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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 3, 2025
American Apprenticeship Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Labor to make grants to assist states in carrying out projects that defray the cost of pre-apprenticeship or related instruction for qualified apprenticeship programs.
Labor shall (1) establish performance measures and an evaluation system for such grant program; and (2) identify in-demand occupations that lack the use of apprenticeships, analyze the use of the qualified apprenticeship program model in those occupations, and report on such analysis to states and Congress.
People & committees
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] · D–CT
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Sep 25, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-03 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed American Apprenticeship Act would let the Labor Department award competitive grants to states to help pay for apprenticeship preparation programs and related classroom or online instruction. Eligible apprenticeships would be registered programs in industries or occupations below a specified 10-percent threshold in the national apprenticeship system. Federal grants would cover 20–50 percent of eligible project costs, with the remainder coming from nonfederal sources.
This Act may be cited as the American Apprenticeship Act.
(5) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Labor.
The Secretary may make grants to States on a competitive basis to assist the States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost of, defraying the cost of a pre-apprenticeship, or the cost of related instruction, associated with a qualified apprenticeship program.
(1) Qualified apprenticeship The term qualified apprenticeship, used with respect to a program, means an apprenticeship program that is— (A) registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.); and (B) concentrated in an industry sector or occupation that represents less than 10 percent of apprenticeable occupations or of the programs under the national apprenticeship system.
(4) Related instruction The term related instruction means an organized and systematic form of classroom or web-based instruction designed to provide an apprentice with the knowledge of the theoretical and technical subjects related to the occupation of the apprentice or the instruction needed to prepare an individual to enter and succeed in an qualified apprenticeship program.
The Federal share of the cost described in subsection (b)(1) shall be not less than 20 percent and not more than 50 percent.
To qualify, an apprenticeship would have to be registered under the National Apprenticeship Act and concentrated in an industry sector or occupation representing less than 10 percent of apprenticeable occupations or programs in the national apprenticeship system. The threshold concerns occupations or programs, rather than the percentage of apprentices enrolled.
(1) Qualified apprenticeship The term qualified apprenticeship, used with respect to a program, means an apprenticeship program that is— (A) registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.); and (B) concentrated in an industry sector or occupation that represents less than 10 percent of apprenticeable occupations or of the programs under the national apprenticeship system.
A pre-apprenticeship would prepare people to enter and succeed in a qualifying apprenticeship. Its sponsor would need a documented partnership with at least one qualifying apprenticeship sponsor. Eligible preparation-program sponsors would include specified schools, education agencies, workforce boards, labor organizations, joint labor-management committees, and community organizations.
(3) Pre-apprenticeship The term pre-apprenticeship, used with respect to a program, means an initiative or set of strategies that— (A) is designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in a qualified apprenticeship program; (B) is carried out by a sponsor described in paragraph (6)(B) that has a documented partnership with one or more sponsors of qualified apprenticeship programs;
(B) with respect to a pre-apprenticeship program, a local educational agency, a secondary school, an area career and technical education school, a State board, a local board, a joint labor-management committee, a labor organization, or a community-based organization, with responsibility for the pre-apprenticeship program.
Preparation programs would need training aligned with industry standards and reviewed and approved annually by apprenticeship sponsors in the partnership. They would also need hands-on training and theoretical education that follow supervision and safety protocols and do not displace paid employees.
(i) Training (including a curriculum for the training), aligned with industry standards related to apprenticeships in a qualified apprenticeship program, and reviewed and approved annually by sponsors of such apprenticeships within the documented partnership, that will prepare individuals by teaching the skills and competencies needed to enter one or more qualified apprenticeship programs.
(ii) Provision of hands-on training and theoretical education to individuals that— (I) is carried out in a manner that includes proper observation of supervision and safety protocols; and (II) is carried out in a manner that does not displace a paid employee.
Preparation programs would need a formal agreement allowing successful participants to enter a qualifying apprenticeship directly, but only if a place is available and the participant meets its qualifications. The agreement would also address earning credit recognized by a postsecondary institution for acquired skills; the text does not promise an apprenticeship place to every graduate.
(iii) A formal agreement with a sponsor of a qualified apprenticeship program that would enable participants who successfully complete the pre-apprenticeship program to enter directly into the qualified apprenticeship program (if a place in the program is available and if the participant meets the qualifications of the qualified apprenticeship program), and includes agreements concerning earning credit recognized by a postsecondary educational institution for skills and competencies acquired during the pre-apprenticeship program.
The Labor Secretary could award competitive grants to states; awards would be discretionary. A state seeking a grant would have to submit an application and strategic plan, identify the administering state agency selected by its governor, and describe collaboration with industry, education, labor-management, and other partners.
The Secretary may make grants to States on a competitive basis to assist the States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost of, defraying the cost of a pre-apprenticeship, or the cost of related instruction, associated with a qualified apprenticeship program.
To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary for such a project at such time, in such manner, and containing a strategic plan that contains such information as the Secretary may require, including— (A) information identifying the State agency (referred to in this Act as the State entity) that will administer the grant as determined by the Governor of the State; (B) a description of strategies that the State entity will use to collaborate with key industry representatives, State agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, labor-management entities, and other relevant partners to launch or expand pre-apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs;
State plans would have to explain coordination with existing federal career-education and workforce programs and use of their funding. Plans would also have to explain how states would use, and encourage participants to use, available federal and state financial assistance before assistance under this bill, including veterans' education benefits and Pell Grants.
