Congress funds retraining for workers losing jobs to automation
H.R. 7585 — Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act of 2026 · Filed by Brad Schneider (D-IL) · Introduced Feb 13, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a new federal grant program to help workers displaced by automation and advanced technology. The Department of Labor will award competitive grants to partnerships of employers, training providers, and workforce boards to run pilot training programs that teach workers new skills for in-demand jobs, with priority given to programs serving low-income workers, communities of color, and women. The bill also expands existing workforce training programs to explicitly include automation-displaced workers and authorizes $40 million annually for national dislocated worker grants.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is direct federal funding for worker training and support services targeted at automation-displaced workers. It is a public investment in human capital and labor-market adaptation, not a tax provision, regulatory change, or commemorative measure.
What the text implies
- The bill's success depends on appropriations; 'such sums as may be necessary' is authorization language, not a guaranteed budget. Actual funding levels will be determined by annual appropriations battles.
- Grants are awarded on a 'competitive basis' to 'eligible partnerships'—this creates discretion in the Department of Labor to select winners, potentially favoring certain regions, industries, or partnership models over others.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
workforce training providers and educational institutions; employers participating in grant-funded training programs; technology sector employers (explicit focus on tech-sector occupations)