H.R. 5296: BUILDS Act
Sponsor
Suzanne Bonamici
Democrat · OR-1
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Sep 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Why it matters
With major infrastructure projects ramping up now, the bill would send $500,000,000 a year starting in fiscal year 2026 into paid training pipelines tied directly to jobs in construction, transportation, energy, IT, and utilities.
Applicants would have to show they understand local labor demand and real project needs. Required application materials include a partnership description, a targeted industry analysis, a labor market analysis, identification of barriers to employment, a list of infrastructure projects, proposed nationally portable recognized postsecondary credentials, and a timeline for progress. They also must explain how they will recruit stakeholders, align curricula and entrance requirements, inform unemployment compensation recipients about opportunities, and attract diverse jobseekers. Once funded, partnerships must file annual reports to the Secretary of Labor and the State Governor beginning 1 year after receiving a grant, including performance data broken out by race, ethnicity, sex, and age.
What does H.R. 5296 do?
Up to $2.5 million implementation grants
The Secretary of Labor could award competitive implementation grants of up to $2,500,000 for periods not exceeding 3 years to partnerships serving targeted infrastructure industries, with geographic diversity required in the awards.
Renewal grants capped at $1.5 million
Partnerships could receive renewal grants of up to $1,500,000, and the bill says priority goes to entities that show long-term sustainability and provide a non-Federal cost share.
Planning spending limited to $250,000 first year
For implementation grants, no more than $250,000 of grant funds may be used for planning activities during the first year, pushing grantees to move quickly from planning into actual training and job placement.
At least 12 months of support services
The bill requires support services for at least 12 months for individuals with barriers to employment, including pre-employment help like child care, transportation, attire, tools, assessments, and job placement, plus early-employment assistance during the first 6 months such as case management, mentorship, continued training, and wages and benefits for up to 6 months.
Annual reporting starts 1 year after award
Each partnership must submit annual reports to both the Secretary of Labor and the State Governor starting 1 year after receiving a grant, and those reports must include performance evaluations disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, and age.
$500 million authorized yearly for 5 years
The bill authorizes $500,000,000 per fiscal year beginning in fiscal year 2026 and continuing for the 4 succeeding fiscal years, creating a 5-year federal funding stream for infrastructure workforce development.
Who benefits from H.R. 5296?
Jobseekers with barriers to employment
They would get at least 12 months of support services, including pre-employment help like child care, transportation, attire, tools, assessments, and job placement, plus early-employment support in the first 6 months such as case management, mentorship, training, and wages and benefits for up to 6 months.
Infrastructure employers in construction, transportation, energy, IT, and utilities
Employers in targeted infrastructure industries would gain access to federally backed training partnerships, business engagement services, curriculum design help, apprenticeship registration support, and a pipeline of workers trained for real projects.
Community colleges, workforce boards, and training providers
These groups could participate in partnerships competing for implementation grants of up to $2,500,000 and renewal grants of up to $1,500,000 for programs that offer paid work experience plus classroom instruction leading to continuing employment.
Unemployment compensation recipients
Applicants must specifically explain how they will inform unemployment compensation recipients about available opportunities, giving people out of work a clearer route into paid training tied to infrastructure jobs.
Who is affected by H.R. 5296?
Department of Labor
The Secretary of Labor would run the grant program, consult with Transportation, Energy, Commerce, Education, and the Army Corps of Engineers, and could use up to 10% of annual appropriations for administration, technical assistance, and oversight.
Grant-funded partnerships
Partnerships would have to designate one fiscal agent, submit detailed applications covering labor market analysis and infrastructure projects, limit administrative expenses to 5% of grant funds, and file annual reports beginning 1 year after grant receipt.
State governors
Governors would receive annual reports from funded partnerships, giving states direct visibility into grant performance, including outcomes broken out by race, ethnicity, sex, and age.
Workers entering paid apprenticeships or similar programs
Participants would be funneled into work-based learning programs defined as paid work experience plus classroom instruction intended to lead to continuing employment, including registered apprenticeships under the National Apprenticeship Act.
