I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6416 
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a 
digital skills at work grant program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 3, 2025 
Mr. VINDMAN (for himself and Mr. VALADAO) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
to establish a digital skills at work grant program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Digital Skills for To-
day’s Workforce Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
It is the purpose of this Act to amend the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) 
to further promote digital equity by— 
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(1) building digital skills for current and incom-
ing workers in in-demand industries in order to ad-
vance access to good jobs and fill in-demand occupa-
tions of the 21st century by establishing capacity 
within postsecondary education, adult education, and 
workforce development systems to deliver digital 
skills training and to design such training; and 
(2) fostering digitally resilient individuals and 
education and workforce development systems. 
SEC. 3. WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT 
AMENDMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle D of title I of the Work-
force Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221 et 
seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 172 as section 173; 
and 
(2) by inserting after section 171 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 172. DIGITAL SKILLS AT WORK GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ACCELERATED LEARNING PROGRAM MOD-
ELS.—The term ‘accelerated learning program mod-
els’ means evidence-informed strategies that support 
adult learners and workers in obtaining in-demand 
skills and credentials in an accelerated fashion, in-
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cluding integrated education and training, bridge 
programs, and work-based learning programs. 
‘‘(2) DIGITAL EQUITY.—The term ‘digital eq-
uity’ means the condition in which individuals and 
communities have the information technology capac-
ity that is needed for full participation in the society 
and economy of the United States. 
‘‘(3) DIGITAL
AND
INFORMATION
LITERACY 
SKILLS.—The term ‘digital and information literacy 
skills’ means the skills associated with— 
‘‘(A) using technology to enable users to 
find, evaluate, organize, create, and commu-
nicate information and complete tasks through 
existing and emerging technologies; 
‘‘(B) recognizing the extent and essence of 
an information need, assessing the security and 
reliability of information, and effectively using 
information; and 
‘‘(C) developing digital citizenship and the 
responsible use of technology. 
‘‘(4) 
DIGITALLY
RESILIENT.—The 
term 
‘digitally resilient’ means— 
‘‘(A) with respect to an individual, an indi-
vidual with the awareness, skills, agility, and 
confidence to be an empowered user of new 
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technologies and to be able to adapt to chang-
ing digital skill demands by improving the ca-
pacity to problem-solve, improve and update 
skills, navigate digital transformations, and be 
active participants in society and the economy; 
and 
‘‘(B) with respect to a system, an edu-
cation or workforce development system that— 
‘‘(i) has established processes and 
policies to adapt to evolving technological 
demands, buffer workers and businesses 
from the disruptive effects of rapid techno-
logical shifts, and foster the ability of an 
individual to create, critique, and use new 
technological tools; and 
‘‘(ii) offers multiple pathways to eco-
nomic success and does not endorse any 
single type of technology or digital skill as 
the mechanism for economic mobility. 
‘‘(5) DIGITAL WORKPLACE SKILLS.—The term 
‘digital workplace skills’— 
‘‘(A) 
means 
the 
broad 
array 
of 
foundational and more specialized skills (includ-
ing basic, advanced, and applied skills) that en-
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able an individual to be an effective user or cre-
ator of technology while on the job; and 
‘‘(B) includes industry-specific skills and 
skills that are transferable across industries. 
‘‘(6) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means an entity that is— 
‘‘(A) described in any of subparagraphs 
(A) through (H) of section 60304(b)(2) of the 
Digital Equity Act of 2021 (47 U.S.C. 
1723(b)(2)); or 
‘‘(B) an industry or sector partnership. 
‘‘(7) INDIVIDUAL
WITH
INDICATORS
OF
LOW 
DIGITAL AND INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS.—The 
term ‘individual with indicators of low digital and in-
formation literacy skills’ means, with respect to a 
State, an individual who resides in such State and 
has— 
‘‘(A) an educational attainment of not 
more than a high school diploma or equivalent; 
‘‘(B) earnings in the bottom 2 quintiles of 
earnings in such State; or 
‘‘(C) limited English language proficiency. 
‘‘(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
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‘‘(9) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means a State 
or outlying area. 
‘‘(10) WORKING
AGE
RESIDENT.—The term 
‘working age resident’ means, with respect to a 
State, an individual who resides in such State and 
is not younger than 16 years of age and not older 
than 64 years of age. 
‘‘(b) DIGITAL SKILLS AT WORK GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Education and the 
Secretary of Commerce, award a grant in an amount 
described in paragraph (2) to each State that sub-
mits a complete application under paragraph (3) to 
expand digital workplace skills for individuals seek-
ing jobs and individuals with barriers to employ-
ment. 
