Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026

This Act may be cited as the “Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026”.

(a) In general.— Title VI of the Department of Energy Organization Act is amended by inserting before part B (42 U.S.C. 7231 et seq.) the following:

In this part:

“(1) Covered project.— The term covered project means any construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair project.

(2) Financial assistance.— The term financial assistance includes—

(A) a grant;

(B) a loan;

(C) a loan guarantee;

(D) a cooperative agreement; and

(E) an authorization to participate in, and any amounts or prizes provided pursuant to, a prize competition.

(3) Labor organization.— The term labor organization has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152).

(4) National Laboratory.— The term National Laboratory has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).

(5) Project labor agreement.— The term project labor agreement means a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with 1 or more labor organizations of which building, construction, or manufacturing employees are members that—

(A) establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific project; and

(B) is an agreement described in section 8(f) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 158(f)).

(6) Registered apprenticeship program.— The term registered apprenticeship program has the meaning given the term in section 3131(e)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(7) Small or disadvantaged community.— The term small or disadvantaged community means a community that—

(A) bears burdens of negative public health effects, environmental pollution, or impacts of climate change;

(B) is identified by the Secretary as disadvantaged based on relevant socioeconomic criteria, such as—

(i) historical or structural disinvestment that has resulted in disproportionate environmental or health burdens; or

(ii) high-concentrations of low- and moderate-income households; or

(C)

(i) has a population of less than 10,000 individuals; and

(ii) a sufficient number of those individuals, as determined by the Secretary—

(I) bear burdens described in subparagraph (A); or

(II) are otherwise disadvantaged, as described in subparagraph (B).

(a) Prevailing wages.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall require that all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the performance of construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair work assisted, in whole or in part, by financial assistance provided by the Department for covered projects shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code.

(2) Authority.— With respect to the labor standards specified in this subsection, the Secretary of Labor shall have the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and section 3145 of title 40, United States Code.

(3) Flexibility.— The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary may modify any applicable payroll certification requirement under part 3 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), with respect to a contractor or subcontractor to which paragraph (1) applies for laborers and mechanics described in that paragraph that are parties to a collective bargaining agreement that requires a payroll schedule different than a payroll schedule otherwise required under that part to better align the timing of payroll certification reporting and payroll schedules.

(b) Apprenticeship utilization.— The Secretary shall require, as a term or condition of receiving financial assistance provided by the Department for a covered project, that—

(1) not less than 15 percent of the total labor hours of the project shall be performed by individuals participating in a registered apprenticeship program; and

(2) the entity receiving the financial assistance shall adhere to apprentice-to-journey worker ratio requirements—

(A) as determined by the Secretary; and

(B) in compliance with Federal and State laws.

(c) Noncompliance.—

(1) Review.— The Secretary shall regularly review whether entities that receive financial assistance provided by the Department for covered projects comply with the requirements described in subsections (a) and (b).

(2) Corrective action.— If the Secretary determines that an entity described in paragraph (1) has failed to comply with a requirement described in that paragraph, the Secretary shall implement a corrective action, which may include withholding, recapturing, or terminating the applicable financial assistance provided by the Department to that entity.

(3) Consideration in evaluating future applications.— The Secretary shall consider any failure by an entity described in paragraph (1) to comply with a requirement described in that paragraph in evaluating any future application by that entity for financial assistance provided by the Department, including by flagging the entity for heightened compliance review.

(d) Public reporting.— The Secretary shall annually publish aggregate data on wage compliance, apprenticeship utilization, and enforcement actions under this section, including the names of noncompliant entities, on a publicly accessible website.

(a) In general.— The Secretary shall require any entity receiving financial assistance provided by the Department to make a good-faith certification to the Secretary that the entity shall remain neutral, by taking no position for or against, with respect to the exercise of employees and labor organizations of the right to organize and bargain in accordance with section 7 the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 157) for the term of the financial assistance, including any construction, operations, or maintenance assisted, in whole or in part, by the financial assistance.

