Jobs in the Woods Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4575 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4575

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

                             July 21, 2025

   Ms. Perez (for herself, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Stauber, Ms. Pingree, Mr. 
Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania) introduced the following 
  bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 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 Representatives 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 grants to eligible entities 
        to carry out career pathway training programs in eligible areas 
        in accordance 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 submit 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 program within 
                a region;
                    (C) a projection of the extent of reach intended 
                for such program;
                    (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 address the 
                issues of an aging workforce and youth migration;
                    (B) to engage students, intends to partner with--
                            (i) a secondary school;
                            (ii) a vocational or technical school; or
                            (iii) a junior or community college; 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--
                    (A) a nonmetropolitan area that qualifies as a low-
                income community (as defined in section 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 entity'' means a 
        nonprofit organization, a State, an Indian Tribe, a local 
        government, or an institution of higher education.
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (5) Junior or community college.--The term ``junior or 
        community college'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)).
            (6) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (7) 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 2026 through 2030.
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