Sponsors (4)
The bill creates a focused federal Bureau, research programs, and modest annual funding to improve employment supports and policy for older workers, trading increased targeted services and coordination against new federal spending, potential program overlap, and risks that eligibility, funding limits, or administrative choices will blunt benefits for some older adults.
Older workers (people roughly age 55+) gain a dedicated federal Bureau with a statutory definition and named leadership to focus research, policy development, and program coordination for their employment and retirement needs.
Older workers and service providers gain predictable annual funding (a $10 million per year authorization) that enables planning and continued implementation of research, grant, and program activities.
Older workers—especially those facing employment barriers—stand to benefit from targeted research and competitive grants that produce evidence to guide policy, training, reemployment services, and workplace accommodations.
Taxpayers bear new and recurring federal costs—setting up a Bureau, an Executive Schedule position, staffing, grant programs, and the $10 million annual appropriation—which increases federal spending.
Ongoing appropriations for the Bureau and grant programs could divert funds from other workforce or budget priorities and create sustained budgetary pressure.
Narrow statutory eligibility criteria (e.g., age 55+ plus recent job-seeking activity) and a primary research/policy focus risk excluding some older adults who need immediate services (including those with health/caregiver barriers) or who do not meet the activity threshold.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Creates a Department of Labor Older Workers’ Bureau to research, coordinate policy, and run grants to improve employment and combat ageism for people 55+; funds authorized $10M/year after FY2027.
Introduced February 12, 2026 by Donald Sternoff Beyer · Last progress February 12, 2026
Creates an Older Workers’ Bureau inside the Department of Labor to study, coordinate, and promote policies and programs that help people age 55+ find, keep, and return to work. The Bureau will run competitive research and program grant competitions, coordinate federal data and policy work, report annually on federal programs affecting older workers, and be funded by an authorization of $10 million per year beginning after FY2027, with the Director and Bureau to be in place and operational within one year of enactment.