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. 
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 ‘‘Jobs in the Woods 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FORESTRY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall establish a competitive grant program to make 
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grants to eligible entities to carry out career path-
way training programs in eligible areas in accord-
ance with subsection (c). 
(2) TERM; AMOUNT.—A grant made under this 
section shall be— 
(A) for a period of not greater than 4 
years; and 
(B) made in an amount— 
(i) greater than or equal to $500,000; 
and 
(ii) less than or equal to $2,000,000. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, an eligible entity shall sub-
mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require, which shall include— 
(A) a demonstrated capacity to carry out a 
career pathway training program in accordance 
with subsection (c); 
(B) a demonstration of need for such pro-
gram within a region; 
(C) a projection of the extent of reach in-
tended for such program; 
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(D) a plan to ensure that such program is 
sustainable; and 
(E) a plan for the implementation of such 
program. 
(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
entities that— 
(A) propose to carry out activities to ad-
dress the issues of an aging workforce and 
youth migration; 
(B) will partner with secondary schools to 
engage students; and 
(C) demonstrate the ability to assist with 
forestry workforce placement and hiring. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 
a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 
carry out career pathway training programs with respect 
to forestry operations and forestry products industries. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) CAREER
PATHWAY.—The term ‘‘career 
pathway’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
(29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(2) ELIGIBLE AREA.—The term ‘‘eligible area’’ 
means— 
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(A) a nonmetropolitan area that qualifies 
as a low-income community (as defined in sec-
tion 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986); 
(B) an area that has access to or has a 
plan to achieve broadband service (as defined in 
section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 
1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb)); and 
(C) an area that has a population of 
50,000 or fewer inhabitants. 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a nonprofit organization, a State, an In-
dian Tribe, a local government, and an institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)). 
(4) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec-
ondary school’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 
Æ 
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