(b) Application to contractors and subcontractors.—

(1) In general.— The labor neutrality requirements described in subsection (a) shall apply to all contractors and subcontractors of an entity described in that subsection that are engaged in activities assisted, in whole or in part, by financial assistance provided by the Department.

(2) Certification and compliance.— Each contractor and subcontractor described in paragraph (1) shall make a good-faith certification of neutrality to the Secretary, and each entity described in subsection (a) shall be responsible for ensuring compliance of all contractors and subcontractors of that entity throughout the contracting chain.

(c) Noncompliance.—

(1) Review.— The Secretary shall regularly review whether entities that receive financial assistance provided by the Department comply with the requirements described in subsections (a) and (b)(2).

(2) Corrective action.— If the Secretary determines that an entity described in paragraph (1) has failed to comply with a requirement described in that paragraph, the Secretary shall implement a corrective action, which may include withholding, recapturing, or terminating the applicable financial assistance provided by the Department to that entity.

(3) Consideration in evaluating future applications.— The Secretary shall consider any failure by an entity described in paragraph (1) to comply with a requirement described in that paragraph in evaluating any future application by that entity for financial assistance provided by the Department, including by flagging the entity for heightened compliance review.

(d) Public reporting.— The Secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible website each certification made to the Secretary by an entity under subsection (a) or (b)(2).

(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Covered Department facility project.— The term covered Department facility project means a project—

(A) for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a Department facility; and

(B) the total cost of which exceeds $1,000,000.

(2) Department facility.— The term Department facility includes—

(A) any facility owned and operated by the Department; and

(B) any contractor-operated National Laboratory or National Nuclear Safety Administration facility.

(b) Project labor agreement required.— The Secretary shall require each contractor and subcontractor commencing any construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a Department facility after the date of enactment of the Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026 pursuant to a covered Department facility project to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement.

(c) Local and targeted hiring goals.— The Secretary shall seek to ensure that project labor agreements entered into pursuant to this section include goals, to the extent permitted by law, for—

(1) local hiring; and

(2) the participation of women, people of color, veterans, justice-involved individuals, and other underrepresented workers.

(d) Apprenticeship utilization.— The Secretary shall seek to ensure that project labor agreements entered into pursuant to this section—

(1) include provisions to employ individuals participating in registered apprenticeship programs; and

(2) maintain compliance with Federal- or State-approved apprentice-to-journey worker ratios.

(e) Noncompliance.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall regularly review whether contractors and subcontractors engaged in the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a Department facility pursuant to a covered Department facility project comply with the requirement described in subsection (b).

(2) Corrective action.— If the Secretary determines that a contractor or subcontractor described in paragraph (1) has failed to comply with the requirement described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall implement a corrective action, which may include termination of the applicable contract.

(3) Consideration in evaluating future applications.— The Secretary shall consider any failure by a contractor or subcontractor described in paragraph (1) to comply with the requirement described in subsection (b) in evaluating any future application by that contractor or subcontractor for financial assistance provided by the Department, including by flagging the contractor or subcontractor for heightened compliance review.

(a) Community benefits plan required.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall require any entity applying for financial assistance provided by the Department for a covered project to include in the application for that financial assistance a community benefits plan to ensure broadly shared prosperity resulting from that financial assistance.

(2) Consideration.— In evaluating applications described in paragraph (1) and selecting applicants to receive any financial assistance described in that paragraph, the Secretary shall consider the quality of, and specific and measurable commitments contained in, a community benefits plan.

(3) Requirement.— A community benefits plan shall be informed by a community needs assessment, as described in subsection (b).

