Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2026
Senate Bill Would Fund Job Training for Workers Displaced by AI and Automation
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill creates a new grant program to help people learn skills for high-tech jobs. It is designed specifically for workers who are at risk of losing their jobs because of robots, artificial intelligence, or other automated systems.
- Local partnerships between businesses, schools, and government boards can apply for funding to create training programs. These projects will focus on teaching digital skills like computer coding, cybersecurity, and systems engineering to help workers move into stable, in-demand careers.
- The plan prioritizes helping groups that often face the biggest challenges in the job market, including women, people of color, and workers earning less than $40,000 a year. It also targets areas where many industries are already being changed by new technology.
- Grant money can be used for more than just classroom lessons. It can pay for training equipment, help with job searches, and provide stipends to help workers cover costs like childcare, transportation, or paid leave while they are learning new skills.
- The bill authorizes $40 million every year from 2026 through 2030 specifically to help workers displaced by technology. It also requires programs to report back on how many people successfully found new jobs and how much their earnings increased after the training.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Small businesses could participate in eligible partnerships to retrain and upskill their workers as an alternative to layoffs caused by automation. The bill also funds a staff position to coordinate training, and encourages backfilling pre-training positions with new hires, helping small employers adapt to technological change without losing their workforce.
Programs
Disabilities
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S611-612)
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
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Bicameral legislation from Sens. Dick Durbin and Raphael Warnock, introduced Feb. 13, instructs the Department of Labor to oversee new partnerships for workforce training, particularly for those at risk of displacement due to AI adoption through a competitive grant awarding process.

Raphael Warnock Introduces Bill to Combat Automation in the Workforce
Senators Raphael Warnock and Dick Durbin have introduced the Investing In Tomorrow's Workforce Act to increase federal investments in worker training. The bill aims to ensure American workers possess the skills necessary for higher-skilled positions within growing industries affected by automation.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.