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HR10402119th CongressWALLET

Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

Introduced

Summary

Mandatory labor, apprenticeship, community benefits, and domestic manufacturing rules for DOE-funded construction projects. It ties DOE construction assistance to prevailing local wages, a 15% apprenticeship-hour target, union-neutrality and project labor agreement requirements, enforceable community benefits with a 40% focus on small and disadvantaged communities, and limits on offshoring of assisted manufacturing.

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  • Workers and unions: Requires payment of prevailing local wages and at least 15% of total labor hours to registered apprentices. Projects over $1 million must use project labor agreements and recipients must certify neutrality with contractors.
  • Small and disadvantaged communities: Directs that at least 40% of listed DOE program funding go to entities that deliver measurable community benefits. Applicants must do community needs assessments and post plan summaries and progress on a public dashboard.
  • Recipients and manufacturers: Requires domestic manufacturing plans and gives preferences to union-covered production and joint training programs. It bars moving assisted manufacturing abroad during assistance and for five years after unless the Secretary authorizes it and creates enforcement tools like withholding or recapturing funds for noncompliance.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Higher pay and apprenticeships on DOE projects

If enacted, workers on construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair work assisted by the Energy Department would have to be paid at least local prevailing wages under Davis‑Bacon. At least 15% of total project labor hours would need to be performed by registered apprentices. The Labor and Energy Departments could review compliance and could withhold, recapture, or terminate funds for projects that fail to follow the rules. DOE would publish yearly reports on wage and apprenticeship compliance and name noncompliant entities.

Project labor agreements for big DOE projects

If enacted, contractors and subcontractors on Energy Department facility projects that cost more than $1,000,000 and start after enactment would need to sign or join a project labor agreement for the project. PLAs would be expected to include registered apprentices, meet apprentice-to-journey-worker ratios, and seek local hire and underrepresented-worker participation where allowed by law. DOE could withhold or recapture funds for failure to follow PLA commitments.

More DOE help for disadvantaged communities

If enacted, the Energy Department would aim to direct at least 40% of certain grants, loans, and prize funding to projects that commit to specific, measurable benefits for small or disadvantaged communities. Applicants would have to include a community needs assessment and legally enforceable workforce or community agreements that show how jobs, training, local hiring, wages, and benefits will reach disadvantaged people. DOE would post summaries of plans (excluding PLAs), create rules and metrics, and report to Congress within one year and annually after that.

Buy American rules for DOE-funded products

If enacted, applicants for DOE grants, loans, or prizes who plan to manufacture products would have to submit a domestic manufacturing plan and commit to making products substantially in the United States. The Secretary would favor plans that use workers covered by collective bargaining and registered apprenticeships with documented training. Recipients could not move production abroad during aid and for five years after completion without the Secretary's approval. DOE could review compliance and recover or withhold funds for failures.

Rules to stay neutral on union organizing

If enacted, any entity that gets DOE grants, loans, loan guarantees, cooperative agreements, or prize awards would need to certify it will remain neutral about employees' rights to organize under federal law for the term of the assistance. Contractors and subcontractors in the funding chain would also have to make the same pledge and recipients would be responsible for compliance. The Department would post these certifications online and could act when businesses fail to keep the pledge.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

NY • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 9/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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