II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4205 

To require the Secretary of Labor to award grants for promoting industry 

or sector partnerships to encourage industry growth and competitiveness 

and to improve worker training, retention, and advancement as part 

of an infrastructure investment. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 30, 2024 

Mr. KAINE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Labor to award grants for promoting industry or sector partnerships to encourage industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training, retention, and advancement as part of an 

infrastructure investment. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Building U.S. Infra5 structure by Leveraging Demands for Skills’’ or the 

6 ‘‘BUILDS Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

2 The purpose of this Act is to promote industry or 

3 sector partnerships that engage in collaborative planning, 

4 resource alignment, and training efforts across multiple 

5 businesses, for a range of workers employed or potentially 

6 employed by infrastructure industries, in order to encour7 age industry growth and competitiveness and to improve 

8 worker training, retention, and advancement. 

9 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

10 In this Act: 

11 (1) APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.—The term 

12 ‘‘apprenticeship program’’ means a program of ap13 prenticeship under the Act of August 16, 1937 

14 (commonly known as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship 

15 Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et 

16 seq.). 

17 (2) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION; CA18 REER GUIDANCE AND ACADEMIC COUNSELING.—The 

19 terms ‘‘career and technical education’’ and ‘‘career 

20 guidance and academic counseling’’ have the mean21 ings given such terms in section 3 of the Carl D. 

22 Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 

23 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302). 

24 (3) CAREER PATHWAY; ECONOMIC DEVELOP25 MENT AGENCY.—The terms ‘‘career pathway’’ and 

26 ‘‘economic development agency’’ have the meanings 


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1 given such terms in section 3 of the Workforce Inno2 vation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

3 (4) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘eligi4 ble partnership’’ means a partnership that is an in5 dustry or sector partnership, or, with respect to an 

6 implementation grant, a partnership that is in the 

7 process of establishing an industry or sector partner8 ship. 

9 (5) IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.—The term ‘‘im10 plementation grant’’, with respect to a grant under 

11 this Act, means a grant described in section 

12 4(b)(1)(A). 

13 (6) INDIVIDUAL WITH A BARRIER TO EMPLOY14 MENT; INDUSTRY OR SECTOR PARTNERSHIP; LOCAL

15 BOARD; RECOGNIZED POSTSECONDARY CREDEN16 TIAL.—The terms ‘‘individual with a barrier to em17 ployment’’, ‘‘industry or sector partnership’’, ‘‘local 

18 board’’, and ‘‘recognized postsecondary credential’’ 

19 have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of 

20 the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. 

21 (7) RENEWAL GRANT.—The term ‘‘renewal 

22 grant’’, with respect to a grant under this Act, 

23 means a grant described in section 4(b)(1)(B). 

24 (8) SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec25 ondary school’’ has the meaning given such term in 


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1 section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor2 tunity Act. 

3 (9) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

4 the Secretary of Labor. 

5 (10) STATE; STATE BOARD.—The terms 

6 ‘‘State’’ and ‘‘State board’’ have the meanings given 

7 such terms in section 3 of such Act. 

8 (11) TARGETED INFRASTRUCTURE INDUS9 TRY.—The term ‘‘targeted infrastructure industry’’ 

10 means an industry, including transportation (includ11 ing surface, transit, maritime, aviation, or railway 

12 transportation), construction, energy, information 

13 technology, or utilities industries, that the eligible 

14 partnership identifies in accordance with section 5(c) 

15 to be served by a grant under this Act. 

16 (12) WORK-BASED LEARNING PROGRAM.— 

17 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘work-based 

18 learning program’’ means a program (which 

19 may be an apprenticeship program) that pro20 vides workers with paid work experience and 

21 corresponding approved classroom instruction, 

22 delivered in an employment relationship that 

23 both the employer and worker intend to lead to 

24 continuing employment after the program ends. 