(b) Community needs assessment.— A community needs assessment required under subsection (a)(3) shall—

(1) identify the communities and populations likely to be affected by the proposed use of the financial assistance for which the applicable entity is applying, including—

(A) small or disadvantaged communities; and

(B) disadvantaged, low-income, and underrepresented workers and residents;

(2) assess existing workforce, environmental, public health, and other infrastructure conditions in the affected area, using publicly available data (to the extent possible), including job quality conditions, wage levels, worker demographics, barriers to employment, and the availability of support services, which may include child care and transportation services;

(3) identify community priorities, which may include—

(A) job quality;

(B) local hiring;

(C) worker training and advancement opportunities;

(D) environmental health;

(E) pollution reduction; and

(F) energy burden reduction;

(4) describe the community engagement process used to develop the community needs assessment; and

(5) identify—

(A) the measurable benefits sought by community stakeholders; and

(B) the potential impacts of the proposed use of the financial assistance for which the applicable entity is applying, including impacts on job quality, worker training, and worker retention.

(c) Community benefits plan contents.— A community benefits plan required under subsection (a)(1) shall—

(1) demonstrate how the entity applying for the financial assistance—

(A) will conduct meaningful documented engagement with, and ensure the participation of (including by negotiating to enter into a workforce or community agreement described in subsection (d)), an inclusive and representative coalition of local stakeholders that would be affected by the proposed use of the financial assistance, such as labor organizations, community-based organizations, public interest groups, academic institutions, local governments, and, as applicable, Tribal governments;

(B) has developed, and will implement, the community benefits plan in an accessible and transparent manner;

(C) will address, as applicable, how the proposed use of the financial assistance by the entity will address concerns identified by the community, mitigate harms, and ensure that meaningful benefits accrue to small or disadvantaged communities to advance the Small and Disadvantaged Communities Initiative carried out under section 608, including—

(i) identification of the specific populations within the affected community that qualify as small or disadvantaged communities; and

(ii) a description of the measurable benefits the project will provide to those populations, including—

(I) any measurable benefits identified under subsection (b)(5);

(II) any relevant metrics developed pursuant to the recommendations under section 606(b); and

(III) any measurable benefits identified by the Secretary under section 608(a); and

(D) will address other community concerns, such as—

(i) infrastructure access and adequacy;

(ii) pollution mitigation; and

(iii) other concerns that may be related to the proposed use of the financial assistance; and

(2) contain a plan to promote job quality and access, which shall—

(A) demonstrate how the entity applying for financial assistance—

(i) will use that financial assistance to support, create, or retain high-quality jobs, including jobs that provide wages above prevailing wage rates where feasible, are sufficient to meet regionally adjusted living standards, and provide employer-provided healthcare, retirement benefits, and paid leave, while supporting workforce development, reduced barriers to employment, and safe and healthy workplaces; and

(ii) will ensure that disadvantaged and underrepresented workers have access to high-quality jobs and economic opportunities generated by the proposed use of the financial assistance;

(B) describe how the proposed use of the financial assistance will avoid worker displacement and ensure retention of existing workers through retraining and upskilling where feasible and consistent with the proposed use of the financial assistance; and

(C) describe how the entity applying for financial assistance will promote positive labor-management relations, which may include adoption, as appropriate, of project labor agreements, community benefits agreements, collective bargaining agreements, agreements intended to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of services, agreements designed to facilitate first collective bargaining agreements, and voluntary union recognition.

(d) Workforce and community agreements.— A community benefits plan required under subsection (a)(1) shall be designed to result in 1 or more legally enforceable workforce or community agreements, which may include a community benefits agreement, a community workforce agreement, a project labor agreement, a collective bargaining agreement, or any other similar contractual agreement, that—

(1) are consistent with the needs of the relevant workforce and community;

(2) are negotiated between the entity applying for financial assistance and an inclusive and representative coalition of relevant local stakeholders, including—

(A) labor organizations;

(B) community-based organizations;

(C) public interest groups;

(D) academic institutions;

(E) local governments; and

(F) Tribal governments, as applicable; and

(3) cover any construction, operations, and maintenance activities associated with a covered project that is subject to an application for financial assistance.

(e) Transparency.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall require the public disclosure of detailed summaries of community benefits plans and associated agreements (excluding project labor agreements) developed pursuant to this section, which shall include, subject to such protections for confidential business information as the Secretary determines appropriate—

(A) a summary of the details of the applicable community benefits plan and associated agreements;

(B) a list of the parties to any associated agreement; and

(C) a description of the organizations consulted in the development of the applicable community benefits plans and associated agreements.

