DPA Workforce and Skilled Labor Needs Act of 2026

Sean Casten

Democrat · IL · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

2026-03-27

Source: Congress.gov

This bill would authorize the government to use emergency powers to address labor shortages in critical industries by streamlining hiring, training, and worker placement programs during times of national need. It would affect businesses struggling to fill skilled positions as well as workers seeking training and employment in high-demand fields like manufacturing, construction, and healthcare. The legislation aims to make it faster and easier to match available workers with jobs that require specialized skills.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

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

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