PATH Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4961 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4961

  To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-
 apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that
  serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low
                    income and rural census tracts.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 14, 2026

 Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-
 apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that
  serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low
                    income and rural census tracts.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats
Act'' or the ``PATH Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Area career and technical school.--The term ``area
        career and technical school'' has the meaning given the term in
        section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
        Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
            (2) Federally recognized indian tribe.--The term
        ``Federally recognized Indian Tribe'' has the meaning given the
        term ``Indian Tribe'' in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (3) High school.--The term ``high school'' means a
        nonprofit institutional day or residential school in a State
        that--
                    (A) provides secondary education, as determined
                under State law;
                    (B) grants a diploma, as defined by the State; and
                    (C) includes, at least, grade 12.
            (4) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term
        ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning
        given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (5) Local educational agency; state educational agency.--
        The terms ``local educational agency'' and ``State educational
        agency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
        7801).
            (6) Local and state workforce development boards.--The
        terms ``local workforce development board'' and ``State
        workforce development board'' have the meanings given the terms
        ``local board'' and ``State board'', respectively, in section 3
        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
        3102).
            (7) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term
        ``postsecondary educational institution'' has the meaning given
        the term ``institution of higher education'' in section 102 of
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
            (8) Pre-apprenticeship program.--The term ``pre-
        apprenticeship program'' means a program or set of strategies
        that--
                    (A) is designed to prepare individuals to enter and
                succeed in a registered apprenticeship program in the
                building or construction trades;
                    (B) is carried out by an eligible entity described
                in section 3(c) that has a documented partnership with
                at least 1 sponsor of a registered apprenticeship
                program; and
                    (C) includes training (including a curriculum for
                the training) that--
                            (i) is aligned with industry standards;
                            (ii) is reviewed and approved annually by
                        sponsors of the registered apprenticeship
                        programs within the documented partnership; and
                            (iii) will prepare an individual for a
                        registered apprenticeship program by teaching
                        the skills and competencies needed to enter
                        such a registered apprenticeship program.
            (9) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term
        ``registered apprenticeship program'' means a program
        registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as
        the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663;
        29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of Labor.
            (11) Sponsor.--The term ``sponsor'' means an employer,
        joint labor-management partnership, trade association,
        professional association, labor organization, or other entity
        that administers a registered apprenticeship program.
            (12) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the
        term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
        Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (13) Underrepresented population.--The term
        ``underrepresented population'' means a group of individuals
        who--
                    (A) are members of a racial minority, women,
                military veterans, members of a Federally recognized
                Indian Tribe, or long-term unemployed; or
                    (B) come from a geographic area consisting of a
                single census tract or a group of census tracts, each
                of which meets the criteria for a low-income community,
                as defined in section 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue
                Code of 1986.

