Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22]
Introduced
Summary
Federal grants to scale immersive technology career training. This bill would create a competitive Department of Labor grant program to fund augmented, virtual, and mixed reality education and training that builds career pathways into in-demand industries and supports accessibility.
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- Workers and jobseekers: Grants would fund programs that prepare people for in-demand jobs and retrain workers from declining sectors. Projects can lead to recognized postsecondary credentials.
- Community colleges and training providers: Eligible entities include covered community colleges, area career and technical schools, and consortia. Grants run for up to five years and can fund instructor training and program design.
- Employers and industry partners: Priority goes to programs that collaborate with employers or plan to hire graduates and to proposals that use data to match employer needs.
- People with disabilities and rural communities: Programs must ensure accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act and WIOA rules and get higher priority for serving individuals with barriers and rural areas.
- Oversight and learning: Recipients must report progress and the Secretary must reserve 1% to 5% of funds for independent evaluation and technical assistance and publish best practices by year three.
*This bill would increase federal spending by authorizing $50 million per year from 2026 through 2035.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New immersive tech training grants
If enacted, the Department of Labor would run a competitive grant program to fund immersive technology education and training. The program would get $50,000,000 each year from 2026 through 2035. The Department would have to award grants within one year after enactment. Grants could last up to five years, and a grantee could not get another grant for the same purpose. Between 1% and 5% of each year's funds would be reserved for independent evaluation and technical help. Grants would prioritize employer partnerships, programs that serve students (including service members and veterans), people with barriers to employment, and rural communities. Recipients would report program performance and the Department would publish best practices by the third grant year.
Definitions for training program
If enacted, the bill would set key definitions for the grant program. It would define covered community colleges and which higher education and vocational institutions count as eligible entities. It would define immersive technology to include virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. It would also define 'rural' versus 'urban' by population thresholds and say WIOA training services apply. These definitions would affect who can apply and which applicants get priority.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8]
CO • R
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 1/27/2026
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
Sponsored 8/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov