U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.25 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Workforce Development and Business Resiliency in Texas

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $4.25 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to help the state of Texas prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

“President Biden is committed to creating new opportunities for employers and businesses as they recover from the coronavirus pandemic and build back better,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These EDA investments will create new workforce training opportunities in Texas, as well as plans and strategies to mitigate the challenges facing Texas businesses while highlighting opportunities for growth in strategic sectors.”

“The Economic Development Administration is committed to helping communities across the nation implement strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “These EDA investments will grow businesses and create jobs by expanding workforce training programs at Texas State Technical College and providing a roadmap for businesses in the state to strengthen the state’s key sectors as they recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”

“While Texans persevere as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on our state, we must take steps to ensure that our communities are equipped to weather the storm,” said Senator John Cornyn. “I applaud this announcement and will continue to do everything I can to make economic growth in Central Texas a high priority.”

“The United States’ future is dependent on the creation of a skilled workforce,” said Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17). “Investment in such jobs is critical for building up Central Texas and moving the needle of innovation. As Americans reacclimate to normal living, we must prioritize job creation, economic growth, and the free enterprise system.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• Texas State Technical College Waco, Waco, Texas, will receive a $3.5 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to renovate an existing building to house the Instrumentation, Electrical Power and Controls, Biomedical Equipment and Robotics workforce training programs, creating a skilled workforce for regional employers. This EDA grant, to be matched with $2,583,594 in local funds, is expected to create 70 jobs.
• Texas Association of Business and Chambers of Commerce, Austin, Texas, will receive a $750,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to develop a statewide business development and attraction strategy and implementation plan to help businesses recover and rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic. The project will be matched with $228,863 in local funds.

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.