LEXINGTON, Ky. — President Donald Trump's latest budget proposal includes a plan that could dramatically reshape how states fund job training and employment programs, potentially reducing available funding for workers seeking skills and education.

According to a report from the Kentucky Lantern, Trump's budget would consolidate a dozen current workforce training programs into a single federal grant called "Make America Skilled Again," or MASA. The proposal would reduce overall spending to $3.4 billion from the current $4.65 billion in anticipated funding for this fiscal year.

The plan would provide block grants to states, allowing them to determine how to allocate funds based on their employment and training needs. However, the budget proposal contains no specific formula for how money would be distributed among states, other than requiring at least 10 percent be spent on apprenticeship programs and 3 percent on innovations.

Critics say the consolidation masks deep cuts. "The administration says it's trying to streamline," said Megan Evans, senior government affairs manager at the National Skills Coalition, an advocacy organization for skills-based training. "But in reality it's combining deep cuts with risky consolidations and rollbacks."

The proposal would merge programs designed to serve distinct populations, including adult training and employment, youth training and employment, and the Labor Department's Re-integration of Ex-Offenders program. Combining these programs into a single grant, critics argue, would make it harder to track outcomes and ensure specific populations such as veterans, youth, people with disabilities and formerly incarcerated individuals receive adequate services.

Kentucky has made significant investments in workforce development in recent years, with more than $200 million in funding for training facilities statewide. The state also operates multiple workforce development initiatives including apprenticeships and training programs through its community colleges.

Congress has shown limited enthusiasm for Trump's consolidation approach. The Republican-led House Education and Workforce Committee proposed an alternative blueprint earlier this month that would include a MASA pilot program allowing states to voluntarily combine funding streams, while the Senate is developing its own legislation focused on reducing administrative red tape and increasing access to job training centers.

The House Appropriations Committee plans to write labor spending legislation in June, setting the stage for potential partisan conflict over the proposal. Democrats argue the cuts would undermine workers and small businesses, while Republicans contend that current workforce programs are outdated and overly bureaucratic. The final shape of federal job training funding remains uncertain as lawmakers prepare for the spending bill season.