H.R. 8133

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8133 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8133

To amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to address workforce and 
skilled labor needs for the national defense, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 27, 2026

Mr. Casten introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to address workforce and 
skilled labor needs for the national defense, 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 ``DPA Workforce and Skilled Labor 
Needs Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. USE OF FUNDS FOR SKILLED LABOR.

Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4533) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Use of Funds for Skilled Labor.--
``(1) Identification of workforce and skills gaps.--Each 
Federal agency to which the President has delegated authority 
under this Act shall identify any workforce gaps or skills gaps 
that affect the ability of the domestic industrial base to 
supply the materials and services necessary to satisfy the 
objectives set forth in section 2(b).
``(2) Use of funds.--With respect to an entity receiving 
financial assistance under title I or this title, the agency 
making such financial assistance may direct that a portion of 
the financial assistance be used to recruit, train, place, or 
retain workers in defense-critical occupations directly related 
to the activities funded by such assistance, if such entity 
keeps records of performance standards for workers recruited, 
trained, placed, or retained using such assistance.
``(3) Information included in annual report.--Each Federal 
agency to which the President has delegated authority under 
this Act shall include in the annual report of the Defense 
Production Act Committee required by section 722(d)--
``(A) a discussion of the identification required 
under paragraph (1) and the authority provided under 
paragraph (2);
``(B) short-term and long-term recommendations for 
administrative or legislative action to reduce any 
workforce gaps or skills gaps identified by the agency, 
including recommendations on workforce training 
programs to recruit, train, place, and retain workers 
in occupations critical to the national defense, 
including any apprenticeships.''.

SEC. 3. SHORT TITLE CORRECTION.

The first undesignated section of the Defense Production Act of 
1950 is amended, effective on the date of enactment of such Act, by 
striking ``cited as `the Defense''' and inserting ``cited as the 
`Defense'''.
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