Leveraging Educational Opportunity Networks Act
Sponsored By: Representative Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
Introduced
Summary
Creates competitive grants to build employer-aligned career and technical training that pays a living wage. The bill would fund consortia of nonprofits, national training organizations, and accredited career networks to design programs tied to local employer demand and to provide pre-enrollment supports, stipends, and other services to help disadvantaged learners complete training and get hired.
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- Families and trainees: Programs must run at least 12 weeks, lead to a recognized postsecondary credential, pay enrollees a living wage, and prioritize learners who read at or below a 6th grade level or come from low-income, rural, or justice-impacted backgrounds. At least 50 percent of enrollees must come from these priority groups.
- Employers: Grants require partnerships with living-wage employers who help design curricula, offer internships, sponsor hiring events, and accept credentialed graduates. Applications get priority in specified industries such as construction, IT, health care, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, shipbuilding, and disaster recovery.
- Training providers and federal oversight: Eligible consortia must operate in at least 10 States and use at least 70 percent of grant funds for program delivery and need-based stipends. Grantees must report annual outcomes including earnings before and after training, short- and long-term unsubsidized employment rates, starting wages, and credential attainment.
*Would authorize $30 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2029, totaling $120 million, increasing federal spending.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants for living wage job training
This bill would create a competitive Department of Labor grant program to fund new career and technical education (CTE) training. Grants would go to consortia that include at least one qualifying partner, such as a 501(c)(3) or a national training group with members in 10 or more States. Funded CTE programs would run at least 12 weeks, operate in at least 10 States, pay enrollees a living wage, and award a recognized postsecondary credential. At least 70 percent of each grant would have to pay for program development and need-based stipends. Programs would prioritize people who read at or below a 6th-grade level and ensure at least 50 percent of enrollees are offenders, low-income or otherwise underserved. Grants could also pay for transportation, child care, housing, pre-enrollment coaching, internships, and other supportive services. The Secretary would prioritize proposals in specified industries and require annual reports on earnings, employment at 30–90 and 280–365 days after exit, starting wages, and credential attainment. The bill would authorize $30 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out the program.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Edwards
NC • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
NC • D
Sponsored 8/19/2025
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 8/19/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov