H.R. 8925

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

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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''.
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