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1 (B) PAID WORK EXPERIENCE.—In sub2 paragraph (A), the term ‘‘paid work experi3 ence’’ includes training by an employer that is 

4 provided to a paid employee while engaged in 

5 productive work in a job that provides knowl6 edge or skills essential to the full and adequate 

7 performance of the job. 

8 SEC. 4. GRANTS AUTHORIZED. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 

10 with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of En11 ergy, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Edu12 cation, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 

13 Agency, and the Chief of Engineers and Commanding 

14 General of the Army Corps of Engineers, shall award, on 

15 a competitive basis, grants to eligible partnerships to plan 

16 and implement activities described in section 6 to achieve 

17 the strategic objectives described in section 5(d) with re18 spect to a targeted infrastructure industry. 

19 (b) GRANTS.— 

20 (1) TYPES OF GRANTS.—A grant awarded 

21 under this Act may be in the form of— 

22 (A) an implementation grant, for eligible 

23 partnerships seeking an initial grant under this 

24 Act; or 


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1 (B) a renewal grant for eligible partner2 ships that have already received an implementa3 tion grant under this Act. 

4 (2) DURATION.—Each grant awarded under 

5 this Act shall be for a period not to exceed 3 years. 

6 (3) AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant awarded 

7 under this Act may not exceed— 

8 (A) for an implementation grant, 

9 $2,500,000; and 

10 (B) for a renewal grant, $1,500,000. 

11 (c) AWARD BASIS.— 

12 (1) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.—The Secretary 

13 shall award grants under this Act in a manner that 

14 ensures geographic diversity in the areas in which 

15 activities will be carried out under the grants. 

16 (2) PRIORITY FOR RENEWAL GRANTS.—In 

17 awarding renewal grants under this Act, the Sec18 retary shall give priority to eligible partnerships 

19 that— 

20 (A) demonstrate long-term sustainability of 

21 an industry or sector partnership; 

22 (B) demonstrate success in improving ac23 cess to and retention in work-based learning 

24 programs for individuals with barriers to emVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:34 May 21, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4205.IS S4205

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1 ployment and those underrepresented in the in2 frastructure industry; and 

3 (C) agree to provide a non-Federal share 

4 of the cost of the activities that will be carried 

5 out under the grant. 

6 SEC. 5. APPLICATION PROCESS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible partnership desiring a 

8 grant under this Act shall submit an application to the 

9 Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 

10 such information as the Secretary may require, including 

11 the contents described in subsection (b). 

12 (b) CONTENTS.—An application submitted under this 

13 Act shall contain, at a minimum— 

14 (1) a description of the eligible partnership, evi15 dence of the eligible partnership’s capacity to carry 

16 out activities to achieve the strategic objectives de17 scribed in subsection (d), and the expected participa18 tion and responsibilities of each of the partners in19 cluded in the eligible partnership; 

20 (2) a description of the targeted infrastructure 

21 industry served by the grant and a description of 

22 how such industry was identified in accordance with 

23 subsection (c); 

24 (3) a description of the workers that will be tar25 geted or recruited by the eligible partnership, includVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:34 May 21, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4205.IS S4205

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1 ing an analysis of the existing labor market, a de2 scription of potential barriers to employment for tar3 geted workers, and a description of strategies that 

4 will be employed to help workers overcome such bar5 riers; 

6 (4) a description of the federally-, State-, or lo7 cally-funded infrastructure projects on which the eli8 gible partnership anticipates engaging partners; 

9 (5) a description of the strategic objectives de10 scribed in subsection (d) that the eligible partnership 

11 intends to achieve concerning the targeted infra12 structure industry; 

13 (6) a description of the credentials that the eli14 gible partnership proposes to use or develop as a 

15 performance measure to assess the degree to which 

16 the eligible partnership has achieved such strategic 

17 objectives, which such credentials— 

18 (A) shall be nationally portable; 

19 (B) shall be recognized postsecondary cre20 dentials or, if not available for the industry, 

21 other credentials determined by the Secretary 

22 to be appropriate; 

23 (C) shall be related to the targeted infra24 structure industry that the eligible partnership 

25 proposes to support; and 


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1 (D) may be credentials for an apprentice2 ship program; 

3 (7) a description of the manner in which the eli4 gible partnership intends to make sustainable 

5 progress towards achieving such strategic objectives; 

6 (8) performance measures for measuring 

7 progress towards achieving such strategic objectives; 

8 (9) a description of the Federal and non-Fed9 eral resources, available under provisions of law 

10 other than this Act, that will be leveraged in support 

11 of the partnerships and activities under this Act; 

12 and 

13 (10) a timeline for progress towards achieving 

14 such strategic objectives. 