(2) Dashboard.— The Secretary shall maintain and regularly update a public dashboard summarizing—

(A) the commitments made by entities described in subsection (a)(1) in community benefits plans and associated agreements developed pursuant to this section; and

(B) the progress of those entities toward fulfilling those commitments.

(3) Periodic reporting on progress.— The Secretary shall require entities that receive financial assistance described in subsection (a)(1) to periodically report on progress made toward fulfilling the commitments included in any community benefits plans and associated agreements developed pursuant to this section.

(4) Project labor agreements.— This subsection shall not apply to a project labor agreement, and no project labor agreement or summary of a project labor agreement shall be—

(A) required to be disclosed under paragraph (1);

(B) included on the dashboard maintained under paragraph (2); or

(C) subject to progress reporting under paragraph (3).

(f) Noncompliance.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall regularly review whether entities that receive financial assistance provided by the Department for covered projects comply with the requirements of this section and fulfill the commitments included in community benefits plans and associated agreements developed pursuant to this section.

(2) Corrective action.— If the Secretary determines that an entity described in paragraph (1) has failed to comply with a requirement or fulfill a commitment described in that paragraph, the Secretary shall implement a corrective action, which may include withholding, recapturing, or terminating the applicable financial assistance provided by the Department to that entity.

(3) Consideration in evaluating future applications.— The Secretary shall consider any failure by an entity described in paragraph (1) to comply with a requirement or fulfill a commitment described in that paragraph in evaluating any future application by that entity for financial assistance provided by the Department, including by flagging the entity for heightened compliance review.

(a) In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026, the Secretary shall establish an advisory group consisting of representatives of labor organizations (including at least 1 representative from a labor union representing building or construction workers and at least 1 representative from a labor union representing manufacturing workers), community-based organizations, public interest groups, academic institutions, local governments, Tribal governments, and other experts, as determined appropriate by the Secretary, to develop recommendations and best practices on the development, implementation, and evaluation of community benefit plans and associated agreements (excluding project labor agreements) and community needs assessments.

(b) Requirement.— The recommendations and best practices developed under subsection (a) shall support the development of—

(1) metrics to assess the success of the plans, assessments, and agreements described in that subsection; and

(2) methods to support transparency and reporting on key metrics.

(a) In general.— The Secretary shall promote the commercialization and public availability of inventions made in the United States by United States industry and labor.

(b) Enhancing United States competitiveness.— The Secretary shall require that an entity applying for financial assistance provided by the Department to carry out research, development, or demonstration shall—

(1) enter into an agreement providing that any product embodying the subject of, or produced through, that research, development, or demonstration shall, to the best ability of that entity, be manufactured substantially in the United States; and

(2) if the entity intends to manufacture any product described in paragraph (1), submit to the Secretary a domestic manufacturing plan regarding that product.

(c) Labor standards.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall give preference to applications for financial assistance described in subsection (b) that include domestic manufacturing plans that include—

(A) a commitment to manufacture any product described in subsection (b)(1) only using workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement;

(B) a commitment to utilize registered apprenticeship programs or joint labor-management training programs with a demonstrated capacity to successfully train workers in manufacturing; and

(C) such other commitments as are necessary to meet or exceed industry-leading labor standards.

(2) Requirement.— In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall require evidence that any joint labor-management training program described in subparagraph (B) of that paragraph—

(A) has successfully trained workers in 1 or more manufacturing industries for at least 2 years prior to receiving the applicable financial assistance;

(B) has provided workers with a recognized and transferable credential at the completion of training; and

(C) meets or exceeds the standards set by—

(i) the applicable State Apprenticeship Agency; or

(ii) if there is no applicable State Apprenticeship Agency, the Department of Labor.

(d) Noncompliance.—

(1) Review.— The Secretary shall regularly review whether entities that receive financial assistance described in subsection (b) comply with the requirements described in that subsection.

