[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4321 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4321
To reauthorize the YouthBuild program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 16 (legislative day, April 14), 2026
Mr. Markey (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Kaine, and Mr. Coons)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the YouthBuild program, 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 ``YouthBuild for the Future Act''.
SEC. 2. YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM.
Section 171 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
U.S.C. 3226) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) Reservation; amount of grants.--
``(A) Reservation.--In any fiscal year in which the
amount appropriated to carry out this section is
greater than $125,000,000, the Secretary shall reserve
20 percent of the portion of such amount that is
greater than $125,000,000 for--
``(i) grants to applicants that are located
in rural areas (as defined by the Secretary);
and
``(ii) grants for programs operated by a
tribe, organization, or entity described in
section 166(c) or for the benefit of Indians,
Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians (as the 3
terms are defined in section 166(b)) for the
purpose of carrying out YouthBuild programs
approved under this section.
``(B) Amount of grants.--After making the
reservation described in subparagraph (A), the
Secretary may use the remaining amount appropriated to
carry out this section to make grants to applicants for
the purpose of carrying out YouthBuild programs
approved under this section.'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), in clause
(iv)(II), by striking ``language''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(I) Provision of meals and other food assistance
that is offered to participants in conjunction with
another activity described in this paragraph.
``(J) Informing participants of their eligibility,
and assisting participants in applying, for Federal and
State means tested benefit programs, such as the
supplemental nutrition assistance program established
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011
et seq.), and assistance provided by the State through
the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq.).
``(K) Supportive services for individuals with
disabilities to ensure such individuals may fully
participate in a YouthBuild program.''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Use of funds for match.--An entity which receives a
grant under this section may use a portion of such grant funds
to meet all or a portion of the requirement to provide matching
funds under section 121(e) of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571(e)) or any other such
requirements under such Act (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.), if the
funds are used consistent with the requirements described under
subsection (e)(3).'';
(2) in subsection (e)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``youth
offender'' and inserting ``youth justice-involved
individual''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``are basic
skills deficient'' and inserting ``have foundational
skill needs'';
(3) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Consultation.--In establishing expected levels of
performance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult,
on not less than an annual basis, with entities carrying out
YouthBuild programs to ensure such levels of performance
account for the workforce development and postsecondary
education experiences of youth served by such programs.'';
(4) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Annual release of funding opportunity announcement.--
The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent practicable,
announce new funding opportunities for grants under this
section during the same time period each year such grants are
announced.
``(5) State wage data.--A State receiving grants under this
section shall facilitate access for entities carrying out
YouthBuild programs in the State to wage data of participants
in YouthBuild programs for the purpose of meeting the
requirements of this section. Such facilitation shall not
reduce any protections afforded by the State which protect the
privacy of participant information.''; and
(5) by amending subsection (i) to read as follows:
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
``(1) $159,500,000 for fiscal year 2027;
``(2) $167,500,000 for fiscal year 2028;
``(3) $175,900,000 for fiscal year 2029;
``(4) $184,700,000 for fiscal year 2030;
``(5) $193,000,000 for fiscal year 2031; and
``(6) $203,600,000 for fiscal year 2032.''.
SEC. 3. YOUTHBUILD EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIPS.
(a) Partnership.--Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act is amended by inserting after section 171 (29
U.S.C. 3226) the following:
``SEC. 171A. YOUTHBUILD EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIPS.
``(a) In General.--Using funds appropriated under section 172(e),
the Secretary shall award grants to eligible consortia for the purposes
of developing partnerships, and developing, implementing, and
expanding, through those partnerships, employment and training
opportunities for participants of YouthBuild programs.
``(b) Eligible Consortia.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, a consortium shall consist of--
``(1) an entity carrying out a YouthBuild program; and
``(2) a public or private employer in the State, region, or
local area where such program is located.
``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, such a consortium shall submit an application at such time, in
such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, including--
``(1) a description of the results of a needs assessment
completed by such consortium on the needs of employers in the
proposed service area for employees and of participants in the
YouthBuild program for employment;
``(2) a description, listing the members, of any
partnerships that the consortium may utilize to carry out
employment and training opportunities under this section;
``(3) based on the results of the needs assessment
described under paragraph (1) and the potential partnership
described under paragraph (2), a description of the proposed
uses of the grant funds by such consortium; and
``(4) a description of how the consortium will evaluate the
effectiveness of the employment and training opportunities the
consortium plans to provide under this section.
``(d) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to eligible entities that propose to carry out a
partnership with a joint labor-management apprenticeship program.
``(e) Uses of Funds.--A consortium that receives a grant under this
section shall use the funds from such grant to develop a partnership,
or to develop, implement, or expand, through those partnerships,
employment and training opportunities for participants in the
YouthBuild program. Such employment and training opportunities shall be
aligned with the characteristics of the labor market in the proposed
service area and meet the needs of employers in such area.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 172 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections
(f) and (g), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) YouthBuild Employer Partnership.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to
carry out section 171A.''.
(c) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended by inserting,
after the item relating to section 171, the following:
``Sec. 171A. YouthBuild employer partnerships.''.
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