15 (c) TARGETED INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY.—Each 

16 grant under this Act shall serve a targeted infrastructure 

17 industry that is identified by the eligible partnership 

18 through working with businesses, industry associations 

19 and organizations, labor organizations, State boards, local 

20 boards, economic development agencies, and other organi21 zations that the eligible partnership determines necessary. 

22 (d) STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.—The activities to be 

23 carried out under each grant awarded under this Act shall 

24 be designed to achieve strategic objectives that include the 

25 following: 


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1 (1) Recruiting key stakeholders in the targeted 

2 infrastructure industry, such as multiple businesses, 

3 labor organizations, local boards, and education and 

4 training providers (including providers of career and 

5 technical education) and regularly convening the 

6 stakeholders in a collaborative structure that sup7 ports the sharing of information, ideas, and chal8 lenges common to the targeted infrastructure indus9 try. 

10 (2) Supporting the training needs of multiple 

11 businesses in the targeted infrastructure industry, 

12 including needs— 

13 (A) for skills critical to competitiveness 

14 and innovation in the industry; 

15 (B) of the apprenticeship programs or 

16 other work-based learning programs supported 

17 by the grant; and 

18 (C) related to integrating career pathways. 

19 (3) Facilitating actions that lead to economies 

20 of scale by aggregating training and education needs 

21 of multiple businesses. 

22 (4) Helping postsecondary educational institu23 tions, training institutions, sponsors of apprentice24 ship programs, and all other providers of career and 

25 technical education and training programs receiving 


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1 assistance under this Act, align curricula, entrance 

2 requirements, and programs to the targeted infra3 structure industry needs and the credentials de4 scribed in subsection (b)(6), particularly for higher 

5 skill, high-priority occupations related to the tar6 geted infrastructure industry. 

7 (5) Providing information on the grant activi8 ties to the State agency carrying out the State pro9 gram under the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49 

10 et seq.), including staff of the agency that provide 

11 services under such Act, to enable the agency to in12 form recipients of unemployment compensation of 

13 the employment and training opportunities that may 

14 be offered through the grant activities. 

15 (6) Helping partner businesses in industry or 

16 sector partnerships to attract and retain workers 

17 from a diverse jobseeker base, including individuals 

18 with barriers to employment and those underrep19 resented in the industry or sector, by identifying any 

20 such barriers through analysis of the labor market 

21 and implementing strategies to help such workers 

22 overcome such barriers. 

23 (7) Expanding the number of individuals with 

24 a barrier to employment who have access to training 

25 and education opportunities that are aligned with 


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1 business needs and providing those individuals with 

2 supports necessary to address the barrier to their 

3 employment. 

4 SEC. 6. ACTIVITIES. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible partnership receiving 

6 a grant under this Act shall— 

7 (1) designate an entity in the eligible partner8 ship as the fiscal agent for the grant funds; and 

9 (2) carry out activities described in subsections 

10 (b) (as applicable), (c), and (d) to achieve the stra11 tegic objectives identified in the eligible partnership’s 

12 application under section 5(b)(5), in a manner that 

13 integrates services and funding sources to ensure ef14 fectiveness of the activities and that uses the grant 

15 funds efficiently. 

