Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker unveiled the Commerce Department’s “open for business” agenda aimed at growing jobs and improving the Obama administration’s relationship with businesses. She spoke with reporter Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, about her vision.
Pritzker was asked about complaints from business about “high taxes and excessive federal regulations.” Pritzker said that “the reality is that what the business community is interested in is trade, immigration reform, corporate tax reform, infrastructure. The issues that the business community is concerned with and where the administration is focused are not that different. It’s the perception.” Asked about her priority of “closing the skills gap by funding programs that better match workers with open jobs,” Pritzker said, “Skills training needs to be industry led. Businesses need to define what they need so training providers can offer up the right training. That has not necessarily been the case. We have to train people for jobs that are open.”