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HR 1168 116th Congress House Labor and Employment Building construction Education programs funding Employment and training programs Performance measurement Vocational and technical education

WORKER Act

Introduced: February 13, 2019 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 6, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Mar 6, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
Feb 14, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Feb 13, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.
Feb 13, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Oversight and Reform, Foreign Affairs, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 13, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Working On Rewarding and Keeping Employees Resilient Act or the WORKER Act

This bill addresses workforce development by advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, revising and implementing certain worker training, retention, and advancement programs, establishing the Distressed Community Investment Agency, and renaming the Department of Commerce as the Department of Innovation and Investment.

The bill requires (1) the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to eligible entities to implement certain formal and informal engineering education programs in elementary and secondary schools, and (2) the use of certain career and technical education program funds for supporting a hands-on learning approach.

The bill establishes in the Department of Labor an Office of Apprenticeship, including a National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships, to promote apprenticeship programs.

Labor and ED must establish a voluntary Registered Apprenticeship-College Collaborative consisting of the sponsors carrying out registered apprenticeship programs, two- or four-year post secondary educational institutions, and organizations that represent such programs or institutions.

The bill requires states to provide a Labor-approved reemployment bonus program for individuals currently receiving unemployment benefits. It also allows states to use workforce development funds for a wage insurance program for individuals age 50 and over (age 45 and over for individuals in economically distressed communities) and establishes a training voucher program to assist workers in obtaining job skills training.

What's happening now March 6, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

 Related & companion bills 2
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 14
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1168: WORKER Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1168/
MLA
"H.R. 1168: WORKER Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1168/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1168, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1168/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1168: WORKER Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1168/)
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