16 (b) PLANNING ACTIVITIES.—An eligible partnership 

17 receiving an implementation grant under this Act shall use 

18 not more than $250,000 of the grant funds to carry out 

19 planning activities during the first year of the grant pe20 riod. Such activities may include— 

21 (1) establishing the industry or sector partner22 ship; 

23 (2) convening key stakeholders as identified in 

24 the application process; 


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1 (3) conducting outreach to local businesses and 

2 business associations; 

3 (4) conducting an evaluation of workforce needs 

4 in the local area; or 

5 (5) recruiting individuals with barriers to em6 ployment. 

7 (c) BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT.—An eligible partner8 ship receiving a grant under this Act shall use the grant 

9 funds to provide services to engage businesses in efforts 

10 to achieve the strategic objectives identified in the eligible 

11 partnership’s application under section 5(b)(5). Such serv12 ices may include assisting businesses— 

13 (1) in navigating the registration process for a 

14 sponsor of an apprenticeship program; 

15 (2) by connecting the business with an edu16 cation provider, including a provider of career and 

17 technical education, to develop classroom instruction 

18 to complement on-the-job learning; 

19 (3) in developing the curriculum design of a 

20 work-based learning program; 

21 (4) in employing workers participating in a 

22 work-based learning program for a transitional pe23 riod before a business hires the worker for full-time 

24 employment of not less than 30 hours a week; 


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1 (5) in providing training to managers and 

2 front-line workers to serve as trainers or mentors to 

3 workers participating in a work-based learning pro4 gram; 

5 (6) in providing career awareness activities, 

6 such as career guidance and academic counseling; 

7 and 

8 (7) in recruiting, for participation in a work9 based learning program, individuals eligible to re10 ceive additional workforce or human services, includ11 ing— 

12 (A) individuals participating in programs 

13 under the Workforce Innovation and Oppor14 tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), and the 

15 amendments made by such Act, including to the 

16 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et 

17 seq.); 

18 (B) recipients of assistance through the 

19 supplemental nutrition assistance program es20 tablished under the Food and Nutrition Act of 

21 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); 

22 (C) recipients of assistance through the 

23 program of block grants to States for tem24 porary assistance for needy families established 


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1 under part A of title IV of the Social Security 

2 Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or 

3 (D) any other individuals with a barrier to 

4 employment. 

5 (d) SUPPORT SERVICES.—An eligible partnership re6 ceiving a grant under this Act shall use the grant funds 

7 to provide services to support the success and retention 

8 of individuals described in subsection (c)(7) who are par9 ticipating in a work-based learning program for a period 

10 of not less than 12 months. Such services may include the 

11 following: 

12 (1) PRE-EMPLOYMENT SERVICES.—Services, 

13 provided in a pre-employment stage of the program, 

14 to expand access to a work-based learning program 

15 for individuals described in subsection (c)(7). Such 

16 services may include— 

17 (A) skills training; 

18 (B) career and technical education or adult 

19 basic education; 

20 (C) initial skills assessments; 

21 (D) providing work attire, necessary tools 

22 for a work site, and other required items nec23 essary to start employment; 

24 (E) wrap-around services, such as child 

25 care and transportation; and 


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1 (F) job placement assistance. 

2 (2) EARLY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES.—Services 

3 provided to individuals described in subsection (c)(7) 

4 who are participating in a work-based learning pro5 gram during their first 6 months of employment 

6 through such program to assure the individuals suc7 ceed in the program. Such services may include— 

8 (A) ongoing case management and support 

9 services, including the services provided in the 

10 pre-employment stage described in paragraph 

11 (1); 

12 (B) continued skills training, including ca13 reer and technical education conducted in col14 laboration with employers of such individuals; 

15 (C) additional mentorship and retention 

16 supports for such individuals; 

17 (D) targeted training for frontline man18 agers, journey-level workers working with such 

19 individuals (such as mentors), and human re20 source representatives within the business 

21 where such individuals are placed; and 

22 (E) wages and benefits for a period of not 

23 more than 6 months, during which the eligible 

24 partnership shall serve as the employer of 

25 record of such individuals. 


