# 119-hr-2281: Strengthening Job Corps Act of 2025 119-hr-2281, Strengthening Job Corps Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-05-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2281 - As of: 2026-05-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-hr-2281 - Congress: 119 - Title: Strengthening Job Corps Act of 2025 - Status: introduced - Introduced: 2025-03-21 - Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL) - Cosponsors: 0 - Policy area: Labor and Employment - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-05-17 ## Summary **Modernizes and reauthorizes the Job Corps to strengthen campus operations, accountability, staffing, and student supports.** It updates who can enroll, shifts contracts toward performance-based awards, applies the Service Contract Act to campus workers, and sets funding levels through FY2026–FY2031. - Students and opportunity youth gain broader access and supports. The bill sets enrollment at ages 16–24 with an upper waiver to 28 for people with disabilities or justice-involvement, adds pregnancy and low-income status as eligibility factors, extends post-exit support from 3 to 12 months, and lets graduates stay on campus up to 1 month to transition. - Workers, instructors, and contractors must meet wage and labor rules. The McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act applies to campus contractors and instructional staff and operators must budget wages and fringe benefits at or above Labor Department locality determinations, updated annually. - Campus operations and funding focus on performance and improvement. Operators are chosen on best value with performance metrics for employment, earnings, and credentials, campuses are ranked by performance (top 25% and bottom 10%), low-performing campuses may host experimental projects with waivers that do not cut student slots, and the bill authorizes roughly $11.9 billion for FY2026–FY2031 with $107.8 million reserved each year for construction. *Authorizes appropriations totaling about $11.9 billion for FY2026–FY2031, including $107.8 million annually for construction; if fully appropriated this would increase federal spending by those amounts.* ## Provisions PRIA read - More funding for Job Corps, 2026–2031: benefit, high. If enacted, Congress would authorize Job Corps funding each year from FY2026 to FY2031: $1.81 billion, $1.87 billion, $1.94 billion, $2.01 billion, $2.08 billion, and $2.15 billion. Each year, $107.8 million would be set aside for campus construction and repairs. The Department could, subject to ap… - Wider Job Corps access and support: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would widen who can join Job Corps. You could enroll at ages 16–24, with waivers up to 28 for people with disabilities or justice-involved individuals. It would add pregnancy, a low-income test (using Higher Education Act procedures), and residents of qualified Opportunity Zone… - Faster Forest Service hiring for Job Corps grads: benefit, low. If enacted, the Agriculture Secretary could directly hire a Civilian Conservation Center graduate into a Forest Service job when the graduate meets federal job standards. This would apply to graduates who completed training in forestry, wildland firefighting, or related work, and it would not waive… - Who owns new Job Corps property: cost, low. If enacted, any real estate bought for Job Corps use would have to be transferred to the Secretary under federal property rules. The transfer would be nonreimbursable, so the buyer would not be paid back. - Higher pay standards for campus staff: mixed, medium. If enacted, Job Corps operators and subcontractors would need to follow the Service Contract Act, and instructors would count as covered service employees. The Secretary would update existing agreements within 60 days, subject to funding, and add these terms to pending bids. Bidders’ staffing plans… - Safer Job Corps campuses and reporting: mixed, medium. If enacted, each campus director would set clear behavior rules with positive supports. Directors could discipline or dismiss students for serious violence or illegal acts under a zero-tolerance policy. Directors would sign reporting agreements with local police. The Secretary would require reporti… - Stronger performance and operator rules: mixed, low. If enacted, the operator’s contract would serve as the campus operating plan, posted online without proprietary details, and operators could hire staff and partner locally within their budgets. Awards to run campuses would use best value and a published past-performance score, and a mentor-protégé… ## Related bills - 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 - 119-hr-9497: Water Resources Development Act of 2026 - 119-hr-10421: Transforming Education for the Future Act - 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025 - 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act - 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 ## Sources - [119-hr-2281 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2281) ## Related - [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877) - [119-hr-9497: Water Resources Development Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9497) - [119-hr-10421: Transforming Education for the Future Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10421) - [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669) - [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977) - [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2281 (as of 2026-05-17).