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119-hr-8196119th CongressWALLET

Workforce Data Quality Initiative Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a new grant program to fund and build standardized workforce data systems across states. It would link education, employment, and training records to improve performance reporting, make labor market and credential data more timely and usable, and require privacy protections.

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  • Workers and families would get better job and earnings tracking and access to interoperable learning and employment records they can own and share, helping with job searches and credential recognition.
  • State and local agencies could compete for grants that must use between 5 percent and 10 percent of certain reserved WIOA funds each year. Grants may last up to 3 years and require privacy plans, sustainability strategies, and reporting to the Secretary.
  • Training providers, employers, and researchers would gain clearer performance measures under section 116, more standardized credential data, and improved multistate labor market information for hiring and program design.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Grants to improve workforce data

If enacted, the bill would create a Workforce Data Quality Initiative to fund state and multistate data systems. The Secretary of Labor would set aside between 5% and 10% of amounts made available under WIOA section 132(a)(2)(A) each program year for grants, and could also use funds under section 172(d). Grants could run up to three years and recipients would have to report to the Secretary within 180 days after a grant ends. Funds would have to supplement, not replace, other Federal, State, or local funds. Eligible applicants would be State agencies or consortia that manage unemployment wage records, labor market information, and WIOA programs. Grant funds would be used to build or link statewide longitudinal data (including K–12 and postsecondary), create interoperable learning and employment records that individuals choose to join, expand credential registries and navigation tools, join multistate earnings and employment analyses, strengthen privacy and security, and give local workforce boards better data access.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]

WA • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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