STRONG Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9527 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9527

To require the Office of Management and Budget to consider revising the
  Standard Occupational Classification system to establish a separate
  code for strength and conditioning coaches, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 29, 2026

  Mr. Owens introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
                  Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To require the Office of Management and Budget to consider revising the
  Standard Occupational Classification system to establish a separate
  code for strength and conditioning coaches, 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 ``Support accurate and Thorough data
collection and Recognition of Our Nation's Growing number of strength
and conditioning coaches Act'' or the ``STRONG Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Strength and conditioning coaches work with athletes,
        law enforcement, first responders, members of the United States
        military, and other physically active individuals to improve
        physical performance and minimize the risk of injury. Strength
        and conditioning coaches apply unique training and skills in
        the following ways:
                    (A) Assess, motivate, educate, and train athletes
                to improve sport performance.
                    (B) Conduct general physical and sport-specific
                testing sessions.
                    (C) Design and implement safe and effective
                strength training and conditioning programs.
                    (D) Provide guidance for athletes and other active
                individuals in physical preparation and injury
                prevention.
            (2) Through the support of strength and conditioning
        coaches, athletes, law enforcement, first responders, and
        members of the United States military are less likely to
        experience serious injuries and are able to recover more
        quickly from injuries.
            (3) Strength and conditioning coaches have a specific
        combination of education, experience, and certification that is
        unique to strength and conditioning coaches and differs from
        other occupations, including--
                    (A) for all college and university, professional
                sports teams, and United States government positions, a
                nationally accredited certification;
                    (B) standards of a minimum of 300 hours supervised
                internship or field experience;
                    (C) abiding by a professional code of ethics that
                is specific to strength and conditioning coaches; and
                    (D) the earning of a bachelor's degree.
            (4) The Standard Occupational Classification system is
        designed and maintained solely for statistical purposes, and is
        used by Federal statistical agencies to classify workers and
        jobs into occupational categories for the purpose of
        collecting, calculating, analyzing, or disseminating data.
            (5) Occupations in the Standard Occupational Classification
        system are classified based on work performed and, in some
        cases, on the skills, education, or training needed to perform
        the work.
            (6) Establishing a discrete occupational category for
        strength and conditioning coaches will--
                    (A) correct an inaccurate representation in the
                Standard Occupational Classification system;
                    (B) recognize these professionals for the
                specialized work they perform with athletes, law
                enforcement, first responders, and members of the
                United States military, which is different than the
                work of an athletic trainer or physical therapist; and
                    (C) better align the Standard Occupational
                Classification system with related classification
                systems.

SEC. 3. REVISION OF STANDARD OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.

    The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall, as part
of the first revision of the Standard Occupational Classification
system occurring after the date of enactment of this Act, consider
revising the Standard Occupational Classification system to establish a
separate code for strength and conditioning coaches as a detailed
occupation within the group ``Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Occupations''.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    If, after carrying out section 3, the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget decides not to establish a separate code for
strength and conditioning coaches in the Standard Occupational
Classification system, the Director shall, not later than 30 days after
the first revision of the Standard Occupational Classification system
occurring after the date of enactment of this Act, submit a report to
the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Government
Affairs of the Senate explaining the decision to not establish such a
separate code.

SEC. 5. NO NEW FUNDS.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act.
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