‘‘(2) GRANT
AMOUNT.—A grant to a State 
under paragraph (1) shall be in an amount that is 
the sum of— 
‘‘(A) an amount that bears the same ratio 
to 50 percent of the total amount of grants 
made available to all States under paragraph 
(1) as the population of such State bears to the 
total population of all States; 
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‘‘(B) an amount that bears the same ratio 
to 25 percent of the total amount of grants 
made available to all States under paragraph 
(1) as the population of working age residents 
in the State bears to the total population of 
working age residents of all States; and 
‘‘(C) an amount that bears the same ratio 
to 25 percent of the total amount of grants 
made available to all States under paragraph 
(1) as the population of individuals with indica-
tors of low digital and information literacy 
skills in the State bears to the total population 
of individuals with indicators of low digital and 
information literacy skills of all States. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under paragraph (1), a State shall submit to 
the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require, including— 
‘‘(A) a description of— 
‘‘(i) how the State will use any grant 
amounts awarded to expand digital work-
place skills for individuals seeking jobs and 
individuals with barriers to employment in 
an efficient and expeditious manner; 
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‘‘(ii) the period in which the State will 
expend the grant funds awarded under the 
grant; and 
‘‘(iii) the budget for the activities that 
the grant funds will support; 
‘‘(B) a demonstration, to the satisfaction 
of the Secretary, that the State is capable of 
carrying out the State activities under this sub-
section in a competent manner and in compli-
ance with all applicable Federal, State, and 
local laws; 
‘‘(C) a description of the steps the State 
will take to ensure that the State is supporting 
or building digitally resilient systems and indi-
viduals; 
‘‘(D) a disclosure of the source and 
amount of other Federal, State, or outside 
funding sources from which the State receives, 
or has applied for, funding for activities or 
projects to which the application relates and, if 
applicable, how all the funding streams align in 
terms of goals; and 
‘‘(E) an assurance that the State shall fol-
low such additional procedures as the Secretary 
may require to ensure that grant funds are 
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used and accounted for in an appropriate man-
ner. 
‘‘(4) NO COMPLETE STATE APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In any case in which 
a State does not apply, or submit a complete 
application for, a grant under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(i) solicit and accept applications 
from eligible entities with demonstrated ca-
pacity to administer a Federal grant pro-
gram on a statewide basis; and 
‘‘(ii) use an amount of grant funds 
equal to the State’s share of the grant 
funds under paragraph (2) to benefit the 
State by— 
‘‘(I) awarding a grant to an eligi-
ble entity described in clause (i) to en-
able the eligible entity to carry out the 
program under this subsection for the 
State; or 
‘‘(II) if there are no suitable ap-
plications submitted under clause (i) 
or the Secretary determines appro-
priate, using a portion, or all, of such 
funds to award grants to eligible enti-
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ority on assisting individuals with barriers to 
employment. 
‘‘(B) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity 
desiring a subgrant under this paragraph shall 
submit an application to the State at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the State shall require. 
‘‘(C) AWARD BASIS.— 
‘‘(i) PRIORITY.—In awarding sub-
grants under subparagraph (A), the State 
shall give a priority to eligible entities that 
will focus activities under the subgrant on 
individuals with barriers to employment. 
‘‘(ii) GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—In 
awarding subgrants under subparagraph 
(A), the State shall ensure funds are dis-
tributed in a geographically diverse man-
ner. 
‘‘(D) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year 
after receiving a subgrant under this para-
graph, each eligible entity receiving such 
subgrant shall submit a report to the State re-
garding the activities supported under such 
subgrant. 
‘‘(6) PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY.— 
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‘‘(A) STATE REPORTS.—Not later than 2 
years after receiving the reports submitted to 
the State under paragraph (5)(D) but not ear-
lier than 18 months after the grant is awarded 
to the State under paragraph (1), the State 
shall submit a report to the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) describing the activities funded 
using grant funds under this subsection; 
and 
‘‘(ii) including the information pro-
vided in the local reports submitted to the 
State under paragraph (5)(D). 
‘‘(B) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The Sec-
retary shall make each State report submitted 
under subparagraph (A) publicly available. 
