Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act of 2026

The "Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act of 2026" establishes a pilot program, the Veterans Manufacturing Employment Program, within the Department of Labor to significantly boost the employment of veterans in the manufacturing sector. Under this program, the Secretary of Labor will award competitive grants to three states. These states will then establish their own State Manufacturing Employment Programs, which will, in turn, provide grants to manufacturing employers and joint labor-management organizations.

The primary purpose of these state-level grants is to reimburse employers and organizations for the costs associated with providing eligible veterans with specialized training, including on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and training leading to recognized postsecondary credentials, specifically designed for manufacturing roles. To qualify for a federal grant, states must submit a proposal detailing a public-private partnership program aimed at ensuring sustainable, high-wage, high-skill manufacturing jobs for veterans, and demonstrate a suitable veteran population and a robust manufacturing industry. The bill authorizes an appropriation of $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund this initiative, with a portion allocated for administrative and reporting costs.