.C. on Friday. Solis discussed challenges faced by Latinos throughout the country, such as jobs.

Green jobs, said Solis, are going to be the key to putting minorities, including Latinos, African-Americans, American Indians, women, farm-workers and lower-class Whites to work.

Solis said that millions of dollars in grants from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, passed earlier this year, are helping working families get back on their feet and find jobs in green industries.

“Through the Recovery Act and other investments, $220 million was made available to help dislocated workers transition into new high-growth sectors like allied health and information technology,” said Solis. $114 million has been awarded to community groups nationwide to educate and train young people, she added.

“By providing the job training that will revamp blue-collar jobs into secure 21st century green-collar jobs, we are paving a pathway out of poverty, strengthening urban and rural communities and protecting the health of our citizens and planet,” boasted Solis.

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis says the department will look into “flex” time, or a more flexible working schedule, for employees because it could benefit everyone in an employee’s family. (0:31)

 

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Labor Secretary Hilda Solis praised the Obama administration’s announcement Wednesday to allocate $2.4 billion of Recovery Act funds for the development of electric vehicles.

“This is a perfect example of an investment that meets both short-term and long-term goals,” Solis claimed during a conference call with reporters. “[The] projects will create tens of thousands of good, sustainable jobs all across America and immediately help to revitalize the auto-industry in America.”

Solis also described the decision as an important step in combatting climate change and dampening U.S. dependency on foreign oil.

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D), whose state will receive $30 million in grants, cited the funding as proof of the stimulus plan’s success.

“We are just thrilled,” Strickland said. “There are some who talk about the stimulus not working. I can tell you, in Ohio, it is working.”