SEC. 3. SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants on a competitive
basis to eligible entities described in subsection (c) that submit
applications under subsection (e) to provide the Federal share
described in subsection (g) of the cost of carrying out projects under
subsection (f) that support the development of pre-apprenticeship
programs in the building and construction trades.
    (b) Period.--The Secretary shall make initial grants under
subsection (a) for periods of not more than 3 years, except that if an
eligible entity demonstrates satisfactory performance under subsection
(h) by the end of that third year, the Secretary may extend the grant
period up to an additional 1 year for that entity.
    (c) Eligible Entity.--To be eligible to receive a grant from the
Secretary under subsection (a), an entity shall be a nonprofit
partnership that--
            (1) includes the equal participation of industry, including
        public or private employers, and labor organizations, including
        joint labor or management training programs, and may include
        State and local workforce development boards, community-based
        organizations, educational institutions (such as postsecondary
        educational institutions, local educational agencies, State
        educational agencies, high schools, and area career and
        technical education schools), small businesses, cooperatives,
        State and local veterans agencies, and veterans service
        organizations; and
            (2) demonstrates--
                    (A) experience in implementing and operating worker
                skills training and education programs;
                    (B) the ability to identify and involve in training
                programs carried out under this grant, target
                populations of individuals who would benefit from
                training, and be actively involved in activities
                related to all building and construction trade crafts;
                and
                    (C) the ability to help individuals achieve
                economic self-sufficiency.
    (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that leverage
additional public and private resources to fund programs under this
Act, including cash or in-kind matches from participating employers.
    (e) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant from the
Secretary under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require, including--
            (1) with respect to the proposed pre-apprenticeship
        program, a description of the training and curriculum described
        in section 2(8)(C) and how the proposed pre-apprenticeship
        program makes individuals who successfully complete the pre-
        apprenticeship program qualified to enter into an established
        registered apprenticeship program;
            (2) evidence that there are or will be sufficient openings
        available in such registered apprenticeship program to enable
        the sponsor of such registered apprenticeship program to place
        into a corresponding registered apprenticeship those
        individuals who successfully complete the pre-apprenticeship
        program;
            (3) information about the entity that demonstrates the
        existence of an active, advisory partnership between the
        partners described in subsection (c)(1) and the capacity of a
        training and education provider of the entity to provide the
        training and education services necessary for a pre-
        apprenticeship program; and
            (4) information about the proposed pre-apprenticeship
        program that demonstrates--
                    (A) that the program is in an in-demand industry or
                occupation in the region in which the project is
                located;
                    (B) the inclusion in the program of career
                exploration focused activities, such as career
                information activities, and resume preparation;
                    (C) if the entity carrying out the project includes
                a high school, that the model to be used for the
                program leads to a high school diploma for participants
                without such a diploma;
                    (D) how the pre-apprenticeship program is aligned
                with and leverages resources of career and technical
                education programs, programs and services authorized
                under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
                U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), or activities of entities that
                provide supportive services for participants in pre-
                apprenticeship programs; and
                    (E) that the project aligns with an established
                registered apprenticeship program, including that the
                model used for the program leads to the attainment of
                skills and competencies necessary for entrance into the
                registered apprenticeship program for participants.
    (f) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
        under subsection (a) shall use the grant funds to carry out a
        project that implements a pre-apprenticeship program, including
        the activities described in paragraphs (2) and (3).
            (2) Required activities.--The eligible entity shall use
        such grant funds--
                    (A) to pay for the cost of training or education
                associated with a pre-apprenticeship program for
                individuals from an underrepresented population;
                    (B) for curriculum development that aligns with the
                requirements of the appropriate registered
                apprenticeship programs and learning assessments;
                    (C) to maintain a connection between the pre-
                apprenticeship program and registered apprenticeship
                program;
                    (D) for assessments of potential participants for,
                and enrollment of the participants in, the pre-
                apprenticeship program; and
                    (E) to conduct evaluations described in subsection
                (h)(2).
            (3) Allowable activities.--The eligible entity may use such
        grant funds for--
                    (A) stipends for participants during work-based
                training in the program; and
                    (B) coordination of activities under this
                subsection with activities carried out under the Carl
                D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006
                (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) or the Workforce Innovation
                and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.).
    (g) Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost described in
        subsection (a) shall be 75 percent of the total cost of the
        projects described in such subsection carried out by an
        eligible entity.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The eligible entity may contribute
        the non-Federal share of such cost in cash or in-kind, fairly
        evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services.
    (h) Performance.--
            (1) Measures.--The Secretary shall identify a set of common
        measures that, at a minimum, include measures of entry into a
        registered apprenticeship program and that are aligned, as
        appropriate, with performance accountability measures described
        in section 116(c) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
        Act (29 U.S.C. 3141(c)) for the local workforce development
        area and with corresponding measures under the Carl D. Perkins
        Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et
        seq.).
            (2) Evaluations.--Each eligible entity that receives a
        grant to carry out a project under subsection (a) shall arrange
        for another qualified entity to conduct an evaluation, or shall
        participate in an evaluation sponsored by the Secretary, of the
        project using the identified common measures, and shall, to the
        extent practicable, cooperate with the evaluator in any
        evaluations of activities carried out under this paragraph.
            (3) Extensions.--The Secretary shall use the results of an
        evaluation for a project under paragraph (2) to determine
        whether to extend the grant period, or renew a grant, for the
        project under subsection (b).
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2027
and each subsequent fiscal year.
                                 <all>