‘‘(c) COMPETITIVE GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary 
shall, on a competitive basis, award grants to eligible 
entities to enable the eligible entities to foster digital 
equity and digitally resilient systems and individuals 
(including workers and employers) in order to pre-
pare the individuals for adapting to the current and 
future competitive labor market and economy by cre-
ating opportunities for individuals to gain digital 
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skills needed for their current employment or in 
order to advance in their careers. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall 
submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require, including— 
‘‘(A) a description of— 
‘‘(i) the activities that will be sup-
ported using grant funds awarded under 
such paragraph, including any services 
such as business engagement, classroom 
instruction, apprenticeships, work-based 
learning, and supportive services; 
‘‘(ii) how the eligible entity receiving 
the grant will work to engage small and 
medium-sized employers; 
‘‘(iii) the digital workplace skills 
learning strategies to be supported using 
such grant funds; 
‘‘(iv) the digital workplace skills cur-
riculum, and other related materials, to be 
developed and supported using such grant 
funds, including— 
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‘‘(I) the general content of such 
curriculum; 
‘‘(II) the mechanism to deliver 
such curriculum; 
‘‘(III) information on how the 
curriculum connects to an in-demand 
occupation or industry; and 
‘‘(IV) how this curriculum will be 
shared with States and other eligible 
entities via submission to a Federal 
clearinghouse or other repository; 
‘‘(v) the professional development op-
portunities relating to digital workplace 
skills for instructors supported by such 
grant funds, including with regard to new 
hiring of instructors with industry experi-
ence and increasing the skills of instructors 
with expertise in serving adult learners and 
administering programs using accelerated 
learning program models; 
‘‘(vi) any programs using accelerated 
learning program models to be supported 
by such grant funds, and how such pro-
graming will align with existing accelerated 
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learning programs, as of the date of appli-
cation, in the area served by the grant; 
‘‘(vii) any in-demand industry sector 
or occupation that will be served using 
such grant funds, including how any such 
industry sector or occupation was identi-
fied; 
‘‘(viii) how the eligible entity will pro-
tect the privacy and security of any data 
collected with regard to an individual in-
volved in any activity supported using such 
grant funds; 
‘‘(ix) any population that will receive 
services from any activity supported using 
such grant funds, including populations of 
individuals with barriers to employment 
and 
populations 
historically 
underrep-
resented in any industry to be served 
under the grant; 
‘‘(x) any recognized postsecondary 
credential that an individual can obtain 
through participation in an activity sup-
ported using such grant; 
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‘‘(xi) any measurable gains in a skill 
that such an individual can achieve 
through such participation; 
‘‘(xii) any steps the eligible entity will 
take to align activities supported using 
such grant funds with, as applicable, the 
State Digital Equity Plan of the State de-
veloped under section 60304(c)(1) of the 
Digital Equity Act of 2021 (47 U.S.C. 
1723(c)(1)) and the action plan of the 
State submitted to the Broadband Equity, 
Access, and Deployment Program under 
section 60102(e)(1)(D) of the Infrastruc-
ture Investment and Jobs Act (47 U.S.C. 
1702(e)(1)(D)); and 
‘‘(xiii) how the eligible entity will le-
verage 
additional 
resources, 
including 
funding provided under title II and non- 
Federal resources, for activities supported 
using such grant funds; and 
‘‘(B) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will protect the privacy and security of individ-
uals involved in any program or activity sup-
ported using such grant funds by— 
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‘‘(i) prohibiting any program sup-
ported using such grant funds from with-
holding any earned learning information or 
earned credentialing information from such 
an individual for reasons such as the indi-
vidual failing to pay such program; and 
‘‘(ii) prohibiting any program or ven-
dor supported using such grant funds from 
gathering or disseminating personally iden-
tifiable information, as defined by the Sec-
retary, of program participants, except as 
needed for program evaluation and report-
ing purposes. 
‘‘(3) PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY.— 
‘‘(A) LOCAL REPORTS.—By one year after 
the date on which an eligible entity received a 
grant under this subsection, the eligible entity 
shall submit to the Secretary a report con-
taining— 
‘‘(i) a description of the levels of per-
formance achieved by the eligible entity 
with respect to the performance indicators 
described under section 116(b)(2)(A) for— 
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‘‘(I) all participants in activities 
supported under such grant funds; 
and 
‘‘(II) individuals with barriers to 
employment, in the aggregate and 
disaggregated by each subpopulation 
and by race, ethnicity, English lan-
guage proficiency, sex, and age; and 
‘‘(ii) the progress of the entity to-
wards fulfilling the objectives for which the 
grant was awarded. 
‘‘(B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—As a condi-
tion of receiving a grant under this subsection, 
an eligible entity shall agree to make the eligi-
ble entity’s progress and findings available for 
the Secretary to share across States. 
‘‘(d) RESERVATION
OF FUNDS.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this section, the Secretary— 
‘‘(1) may reserve not more than 5 percent of 
the amounts made available to carry out this section 
for technical assistance under, and administration 
of, this section; and 
‘‘(2) shall reserve not less than 2 percent and 
not more than 4 percent of such amounts to evalu-
ate the programs carried out under this section.’’. 
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(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
173 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as 
redesignated by subsection (a)(1), is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (g), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) DIGITAL SKILLS AT WORK GRANTS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 172 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026 and 
each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.’’. 
(c) DIGITAL AND INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS AS 
TRAINING SERVICES.—Section 134(c)(3)(D) of the Work-
force Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3174(c)(3)(D)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (x), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(2) in clause (xi), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(xii) training in digital and informa-
tion literacy skills, as defined in section 
172(a).’’. 
(d) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
8041(g)(2)(C) of the SUPPORT for Patients and Com-
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munities Act (29 U.S.C. 3225a(g)(2)(C)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘172(f)’’ and all that follows through the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘173(g) of such Act.’’. 
(e) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents in 
section 1(b) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act is amended in the items related to subtitle D of title 
I— 
(1) by redesignating the item relating to section 
172 as the item relating to section 173; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 171 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 172. Digital skills at work grant program.’’. 
Æ 
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