S.Amdt. 5859

This amendment, known as the Job Corps Shipbuilding-Defense Industrial Base Pipeline Act of 2026, aims to integrate Job Corps and registered apprenticeship programs into the defense industrial base to train skilled industrial workers.

The amendment seeks to add and change the following:

• Alignment with Defense Needs: It directs the Department of Defense to use Job Corps and apprenticeships to train workers. It allows the Secretary of Defense to support changing the trades offered at Job Corps centers (including creating "transition hubs" near shipyards) to better match defense needs through new equipment, facilities, and curricula.

• Military Recruitment: Military recruiters must inform recruits who are ineligible to enlist under section 520 of title 10, US Code, about enrolling in Job Corps to either meet enlistment standards or learn skills for the defense industrial base.

• Funding and Accountability: It allows Job Corps centers to accept grants and charitable donations. These funds must be used exclusively for their intended purpose and cannot be used to offset an operator's existing obligations. The Secretary must also publicly disclose a yearly list of these grants and donations, including the source and amount.

• Operational Changes:

  • It extends the Shipbuilding Special Incentive to the Job Corps and its operators.
  • It gives Job Corps center operators local authority to hire staff, provide professional development, and enter agreements with educational partners or employers without prior approval from the Secretary.
  • It streamlines enrollment for veterans and certain military members and provides background check exemptions for specific veterans and military recruits.