Sponsors (2)
The bill directs multi‑year federal resources to build targeted infrastructure workforce pipelines and accelerate local projects—providing training, paid work experience, and grant support—while requiring substantial new federal spending and creating administrative and eligibility rules that may disadvantage smaller providers and non‑targeted workers.
Workers (students, unemployed, low-income individuals, and trainees in construction, transportation, energy, IT, and utilities) gain clearer access to paid work‑based learning, registered apprenticeships, industry‑aligned training, and credentials tied to local infrastructure projects, improving job prospects and career advancement.
Employers and small businesses in targeted sectors get a more reliable pipeline of better‑trained candidates, standardized federal definitions and supports for apprenticeships, and help aggregating hiring/training needs, reducing hiring costs and improving competitiveness.
State and local governments and industry partners can receive planning and implementation grants (up to $2.5M, with renewal awards) focused on targeted infrastructure projects, which can accelerate improvements (roads, ports, energy, IT) and spread investment to underserved or rural communities.
Taxpayers face new federal spending commitments (project grants, renewals, administrative funds and an authorization up to $500M/year) that could total up to roughly $2.5 billion over five years and increased annual outlays.
Administrative and application requirements (extensive application elements, reporting, and program definitions) could impose heavy burdens on employers, small businesses, nonprofits, and underresourced providers, disadvantaging them in grant competition.
By focusing on specified 'targeted infrastructure' industries and requiring industry engagement and credential standards, the program risks excluding workers and sectors outside the priority list and favoring established incumbents over emerging industries.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Introduced September 11, 2025 by Suzanne Bonamici · Last progress September 11, 2025
Creates a competitive federal grant program, administered by the Secretary of Labor in coordination with other agencies, to fund industry or sector partnerships that plan and carry out worker training and work-based learning in targeted infrastructure industries (energy, construction, IT, utilities, and transportation). Grants support planning, apprenticeship and work-based learning, employer engagement, participant supports, and alignment of curricula and credentials to employer needs, with up to $2.5M for initial implementation grants and $1.5M for renewal grants for periods up to three years. Authorizes up to $500 million per year for FY2026–FY2030 to support the program, requires performance reporting (including WIOA measures and demographic breakdowns), caps grantee admin costs at 5%, allows the Department of Labor to use up to 10% of appropriations for program administration and technical assistance, and prioritizes geographic diversity and sustainability for renewals.