(2) Corrective action.— If the Secretary determines that an entity described in paragraph (1) has failed to comply with a requirement described in subsection (b) or has failed to adhere, or make reasonable progress toward adhering, to a domestic manufacturing plan submitted under paragraph (2) of that subsection, the Secretary shall implement a corrective action, which may include withholding, recapturing, or terminating the applicable financial assistance provided by the Department to that entity.

(3) Consideration in evaluating future applications.— The Secretary shall consider any failure by an entity described in paragraph (1) to comply with a requirement described in subsection (b) or to adhere, or make progress toward adhering, to a domestic manufacturing plan submitted under paragraph (2) of that subsection in evaluating any future application by that entity for financial assistance provided by the Department, including by flagging the entity for heightened compliance review.

(e) Offshoring prohibited.—

(1) In general.— During the period described in paragraph (2), an entity receiving financial assistance provided by the Department may not, without the prior approval of the Secretary, relocate, transfer, or outsource the manufacture of any product developed or commercialized using that financial assistance to a foreign country.

(2) Period described.— The period referred to in paragraph (1) consists of—

(A) the term of the applicable financial assistance; and

(B) the 5-year period beginning on the completion of that term.

(3) Prior approval of the Secretary.— The Secretary may only grant the approval described in paragraph (1) if the entity requesting that approval demonstrates that no feasible domestic manufacturing option exists.

(4) Consideration of noncompliance in evaluating future applications.— The Secretary shall consider any failure by an entity described in paragraph (1) to comply with a requirement of this subsection in evaluating future applications by that entity for financial assistance provided by the Department, including by flagging the entity for heightened compliance review.

(a) In general.— The Secretary shall seek to ensure that not less than 40 percent of the financial assistance provided by the Department through programs included on the list established under subsection (b) is provided to entities that have committed, through community benefits plans and enforceable associated agreements, to provide specific, measurable, and meaningful benefits to small or disadvantaged communities, as determined by the Secretary.

(b) Covered programs.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026, the Secretary, in consultation with stakeholders representing geographically diverse labor organizations and community-based organizations, shall, by rule, establish and regularly update a list of programs that address—

(1) climate change;

(2) energy production, transmission, distribution, storage, and efficiency;

(3) energy technology manufacturing and related supply chains;

(4) transportation;

(5) housing;

(6) training and workforce development;

(7) remediation and reduction of legacy pollution; and

(8) drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

(c) Enhanced consideration for small or disadvantaged communities.— The Secretary shall ensure that financial assistance provided by the Department, regardless of whether the financial assistance is provided through a program included on the list established under subsection (b), to entities that will use the financial assistance to carry out a project in a small or disadvantaged community—

(1) provides meaningful benefits to that small or disadvantaged community; and

(2) does not result in significant or permanent increased negative impacts to that small or disadvantaged community.

(d) Small and Disadvantaged Communities Initiative evaluation.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Department to carry out this section.

(a) In general.— The Secretary shall require any entity that receives financial assistance provided by the Department to submit to the Secretary a report, in a manner prescribed by the Secretary—

(1) to determine the compliance of that entity with the requirements of sections 602 through 608;

(2) to enable the assessment by the Secretary of the efforts of the Department to support job creation, job quality, apprenticeship utilization, and community benefits; and

(3) to enable the collection and reporting of metrics developed by the Department to track outcomes associated with the requirements of sections 602 through 608 over time.

(b) Job quality evaluation.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on—

(A) the efforts of the Department to carry out sections 602 through 608; and

(B) other efforts of the Department to promote job quality, job access, and broadly shared prosperity among workers and communities resulting from financial assistance provided by the Department.

(2) Requirement.— The Secretary shall make aggregate data relating to apprenticeship utilization, wage compliance, and community benefits plans and associated agreements resulting from financial assistance provided by the Department publicly accessible through a website.”.

(b) Clerical amendment.— The table of contents for the Department of Energy Organization Act (Public Law 95–91; 91 Stat. 566; 110 Stat. 665) is amended by inserting before the items relating to part B of title VI the following: