ADVOCACY & POLICY UPDATE - April 27, 2026

Partisan ASWA Bill Moves Forward; Ranking Member Scott Calls for Continued DOL Investigation

Washington Update​

Appropriations

On Tuesday, April 28, at 10:00 a.m. EST the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing with U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the Administration’s FY27 ED budget request. Lawmakers are expected to examine the Department’s funding priorities and ongoing efforts to dismantle the agency. 

House appropriators are working to schedule a corresponding hearing with Secretary McMahon but a date has not yet been announced.

Click here to access a livestream to the hearing.

A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026 

On Tuesday, April 21, the House Education and Workforce Committee approved the partisan legislation, the A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026 (ASWA), which would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Committee Democrats offered up several amendments to the bill but all failed to pass. 

A key component of the legislation is the transfer of adult education programs from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which is part of President Trump’s broader effort to codify shifting ED’s responsibilities across various federal agencies. This provision has contributed to significant partisan disagreement, and the bill’s prospects for floor time in the House remain uncertain. 

Click here to learn more and access a recording of the markup.

Labor Secretary Resigns

On Monday, April 20, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned from her position, with Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling assuming the role of Acting Secretary. Sonderling has strong support from leading business groups to lead DOL in a permanent capacity, though President Trump has yet to formally nominate a successor to Chavez-DeRemer and it is unclear whether he will be nominated to serve permanently. He previously served at the Department of Labor during a prior administration and as a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where part of his focus was on the implications of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Sonderling was confirmed as Deputy Secretary in March 2025.

On Thursday, April 23, following Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA) sent a letter calling on DOL’s Office of Inspector General to continue its ongoing investigation into the former Secretary and to keep Congress informed of any findings. Additionally, he sent a letter to DOL Acting Secretary Sonderling that emphasized the importance of preserving all records in accordance with federal law to support the investigation and congressional oversight.

According to public reporting, the investigation involves potential issues related to travel, grant-making, and other administrative matters. The resignation occurred before the investigation was completed, raising questions about its continuation and oversight moving forward.

Click here to access the letter Ranking Member Scott sent to DOL Acting Secretary Keith E. Sonderling.

Click here to access the letter Ranking Member Scott sent to Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito.

DOL Joint-Employer Rule

On Wednesday, April 22, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Wage and Hour Division issued a proposed rule to establish a unified standard for determining joint employer status under the Fair Labor Stands Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The proposal is intended to provide greater clarity and consistency by aligning standards across these laws and addressing differences in federal court interpretations. 

The rule outlines criteria for identifying when multiple entities share responsibility for the same workers, including distinctions between vertical and horizontal joint employment, and provides examples of how the standard would apply. It is particularly relevant for businesses that operate through staffing agencies, subcontracting arrangements, or franchise models.

In 2020, DOL previously issued a joint employer rule that was rescinded in 2021 following partial invalidation in New York federal court.

Click here to access the full DOL press release.

Senate HELP Committee 

In support of the Trump administration’s push for apprenticeships as a viable pathway for workers to enter high-paying fields, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (LA) is introducing two bills. The first bill, the Apprenticeship Data Value Improvements to Create Employment Act, which is co-sponsored with Senator Tommy Tuberville (AL), would create an advisory committee at DOL charged with improving the data system and how the department tracks retention rates, program completion and pay outcomes. 

The second piece of legislation, Streamlining Timely Apprenticeship Registration and Transparency, co-sponsored by Senator Jim Banks (IN), establishes time limits on response time for applications for new registered apprenticeship programs. States failing to meet the new timelines would experience cuts in their federal grant money. 

Click here to access the first bill

Click here to access the second bill 

Transit Workforce Development Act

On Monday, April 20, Congressman John Garamendi (CA) and Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL) introduced the Transit Workforce Development Act, which aims to expand workforce training and strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers for the nation’s public transit system. The bill would amend the federal transit law to allow a greater share of existing bus and bus facility grants to be used for workforce development activities, including training programs, registered apprenticeships, and labor-management partnerships.

According to the press release, the legislation is in response to workforce shortages across public transportation agencies, as well as evolving skill demands associated with new technologies such as zero-emission buses. It would increase the workforce development set-aside under the Low or No Emission Bus Program from 5 percent to 10 percent, permit up to 10 percent of bus and bus facility grant funds to support training, expand eligibility for workforce development across federal bus programs, and support apprenticeship and partnership-based training models.

The legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Click here to access the full press release and learn more about the bill.

House Education and Workforce Committee

Congressman Kevin Kiley (CA) has been reinstated to the House Education and Workforce Committee following a recent change in party affiliation to independent. He will continue to chair the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and will also serve on the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. 

Kiley was previously removed from his committee assignments after formally changing his party affiliation. His reassignment required approval by the House Republican Steering Committee.