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1 (3) EMPLOYMENT SERVICES.—Services to en2 sure the individuals described in paragraph (2) 

3 maintain employment in the work-based learning 

4 program for at least 12 months. The services shall 

5 include support necessary to complete the work6 based learning program, such as continuation of 

7 mentoring and support services provided under para8 graph (2). 

9 (e) EVALUATION AND PROGRESS REPORTS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

11 receiving a grant under this Act, and annually there12 after, the eligible partnership receiving the grant 

13 shall submit a report to the Secretary and the Gov14 ernor of the State that the eligible partnership 

15 serves, that— 

16 (A) describes the activities funded by the 

17 grant; 

18 (B) evaluates the progress the eligible 

19 partnership has made towards achieving the 

20 strategic objectives identified under section 

21 5(b)(5); and 

22 (C) evaluates the progress of the eligible 

23 partnership based on each of the indicators of 

24 performance described in paragraph (2)(A), as 


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1 disaggregated in accordance with paragraph 

2 (2)(C). 

3 (2) INDICATORS OF PERFORMANCE.— 

4 (A) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of para5 graph (1)(C), the indicators of performance de6 scribed in this subparagraph are each of the fol7 lowing: 

8 (i) The percentage of individuals par9 ticipating in a work-based learning pro10 gram supported by the grant who are in 

11 unsubsidized employment during the sec12 ond quarter after exit from participating in 

13 such program. 

14 (ii) The percentage of individuals par15 ticipating in a work-based learning pro16 gram supported by the grant who are in 

17 unsubsidized employment during the 

18 fourth quarter after exit from participating 

19 in such program. 

20 (iii) The median earnings of individ21 uals participating in a work-based learning 

22 program supported by the grant who are in 

23 unsubsidized employment during the sec24 ond quarter after exit from participating in 

25 such program. 


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1 (iv) The percentage of individuals par2 ticipating in a work-based learning pro3 gram supported by the grant who obtain a 

4 recognized postsecondary credential, or a 

5 secondary school diploma or its recognized 

6 equivalent (subject to subparagraph (B)), 

7 during such participation in such program 

8 or within 1 year after exit from partici9 pating in such program. 

10 (v) The percentage of individuals par11 ticipating in a work-based learning pro12 gram supported by the grant who, during 

13 a program year, are in an education or 

14 training program that leads to a recog15 nized postsecondary credential or employ16 ment and who are achieving measurable 

17 skill gains toward such a credential or em18 ployment. 

19 (B) INDICATOR RELATING TO CREDEN20 TIAL.—For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iv), 

21 individuals participating in a work-based learn22 ing program supported by the grant who obtain 

23 a secondary school diploma or its recognized 

24 equivalent shall be included in the percentage 

25 counted as meeting the criterion under such 


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1 subparagraph only if such individuals, in addi2 tion to obtaining such diploma or its recognized 

3 equivalent, have obtained or retained employ4 ment or are in an education or training pro5 gram leading to a recognized postsecondary cre6 dential not later than 1 year after exit from the 

7 work-based learning program supported by the 

8 grant. 

9 (C) DISAGGREGATION.—The indicators of 

10 performance under paragraph (1)(C) shall be 

11 disaggregated by— 

12 (i) each population specified in sub13 paragraphs (A) through (N) of section 

14 3(24) of the Workforce Innovation and Op15 portunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102(24)); and 

16 (ii) race, ethnicity, sex, and age. 

17 (f) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—An eligible partnership 

18 may use not more than 5 percent of the funds awarded 

19 through a grant under this Act for administrative ex20 penses in carrying out this section. 

21 SEC. 7. ADMINISTRATION BY THE SECRETARY. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may use not more 

23 than 10 percent of the amount appropriated under section 

24 8 for each fiscal year for administrative expenses to carry 

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1 nical assistance and oversight activities under subsection 

2 (b). 

3 (b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; OVERSIGHT.—The Sec4 retary shall provide technical assistance and oversight to 

5 assist the eligible partnerships in applying for and admin6 istering grants awarded under this Act. 

7 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

8 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

9 as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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