Sponsors (4)
The bill directs modest federal funds to create paid STEM returnships and supports for mid‑career workers—especially benefiting rural areas and small/medium firms—while creating fiscal costs, eligibility limits, administrative requirements, and program constraints that may exclude very small employers and non‑STEM workers.
Mid-career unemployed or underemployed workers gain paid, above-entry-level STEM returnships with training, mentorship, equipment and living support that create a clear pathway to full-time STEM careers.
Small and medium U.S. firms receive grants ($100K–$1M or $500K–$5M annually) to create structured returnship programs, lowering employer cost barriers to hiring experienced talent.
Rural workers are prioritized for grants, increasing access to higher‑paying STEM reemployment opportunities outside urban areas.
The bill authorizes roughly $50 million per year through FY2030, increasing federal spending and potentially creating tradeoffs for other programs or contributing to the deficit.
Employers with fewer than 50 employees are excluded from eligibility, limiting opportunities for mid‑career workers at very small firms and reducing program reach.
Reporting requirements, including demographic disaggregation, may impose administrative burdens on grant recipients—especially small firms or consortia—making participation harder.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates competitive WIOA grants to fund paid STEM returnship programs for mid‑career workers and authorizes $50M/year for FY2026–FY2030.
Official title: To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a new national program to support mid-career workers in reentering the STEM workforce, by providing funding to small- and medium-sized STEM businesses so the businesses can offer paid internships or other returnships that lead to positions above entry level.
Introduced July 16, 2025 by Christina Houlahan · Last progress July 16, 2025
Creates a new competitive grant program under WIOA to fund “returnship” programs that place mid‑career, skilled unemployed or underemployed workers into above‑entry‑level STEM jobs with pay and benefits comparable to full‑time employees. Grants are available to U.S. small and medium enterprises or consortia, fund programs lasting at least 10 weeks, allow funds for training, equipment, travel, housing, stipends and limited employer staff compensation, require data reporting and evaluation, and authorize $50 million annually for FY2026–FY2030. The Department of Labor must collect disaggregated participant and placement data, publish best practices, and report findings to relevant congressional committees. The bill also renumbers the existing WIOA section and updates cross‑references accordingly.