Sponsors
The bill expands and better funds Job Corps access and quality for disadvantaged youth and veterans while imposing higher federal spending, stricter discipline, and new costs and administrative requirements that may disadvantage some providers and disrupt some participants.
Young people (primarily ages 16–24, with waivers through 28 for disabled or justice-involved individuals) gain expanded access to Job Corps residential training and services, increasing opportunities for education and job-readiness.
Explicitly makes applicants from low-income households, residents of Qualified Opportunity Zones, and eligible veterans able to enroll, widening access to training for economically disadvantaged communities and veteran jobseekers.
Applicants can submit a single joint application for Job Corps, YouthBuild, and youth workforce activities, simplifying access to multiple federal youth training programs.
Higher authorized appropriations increase federal spending, which could create budgetary trade-offs for taxpayers and other programs if offsets are not provided.
Stronger zero-tolerance dismissal and disciplinary rules increase the risk that enrollees will be removed for behavioral incidents, disrupting training and harming prospects for some students.
New Service Contract Act coverage and wage/fringe requirements for campus contractors will raise labor costs for operators and small business contractors, potentially increasing operating costs or contract prices.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Expands and clarifies Job Corps eligibility, updates campus and State definitions, adds new eligible groups, and requires joint application options with related youth programs.
Introduced March 21, 2025 by Frederica Wilson · Last progress March 21, 2025
Changes to Job Corps rules expand who can enroll and update program definitions and application processes. The bill revises age limits (standard enrollment 16–24 with waiver up to 28 for people with disabilities and justice-involved individuals), adds new eligible groups (low-income people, residents of qualified opportunity zones, pregnant individuals, and veterans who meet existing requirements), clarifies what counts as a Job Corps campus and which areas count as a State, and directs federal assistance to help one-stop centers and related programs create a single, joint application option for youth programs.