The United States House Appropriations Committee voted 35-28 to advance House Republicans' Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2026.
The bill largely aligns with the strategic workforce development plan articulated in a joint report recently released by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Commerce. The Automotive Service Association said in a news release that it supports Congress and the Trump Administration for prioritizing the need to resolve workforce shortage and training concerns.
“The automotive repair community faces a daunting repair technician shortage that makes it harder for us to serve consumers. It also undermines roadway safety,” said Dan Stander, ASA Board of Directors chairman. “The federal government can help ensure that automotive technicians are prepared to handle the future of auto innovation through support for apprenticeships and incumbent worker training programs. Congress’ recent action represents a step in the right direction.”
The Fiscal Year 2026 LHHSE appropriations bill allocates $285 million toward apprenticeship grants, of which $100 million is reserved for state apprenticeship programs. The total allotment maintains the same level of funding provided to apprenticeship programs in 2025. The ASA appreciates the committee’s decision to keep apprenticeship funding consistent while making significant cuts overall to the Department of Labor’s budget reflects Congress’ commitment to supporting apprenticeship programs.
The committee also approved language that strongly encourages the Department of Labor to provide specialized support to incumbent automotive repair technicians in advanced training to prepare them with the skills needed to handle advances in automotive technology. The ASA encouraged the committee to include this language in the LHHSE Appropriations bill in 2024, but the legislation that ultimately passed omitted it.
