“To address the needs of workers in industries likely to be impacted by rapidly evolving technologies.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states congressional findings concerning federal employment and training programs and workforce impacts from automation, including that such programs total nearly $20 billion annually (less than 0.1% of GDP); that automation is projected to displace nearly 5 million more jobs than it creates from 2025 to 2030, disproportionately affecting women, people of color, and workers earning less than $40,000 annually; and that the U.S. would need to invest an additional $72 billion annually in workforce policies ($8.5 billion for training) to match other industrial countries and OECD averages.
This section establishes definitions for purposes of the Act, including (1) "automation" as a device, process, or system functioning without continuous operator input (e.g., advanced technologies such as data analytics and 3-D printing, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or machinery); (2) "covered population" as individuals with barriers to employment under WIOA section 3(24) (29 U.S.C. 3102(24)); (3) "digital literacy" as defined in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (47 U.S.C. 1721); (4) "dislocated worker," "in-demand industry sector or occupation," "integrated education and training," "local workforce development board," and "State workforce development board" as defined in WIOA section 3 (29 U.S.C. 3102); (5) "eligible partnership" as a WIOA industry or sector partnership that, for purposes of WIOA section 3(26)(A)(iii), uses the Higher Education Act definition of "institution of higher education" (20 U.S.C. 1001) and includes representatives from State or local workforce development boards and economic development organizations; (6) "Secretary" as the Secretary of Labor; and (7) "training services" as described in WIOA section 134(c)(3)(D) (29 U.S.C. 3174(c)(3)(D)), potentially including digital literacy skills.
This section authorizes the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants, beginning in FY2027 from appropriated amounts, to eligible partnerships for demonstration and pilot projects (up to four years) addressing training needs of workers dislocated or likely to be dislocated by automation. Grant applications must describe the project, including partnership roles and services, training plans (e.g., transitioning workers to in-demand sectors, upskilling or redeploying within industries, technology skills such as coding or cybersecurity), goals, and support for covered populations through stakeholder engagement. In awarding grants, the Secretary gives first priority to partnerships in areas with high percentages of covered populations and, if funds remain, subsequent priority to (1) those in areas with high concentrations of automation-impacted or in-demand industries; (2) those providing incumbent worker training to retain employment, avert layoffs, or enable higher-skilled positions (with employer backfilling); (3) those offering transportation stipends, paid leave, child care, or other benefits; or (4) those developing shared training curricula across employer and provider networks. Grant funds may be used to (1) provide training for in-demand sectors; (2) support employer staff for training coordination; (3) purchase training equipment or technology; (4) offer job search or transitional assistance; (5) provide training stipends; or (6) deliver integrated education and training. Not later than one year after project completion, grantees must report to the Secretary on outcomes—including numbers trained, transitions to new positions or in-demand sectors, annual earnings, and employment or training rates in the second and fourth quarters post-training—both in aggregate and disaggregated, plus best practices for automation-impacted training.
This section expands the list of statewide employment and training activities under Section 134(a)(2)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)—for which certain funds reserved by governors must be used—to include training programs for individuals who are, or are likely to become, dislocated workers due to automation, including preparation for technology sector occupations. It further amends national dislocated worker grants under WIOA Section 170—formula and discretionary grants to states for rapid response and reemployment services following worker dislocations—to cover impacts from advances in automation technology and authorizes $40 million for each of FY2027 through FY2031.