H.R. 5296 Common Questions
How much funding does the BUILDS Act provide each year for infrastructure workforce training?
The BUILDS Act authorizes $500,000,000 per fiscal year starting in FY2026 and continuing for 4 more years, for a 5-year funding stream (Section 8).
How much can an organization get under a BUILDS Act implementation grant?
Under the BUILDS Act, an implementation grant can be worth up to $2,500,000 for a period of no more than 3 years (Section 4).
How much are BUILDS Act renewal grants?
According to H.R. 5296 Section 4, renewal grants are capped at $1,500,000, with priority for applicants showing long-term sustainability and a non-Federal cost share.
Can BUILDS Act grant money be used only for planning in the first year?
No. Under the BUILDS Act, no more than $250,000 of an implementation grant may be used for planning activities during the first year (Section 6).
What support services does the BUILDS Act require for workers with barriers to employment?
Under the BUILDS Act, partnerships must provide at least 12 months of support services, including child care, transportation, tools, job placement, case management, mentorship, and up to 6 months of wages and benefits (Section 6).
Does the BUILDS Act require paid work-based learning?
Yes. The BUILDS Act defines a work-based learning program as one that provides paid work experience plus classroom instruction aimed at continuing employment (Section 3).
Which industries qualify as targeted infrastructure industries under the BUILDS Act?
Under the BUILDS Act, targeted industries include transportation, construction, energy, information technology, and utilities (Section 3).
Does the BUILDS Act require grant reports to break out results by race and sex?
Yes. Under the BUILDS Act, annual reports must include performance data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, and certain WIOA populations (Section 6).
How soon do BUILDS Act grantees have to file annual reports?
According to H.R. 5296 Section 6, partnerships must start filing annual reports 1 year after receiving a grant, and send them to both the Secretary of Labor and the State Governor.
What credentials must BUILDS Act training programs lead to?
Under the BUILDS Act, applicants must propose nationally portable, recognized postsecondary credentials tied to the targeted industry, unless the Secretary approves an alternative (Section 5).
Based on H.R. 5296 bill text
Cost & Funding
Authorization: $500,000,000 per fiscal year
- —Authorized for fiscal year 2026 and the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
- —Implementation grants may not exceed $2,500,000 and may last no more than 3 years.
- —Renewal grants may not exceed $1,500,000.
- —For implementation grants, up to $250,000 may be used for planning in the first year.
- —Partnerships may spend no more than 5% of grant funds on administrative expenses.
- —The Secretary of Labor may use no more than 10% of annual appropriations for administration, technical assistance, and oversight.
HR5296 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Sep 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
About the Sponsor
Suzanne Bonamici
Democrat, Oregon's 1st congressional district · 14 years in Congress
Committees: Science, Space, and Technology, Education and Workforce
View full profile →
Cosponsors (1)
This bill has 1 cosponsor: 1 Republican. Cosponsors represent 1 state: Pennsylvania.
Committee Sponsors
Education and Workforce Committee
1 of 35 committee members cosponsored
15 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 5296 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Education and Workforce
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Labor and Employment
- Introduced
- Sep 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Sep 11, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with text, actions, sponsors, and status for the BUILDS Act.
The bill directs the Secretary of Labor to run the grant program, and ETA is the Labor Department component most closely tied to workforce training and employment programs.
The bill repeatedly incorporates definitions from WIOA, including career pathway, local board, and barrier to employment.
The bill defines work-based learning to include registered apprenticeship, making the federal apprenticeship site directly relevant.
Section 3 references the National Apprenticeship Act, the federal law governing registered apprenticeship.
The bill uses definitions from the Perkins Act for career and technical education and counseling terms.
This Labor Department grants page is relevant because the bill creates a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Labor.
H.R. 5296 Bill Text
“To require the Secretary of Labor to award grants for promoting industry or sector partnerships to encourage industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training, retention, and advancement as part of an infrastructure investment.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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