I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1055 
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to expand the 
capacity of junior or community colleges and area career and technical 
education schools to conduct training services, education, and outreach 
activities for careers in the residential construction industry. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2025 
Mr. CISCOMANI (for himself, Ms. PEREZ, Mr. ZINKE, and Mr. DAVIS of North 
Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
to expand the capacity of junior or community colleges 
and area career and technical education schools to con-
duct training services, education, and outreach activities 
for careers in the residential construction industry. 
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 ‘‘Creating Opportunities 
for New Skills Training at Rural or Underserved Colleges 
and Trade Schools Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘CONSTRUCTS 
Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN RESI-
DENTIAL CONSTRUCTION. 
(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. EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN 
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) INCUMBENT WORKER.—The term ‘incum-
bent worker’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 680.780 of title 20, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, or a successor regulation. 
‘‘(2) JUNIOR OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The 
term ‘junior or community college’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 312 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058). 
‘‘(3) RURAL
AREA.—The term ‘rural area’ 
means any— 
‘‘(A) nonmetropolitan area; or 
‘‘(B) rural area, as defined under section 
520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 
1490). 
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‘‘(4) UNDERSERVED
POPULATION.—The term 
‘underserved population’ means a group of individ-
uals with a common demographic trait (such as indi-
viduals from the same gender, race, or ethnicity), 
the members of which— 
‘‘(A) based on the most recent satisfactory 
demographic and employment data from the 
Bureau of the Census, comprise a percentage of 
individuals employed in the construction sector 
that is lower than the percentage of the total 
population of the United States comprised by 
such members; 
‘‘(B) are low-income individuals; 
‘‘(C) are individuals with barriers to em-
ployment; or 
‘‘(D) are veterans. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Labor, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall 
establish a program, through which the Secretary of 
Labor shall award, on a competitive basis, grants to 
eligible entities to expand their capacity to provide 
training services, education, and outreach activities 
for careers in the residential construction industry. 
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‘‘(2) GRANT PERIOD.—A grant awarded under 
this section shall be for a period of not more than 
4 years. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, an entity shall be— 
‘‘(1) a junior or community college; 
‘‘(2) an area career and technical education 
school; or 
‘‘(3) a provider of training services, as de-
scribed in section 122(a)(2). 
‘‘(d) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity that desires 
to receive a grant under this section shall submit an appli-
cation to the Secretary of Labor at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require, including the following information: 
‘‘(1) A description of the new or expanded 
training services, education, or outreach activities 
supported by the grant, including a description of 
how the new training services, education, or out-
reach activities will align with existing programming 
related to careers in the residential construction in-
dustry at the eligible entity, and the relevant faculty 
or technical instructors employed by the eligible enti-
ty on the date of the submission of the application 
or who may be employed by the eligible entity to 
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carry out the training services, education, or out-
reach activities supported by the grant. 
‘‘(2) A description of the populations that will 
be served through the training services, education, 
or outreach activities supported by the grant, includ-
ing whether the participants in such training serv-
ices, education, or outreach activities are— 
‘‘(A) incumbent workers; 
‘‘(B) individuals in rural areas; 
‘‘(C) opportunity youth; 
‘‘(D) in-school youth; or 
‘‘(E) part of an underserved population. 
‘‘(3) A description of the partnerships the eligi-
ble entity will facilitate through the grant, including 
the process by which the eligible entity will ensure 
that a partner provides fair wages and benefits that 
are commensurate with local pay and benefit pack-
ages, and a plan for sustaining activities and part-
nerships supported by the grant after the completion 
of the grant period. 
‘‘(4) A description of the anticipated outcomes 
of the training services, education, or outreach ac-
tivities supported by the grant, including, at a min-
imum, the recognized postsecondary credential, post-
secondary credit, or degree to be earned by partici-
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pants, and a timetable showing how the eligible enti-
ty will meet the primary indicators of performance 
described in section 116(b)(2)(A). 
‘‘(5) A description of the intended impact of the 
training services, education, or outreach activities on 
the local housing market, including a description of 
how the new training services, education, or out-
reach activities will increase the supply of affordable 
housing. 
