Job Corps and Skilled Defense Workforce Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8925 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8925

To require the Secretary of Defense to align the Job Corps program with
          the defense industrial base, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 20, 2026

  Mr. Courtney (for himself, Mr. Ezell, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr.
   Bishop, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Goodlander, Mr.
 Rutherford, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Guthrie, Mr.
   Moore of Utah, Mr. Grothman, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services,
  and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To require the Secretary of Defense to align the Job Corps program with
          the defense industrial base, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Job Corps and Skilled Defense
Workforce Act''.

SEC. 2. ALIGNMENT OF JOB CORPS WITH THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through the
National Imperative for Industrial Skills program of the Department of
Defense (or a successor program), shall--
            (1) ensure that military recruits who are ineligible for
        enlistment as a result of the requirements of section 520 of
        title 10, United States Code, are made aware of opportunities
        to enroll in the Job Corps program authorized under subtitle C
        of title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
        U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) to receive training that--
                    (A) prepares enrollees for employment as skilled
                industrial workers in the defense industrial base in
                the State or local area in which a Job Corps center is
                located and, to the extent practicable, in the State or
                local area in which enrollees intend to seek employment
                after graduation; and
                    (B) includes programs of advanced career training
                described in section 148(c) of the Workforce Innovation
                and Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 3198(c)) at existing Job
                Corps centers or at new Job Corps centers in close
                proximity to a shipyard or other defense industrial
                base suppliers; and
            (2) address shortages of skilled industrial workers in the
        defense industrial base by supporting the Job Corps program in
        offering training that aligns with the needs of the defense
        industrial base, including through investments in curricula
        development, equipment, and facilities.
    (b) Extension of Shipbuilding Workforce Development Special
Incentive to Job Corps.--
            (1) Section 8696(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code is
        amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) The Job Corps program authorized under
                subtitle C of title I of the Workforce Innovation and
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) or an operator
                of a Job Corps center described in section 147 of the
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
                3197).''.
            (2) Section 8696(c)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is
        amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(H) The Job Corps program authorized under
                subtitle C of title I of the Workforce Innovation and
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.).''.
    (c) Job Corps Conforming Reforms.--Section 158(f) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3208) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``may accept on behalf of the Job Corps or
        individual Job Corps centers charitable donations of cash'' and
        inserting ``(or the Secretary of Agriculture, as appropriate)
        on behalf of the Job Corps, or individual Job Corps Center, on
        behalf of such center, may accept grants, charitable donations
        of cash ,''; and
            (2) by inserting at the end the following:
        ``Notwithstanding sections 501(b) and 522 of title 40, United
        States Code, any property acquired by a Job Corps center shall
        be directly transferred, on a nonreimbursable basis, to the
        Secretary.''.
    (d) Operations.--
            (1) Local authority to realign trades.--Section 151 of the
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3201) is
        amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Local Authority.--Subject to the limitations of the budget
approved by the Secretary for a Job Corps center, the operator of a Job
Corps center shall have the authority, without prior approval from the
Secretary, to--
            ``(1) hire staff and provide staff professional
        development;
            ``(2) set terms and enter into agreements with Federal,
        State, or local educational partners, such as secondary
        schools, institutions of higher education, child development
        centers, units of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
        programs established under section 2031 of title 10, United
        States Code, or employers; and
            ``(3) engage with and educate stakeholders (including
        eligible applicants for the Job Corps) about Job Corps
        operations, selection procedures, and activities.''.
            (2) Streamlined enrollment of veterans and military
        recruits into the defense industrial base.--Section 144(b) of
        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
        3194(b)) is amended--
                    (A) in the heading, by inserting ``and certain
                other armed forces members'' after ``veterans''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or a member of the Armed Forces
                eligible for preseparation counseling under section
                1142 of title 10, United States Code'' after ``a
                veteran''.
                                 <all>