(C) a description of how the State entity will— (i) coordinate activities carried out under this subsection with activities carried out under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) to support pre-apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs; (ii) leverage funds provided under the Acts specified in clause (i) to support pre-apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs; and (iii) utilize, and encourage individual participants in programs supported under this subsection to utilize, available Federal and State financial assistance, including assistance available under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), education assistance benefits available to veterans, and Federal Pell Grants available under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a), prior to using assistance made available under this Act;
State plans would have to describe how they would promote qualifying apprenticeships in industries where apprenticeships are less traditional, such as information technology, health care, advanced manufacturing, and transportation, and in other industries the state workforce board identifies as high-demand. Plans would also describe activities to raise awareness of apprenticeships' economic potential; this is a planning requirement, not evidence of economic results.
(D) a description of strategies to elevate apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs as a workforce solution in nontraditional industries, such as information technology, health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation, and other industries determined to be high-demand by the State board for the State; (E) a description of activities that the State entity will carry out to build awareness about the economic potential of apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs;
State plans would have to describe how they would increase apprenticeship and preparation opportunities for minority groups, young people, people with disabilities, veterans, and people facing barriers to employment. They would also need outreach strategies for populations previously underserved by apprenticeships.
(F) a description that outlines how the State entity will increase opportunities for pre-apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs, among members of minority groups, youth, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and individuals with barriers to employment;
(ii) the targeted outreach strategies that the State entity will use for populations previously underserved through apprenticeships;
Applications would have to explain how qualifying apprenticeships would meet performance and quality standards, including having existed for at least six months before the application date. States could choose additional state performance measures. A state that had already received a grant would have to provide information showing that its previous project met performance measures.
(G) a description of— (i) how the State entity will ensure that the qualified apprenticeship program meets certain performance measures and quality standards, including that the qualified apprenticeship program has been in existence for not fewer than 6 months prior to the application date;
(iii) any State performance measures that the State will use, at the election of the State, to measure the effectiveness of the project; and (H) in the case of a State that has already received a grant under this subsection for a project, information indicating that the State met the performance measures with respect to the project.
A joint team from the Labor and Education Departments would review state applications and recommend whether the Labor Secretary should approve them.
(3) Application review process A joint team of employees from the Department of Labor and the Department of Education shall— (A) review such an application; and (B) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding approval of the application.
States receiving grants would have to use them to help pay related-instruction costs. Covered costs would include tuition, fees, textbooks, equipment, curriculum development, required educational materials, and other items or services the state determines necessary.
(4) Use of funds A State that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the funds made available through the grant to defray any of the following costs of related instruction: (A) Tuition and fees. (B) Cost of textbooks, equipment, curriculum development, and other required educational materials. (C) Costs of any other item or service determined by the State to be necessary.
States could spend no more than 10 percent of a grant on project administration.
(5) Administrative costs The State may use not more than 10 percent of the grant funds for administrative costs relating to carrying out the project described in paragraph (1).
The federal contribution would be between 20 and 50 percent of eligible costs. States could provide the remaining share in cash or through fairly valued noncash contributions, including facilities, equipment, or services, either directly or through public or private donations.
(c) Federal share (1) In general The Federal share of the cost described in subsection (b)(1) shall be not less than 20 percent and not more than 50 percent. (2) Non-Federal share The State may make the non-Federal share available— (A) in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services; and (B) directly or through donations from public or private entities.
The Labor Secretary, after consulting the Education Secretary, would have to establish performance measures, an evaluation system, and reporting requirements. The measures would be based on indicators set by the Labor Department's Office of Apprenticeship administrator.
(6) Performance and evaluation The Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall— (A) establish performance measures based on indicators set by the Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor; and (B) establish an evaluation system aligned with the performance measures, and reporting requirements for the program carried out under this subsection.
The Labor Secretary would have to report to Congress by September 30, 2030, on the evaluation results and how effectively states used grant funds.
(d) Report The Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress, not later than September 30, 2030, a report— (1) detailing the results of the evaluation described in subsection (b)(6)(B); and (2) analyzing the extent to which States have used grant funds effectively under this section.
The bill would declare a policy that its funding should add to, rather than replace, other federal and state workforce-development funding. The provision uses “should,” rather than imposing an express “shall” requirement.
(e) Policy of the United States It is the policy of the United States that funds made available under this section should be used to supplement and not supplant other funds available under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) and other Federal and State funds available to the State to support workforce development programs.
The Labor Secretary would have to identify nationally and regionally in-demand occupations that lack qualifying apprenticeships, analyze use of the apprenticeship model in those occupations, and report the analysis to states and Congress.
3. Identifying in-demand occupations The Secretary shall— (1) identify in-demand occupations nationally and regionally that lack the use of apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs; (2) analyze the use of the qualified apprenticeship program model in those identified in-demand occupations; and (3) prepare and submit to States and Congress a report that contains the analysis described in paragraph (2).
The bill would authorize Congress to provide $15 million for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031 to carry out the act. This would authorize funding, rather than itself appropriate the money for spending.
4. Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated September 25, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Education and Workforce on March 3, 2025. It does not establish later action or enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-25T08:06:31Z. 2025-03-03: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. 2025-03-03: Introduced in House 2025-03-03: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-03. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; formal earmark status in accompanying materials cannot be established from the bundle.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment beyond the program's ordinary eligibility and access provisions was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not cover other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 25, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI