February 12, 2026
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Budd, and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to permit greater flexibility in carrying out incumbent worker training programs, 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 Lifelong Learning Act
.
Sec. 2. Incumbent worker training and transitional jobs standard reservation of funds
Section 134(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(d)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (4)(A)(i), by striking 20
and inserting 30
; and
(2)
in paragraph (5), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 10
and inserting 15
.
Sec. 3. Reporting incumbent worker training outcomes
Section 116(d)(2)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3141(d)(2)(A)) is amended—
(1)
by striking (A) information
and inserting (A)(i) information
;
(2)
in clause (i), as so designated, by adding and
at the end; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(ii)
in the case of a State in which local areas are implementing incumbent worker training programs under section 134(d)(4), information on the levels of performance achieved for those programs with respect to the primary indicators of performance described in subsection (b)(2)(A), which information shall be used by the State and the Secretary of Labor in conjunction with the Secretary of Education to adapt the State adjusted levels of performance with respect to such indicators for the adult program and for the dislocated worker program authorized under chapter 3 of subtitle B.
Sec. 4. Expanding the flexibility of one-stop operators
Section 121(d)(2) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3151(d)(2)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A), by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
in subparagraph (B)(vi), by striking the period and inserting ; and
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(C)
subject to approval from the chief elected official and Governor and in accordance with any other eligibility criteria established by the State, and notwithstanding subparagraph (B), may be a local board, if the local board—
(i)
enters into a written agreement with the chief elected official and clarifies how the local board will carry out the functions and responsibilities of a one-stop operator in a manner that complies with appropriate internal controls to prevent any conflicts of interest, which shall include how the local board, while serving as a one-stop operator, will comply with—
(I)
the relevant Office of Management and Budget circulars relating to conflicts of interest; and
(II)
any applicable State conflict of interest policy; and
(ii)
complies with the other applicable requirements of this subsection.