Workforce Reentry Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1633
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-26: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-12T08:05:44Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Workforce Reentry Act (H.R. 1633) aims to help formerly incarcerated individuals (ex-offenders) successfully return to the workforce. It does this by creating a structured grant program that encourages innovative, effective training and job placement services, while sharing best practices to reduce repeat offenses and improve employment outcomes.
Key Provisions
- Eligible Participants: Individuals convicted as juveniles or adults who have been imprisoned under federal or state law and released from prison or jail within the past 2 years. Up to 10% of participants can include those released longer ago.
- Eligible Entities: Organizations or groups that can apply for funding, including private nonprofits (such as faith-based groups), local workforce boards, state or local governments, Native American entities, employers, colleges, industry partnerships, or trade associations.
- Program Structure:
- The Secretary of Labor must allocate at least 30% of available funds to "pay-for-performance" contracts (up to 4 years), where payments are tied to achieving specific job-related goals, with possible bonuses for high performers.
- Remaining funds go to competitive grants (up to 4 years) for skills training, job placement, and mentoring.
- Priority for applicants partnering with businesses or schools to offer training leading to credentials in high-demand jobs, or providing on-the-job training with employer hiring commitments.
- Follow-up grants possible for successful entities.
- Application Requirements: Applicants must describe their program details (services, recruitment, participant numbers, duration), use evidence-based or promising practices (programs proven effective through studies with measurable workforce results), outline partnerships, set performance goals, assure coordination with local workforce services, meet matching fund rules, plan for support services like treatment or housing (via coordination only), provide data, and commit to sustaining the program post-funding.
- Matching Funds for Grants: First-time grantees must match 25% with non-federal cash or in-kind contributions; subsequent grants require 50% matching.
- Allowed Uses of Funds:
- Job training (e.g., skills education, apprenticeships, work experience), placement services, mentoring, outreach to prisons, and employer coordination.
- Focus on those releasing within 90 days.
- Limits: No direct funding for substance abuse/mental health treatment or housing (but coordination allowed); max 5% for admin costs or emergencies; max 15% for participant stipends during training.
- Performance and Reporting:
- Entities report yearly on key metrics like employment rates, credential attainment, earnings, and recidivism (repeat offenses).
- Independent evaluation after 5 years; annual public reports to Congress on participation, completion rates, and performance.
- Secretary to share best practices with states, locals, and stakeholders.
- Funding and Admin: Uses existing funds from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA); up to 2% for Department of Labor (DOL) admin, including technical assistance and info on tax credits for hiring ex-offenders. No new federal money authorized.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, a 2014 law that funds job training programs) by:
- Adding a new Section 172 in Subtitle D of Title I, creating the ex-offender reentry grant program.
- Renumbering an existing section and updating WIOA's funding provision (Section 173(d)) to include this new program alongside others, without adding new appropriations.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The DOL gains responsibility for awarding contracts/grants, conducting evaluations, and reporting to Congress, potentially increasing administrative workload but using existing budgets. Local workforce boards must coordinate services, enhancing integration with current job centers.
- Citizens: Ex-offenders may gain better access to training and jobs, leading to higher employment, earnings, and lower recidivism rates, which could reduce societal costs like crime and welfare dependency. Other citizens, including employers, benefit from a larger skilled labor pool and tax incentives for hiring.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; this is a domestic workforce program.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Ex-Offenders: Primary beneficiaries through targeted reentry support.
- Eligible Entities: Nonprofits, governments, employers, educational institutions, and partnerships that apply for and run programs.
- Department of Labor and Local Workforce Systems: Oversee implementation, funding, and coordination.
- Employers and Businesses: Gain from job placement partnerships and hiring incentives.
- Congress and Taxpayers: Receive performance reports; program relies on existing funds with matching requirements to promote efficiency.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on WIOA without creating new spending, emphasizing "evidence-based" practices (programs tested via scientific studies) to ensure accountability. Includes safeguards like performance ties and limits on fund uses to prevent misuse.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; supports equal opportunity in employment (aligned with 14th Amendment protections) by aiding a disadvantaged group without discriminating.
- Political: Promotes rehabilitation over punishment, potentially appealing across party lines (introduced by bipartisan sponsors). Could influence criminal justice reform debates by linking workforce programs to recidivism reduction, but success depends on fund availability and entity participation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-26: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-02-26: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Workforce Reentry Act — issued 2025-02-26 — PDF (14 pages)