‘‘(6) Such other information as the Secretary 
may require. 
‘‘(e) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary of Labor shall give priority to eligible 
entities that serve rural areas or underserved populations. 
‘‘(f) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIRED USES.—An eligible entity that 
receives a grant under this section shall use the 
grant funds— 
‘‘(A) to create or expand an evidence-based 
education or training program to provide skills 
needed in the residential construction industry, 
including skills related to— 
‘‘(i) carpentry; 
‘‘(ii) framing; 
‘‘(iii) masonry; 
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‘‘(iv) welding; 
‘‘(v) plumbing; 
‘‘(vi) electrical work; 
‘‘(vii) construction management; 
‘‘(viii) architecture; 
‘‘(ix) HVAC; 
‘‘(x) land surveying and geomatics 
‘‘(xi) construction mathematics; 
‘‘(xii) operating heavy equipment; and 
‘‘(xiii) such other trades as identified 
by the Department of Labor; 
‘‘(B) to create or expand an education or 
training program focused on increasing the 
skills of incumbent workers who are residential 
construction workers; 
‘‘(C) to create a partnership with a local 
residential construction business or developer, 
either alone or in conjunction with a nonprofit 
organization, labor organization, entity in the 
State or local workforce development system, 
sponsor of a pre-apprenticeship or apprentice-
ship program, YouthBuild program, or another 
community partner, with a focus on engaging 
with organizations that recruit employees or 
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program participants from underserved popu-
lations; and 
‘‘(D) to facilitate outreach to secondary 
school and elementary school students about the 
residential construction industry and education 
and training programs available under this sec-
tion, which may include developing dual or con-
current enrollment programs (as defined under 
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965) for secondary students 
to participate in such education and training 
programs or integrating such programs in a rel-
evant career and technical education program 
administered by an elementary school or sec-
ondary school. 
‘‘(2) PERMISSIVE USES.—An eligible entity that 
receives a grant under this section may use the 
grant funds— 
‘‘(A) to hire technical instructors or other 
faculty with demonstrated experience and ex-
pertise in residential construction to lead edu-
cation or training programs related to skills and 
recognized postsecondary credentials needed for 
a career in the residential construction indus-
try; 
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‘‘(B) to operate an education and training 
clinic in a rural area or area not otherwise 
served by an entity described in subsection (c), 
to the extent necessary and practicable; 
‘‘(C) to develop promotion materials for 
the purpose of increasing awareness of the 
training services, education, or outreach activi-
ties; or 
‘‘(D) 
to 
provide 
supportive 
services 
through merit-based and needs-based scholar-
ships, to promote retention in, and completion 
of— 
‘‘(i) an education or training program 
supported under this section; or 
‘‘(ii) tests or coursework related to 
certification. 
‘‘(g) ASSISTANCE; FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES.—An eligi-
ble entity that receives a grant under this section shall— 
‘‘(1) use flexible schedules in carrying out the 
education or training program, including night class-
es, part-time schedules, and online curricula, to ac-
commodate individuals who work during the day or 
live in rural areas; and 
‘‘(2) provide an individual, upon completion of 
the education or training program, supportive serv-
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ices for job search and placement to ensure the suc-
cess of such individuals in achieving the education 
and career goals. 
‘‘(h) COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each recipient of funds 
under this section, and any entity that enters into 
a partnership with such recipient for the purpose of 
this Act, shall attest to the Secretary of Labor that 
the recipient or entity— 
‘‘(A) is in compliance with each Federal, 
State, and local labor law; 
‘‘(B) will remain in compliance with each 
Federal, State, and local labor law; and 
‘‘(C) is not subject to a pending action or 
case relating to a violation of any law enforced 
by the Department of Labor, Federal Labor 
Relations Authority, Equal Employment Oppor-
tunity Commission, or National Labor Relations 
Board. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL, STATE, AND
LOCAL
LABOR 
LAW.—In this subsection, the term ‘Federal, State, 
and local labor law’ means any Federal, State, or 
local labor law that would be applicable to the recipi-
ent or entity described in paragraph (1), as deter-
mined by the Secretary of Labor. 
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