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H.R.1655 / 118th Congress

Jobs to Compete Act

Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 17, 2023

Jobs to Compete Act

This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Workforce Pell Grants Program.

Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award Workforce Pell Grants to students enrolled in eligible short-term programs.

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The bill outlines eligibility requirements for programs seeking to offer their students these Workforce Pell Grants. An eligible program is one that

provides at least 150 clock hours of instruction, but less than 600 clock hours of instruction, during a minimum of 8 weeks, but less than 15 weeks;

provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the state or local area of the program (as determined by an accrediting agency or association recognized by ED);

provides a student with a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable across multiple employers and geographical areas;

has a verified completion rate of at least 70%;

has a verified employment placement rate of at least 70%; and

meets other eligibility criteria.

ED shall have the final determination of whether a program meets the bill's eligibility requirements.

Additionally, the bill requires ED and the Department of Labor to coordinate and collect data related to these workforce programs.

ED must annually collect and publish information on the College Scorecard regarding each eligible program, including job outcomes. The College Scorecard is a comparison tool for information on school sizes, settings, graduation rates, average costs, and salary ranges per field of study.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · D–VA

Committees

  • Education and Workforce Committee
4 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jul 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.R.1655 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

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