I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5344 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to 

address forestry workforce development needs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 

Mrs. CHAVEZ-DEREMER (for herself and Ms. PEREZ) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant 

program to address forestry workforce development 

needs, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Jobs in the Woods 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FORESTRY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

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

9 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

10 shall establish a competitive grant program to make 


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1 grants to eligible entities to carry out career path2 way training programs in eligible areas in accord3 ance with subsection (c). 

4 (2) TERM; AMOUNT.—A grant made under this 

5 section shall be— 

6 (A) for a period of not greater than 4 

7 years; and 

8 (B) made in an amount— 

9 (i) greater than or equal to $500,000; 

10 and 

11 (ii) less than or equal to $2,000,000. 

12 (b) APPLICATIONS.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 

14 grant under this section, an eligible entity shall sub15 mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 

16 such manner, and containing such information as 

17 the Secretary may require, which shall include— 

18 (A) a demonstrated capacity to carry out a 

19 career pathway training program in accordance 

20 with subsection (c); 

21 (B) a demonstration of need for such pro22 gram within a region; 

23 (C) a projection of the extent of reach in24 tended for such program; 


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1 (D) a plan to ensure that such program is 

2 sustainable; and 

3 (E) a plan for the implementation of such 

4 program. 

5 (2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 

6 section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 

7 entities that— 

8 (A) propose to carry out activities to ad9 dress the issues of an aging workforce and 

10 youth migration; 

11 (B) will partner with secondary schools to 

12 engage students; and 

13 (C) demonstrate the ability to assist with 

14 forestry workforce placement and hiring. 

15 (c) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 

16 a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 

17 carry out career pathway training programs with respect 

18 to forestry operations and forestry products industries. 

19 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

20 (1) CAREER PATHWAY.—The term ‘‘career 

21 pathway’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

22 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

23 (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

24 (2) ELIGIBLE AREA.—The term ‘‘eligible area’’ 

25 means— 


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1 (A) a nonmetropolitan area that qualifies 

2 as a low-income community (as defined in sec3 tion 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 

4 1986); 

5 (B) an area that has access to or has a 

6 plan to achieve broadband service (as defined in 

7 section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 

8 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb)); and 

9 (C) an area that has a population of 

10 50,000 or fewer inhabitants. 

11 (3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti12 ty’’ means a nonprofit organization, a State, an In13 dian Tribe, a local government, and an institution of 

14 higher education (as defined in section 101 of the 

15 Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)). 

16 (4) SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec17 ondary school’’ has the meaning given the term in 

18 section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu19 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

20 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

21 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

22 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

23 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

24 $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 

Æ 


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