BUILDS Act

This bill would fund competitive grants run by the U.S. Department of Labor to help local partnerships of businesses, unions, schools, and workforce boards train and hire people for infrastructure jobs like transportation, construction, energy (including clean energy), information technology, and utilities. The goal is to grow these industries and improve worker training, retention, and career advancement. Grants can be up to $2.5 million for up to three years, with smaller renewal grants, and are awarded to ensure geographic diversity, with priority for partnerships that can last and bring some non‑federal funding. It authorizes $500 million per year for fiscal year 2026 and the next four years.

Grant funds can cover planning and business engagement, like helping companies register apprenticeships, build training with local colleges, design work‑based learning, offer transitional jobs, and provide mentoring and career awareness. People who face barriers to work can get support such as skills training or basic education, work clothes or tools, child care, transportation, job placement help, and even wages and benefits for up to six months while they get started. Programs aim to keep participants employed for at least 12 months. Partnerships must set clear goals, align classes and portable, nationally recognized credentials with industry needs, and share information with state job agencies so people on unemployment hear about opportunities. They must report progress each year, and administrative costs are capped (5% for partnerships; the Department of Labor may use up to 10% for administration and technical help).

• Who is affected: Workers seeking infrastructure jobs; businesses in transportation, construction, energy, IT, and utilities; local workforce boards; colleges and training providers.
• What changes: New grants to build partnerships, expand apprenticeships and other on‑the‑job learning, and provide supports like child care, transportation, tools, and short‑term wage help; required use of portable credentials; yearly progress reports.
• When: Funding is authorized for FY2026 and each of the next four years; individual grants can last up to three years.