[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8051 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8051
To ensure that qualified technical schools offering certain career
pathway and job training programs have the same access to Federal
grants as 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 24, 2026
Mr. Kennedy of Utah (for himself and Mr. Owens) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that qualified technical schools offering certain career
pathway and job training programs have the same access to Federal
grants as 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education, 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 ``Transforming Education through
College and Hands-On Training Act'' or the ``TECH Act''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION TO ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
qualified technical school shall be eligible to participate in any
covered Federal grant program to the same extent, and on the same
basis, as any 2-year or 4-year institution of higher education.
(b) Agency Action.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall--
(1) modify the eligibility criteria and application
procedures for the covered Federal grant programs under the
jurisdiction of such Secretary, as necessary, to ensure that
qualified technical schools are eligible to participate in the
program to the same extent, and on the same basis, as 2-year
and 4-year institutions of higher education, as required under
subsection (a); and
(2) issue guidance that specifies how grants under such
program should be dispersed among qualified technical schools
and 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education to
ensure that the sectors and occupations described in subsection
(c)(4)(A)(ii) have an adequate workforce pipeline to replace
the aging and retiring current employees.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) 2-year or 4-year institution of higher education.--The
term ``2-year or 4-year institution of higher education'' means
in institution described in section 101(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C 1001(a)).
(2) Covered federal grant program.--The term ``covered
Federal grant program'' means the following:
(A) Grants made by the Department of Education
under--
(i) the Strengthening Institutions Program
authorized under part A of title III of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1057 et
seq.);
(ii) the Federal TRIO Program authorized
under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et seq.); and
(iii) the Child Care Access Means Parents
in School Program (commonly known as the
``CCAMPIS Program'') authorized under section
419N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1070e).
(B) Grants made by the Department of Labor under
the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants
Program authorized under the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.).
(3) Eligible career pathway program.--The term ``eligible
career pathway program'' means a program that--
(A) meets the requirements of section 484(d)(2) of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1091(d)(2));
(B) is listed on the provider list under section
122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(29 U.S.C. 3152(d));
(C) is part of a career pathway, as defined in
section 3 of that Act (29 U.S.C. 3102); and
(D) is aligned to a program of study as defined in
section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(4) Eligible job training program.--
(A) In general.--The term ``eligible job training
program'' means a career and technical education
program at qualified technical school that--
(i) is a program of at least 150 clock
hours of instruction, but less than 600 clock
hours of instruction, or an equivalent number
of credit hours, offered by a qualified
technical school during a minimum of 8 weeks,
but less than 15 weeks;
(ii) provides training that is--
(I) in a sector or occupation
determined by the Secretary concerned
to be essential for national security,
public safety, supply chain security,
transportation, critical manufacturing
or infrastructure, healthcare, or
public health; and
(II) aligned with the requirements
of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand
industry sectors or occupations in the
State or local area, as determined by
an industry or sector partnership;
(iii) is a program of training services,
and provided through an eligible training
provider, as described under section 122(d) of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(29 U.S.C. 3152(d));
(iv) provides a student, upon completion of
the program, with a recognized postsecondary
credential that is recognized by employers in
the relevant industry, including credentials
recognized by industry or sector partnerships
in the relevant industry in the State or local
area where the industry is located and the job
training program is provided;
(v) has been determined by the school
(after validation of that determination by an
industry or sector partnership) to provide
academic content, an amount of instructional
time, and a recognized postsecondary credential
that are sufficient to--
(I) meet the hiring requirements of
potential employers; and
(II) satisfy any applicable
educational prerequisite requirement
for professional licensure or
certification, so that the student who
completes the program and seeks
employment qualifies to take any
licensure or certification examination
needed to practice or find employment
in an occupation that the program
prepares students to enter;
(vi) may include integrated education and
training;
(vii) may be offered as part of an eligible
career pathway program; and
(viii) does not exceed by more than 50
percent the minimum number of clock hours
required for training if the State has
established such a requirement.
(B) Approval by the secretary.--In the case of a
program that is seeking to establish eligibility as an
eligible job training program under this paragraph, the
Secretary of Education shall make a determination about
whether the program meets the requirements of this
paragraph not more than 60 days after the date on which
such program is submitted for consideration as an
eligible job training program.
(C) Additional assurance.--The Secretary of
Education shall not determine that a program is an
eligible job training program in accordance with
subparagraph (B) unless the Secretary receives a
certification from the appropriate State board
containing an assurance that the program meets the
requirements of subparagraph (A).
(5) Qualified technical school.--The term ``qualified
technical school'' means a postsecondary vocational institution
(as defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c)) that--
(A) offers an eligible career pathway program or an
eligible job training program; and
(B) is located in the United States.
(6) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Education, with respect to
covered Federal grant programs administered by the
Department of Education; and
(B) the Secretary of Labor, with respect to a
covered Federal grant programs administered by the
Department of Labor.
(7) WIOA terms.--The terms ``industry or sector
partnership'', ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'',
``recognized postsecondary credential'', and ``State board''
have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
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