Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025

House Bill

H.R. 5235

119th Congress

Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Introduced:Feb 23, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Nancy Mace

R - SC

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Summary

This bill would open up federal contract jobs to people without college degrees by requiring government agencies to justify why a degree is necessary before including it as a requirement. Instead of automatically requiring diplomas, contractors would need to focus on whether someone has the actual skills to do the job, whether gained through education, work experience, or other paths. This represents a shift toward skills-based hiring for work funded by taxpayer dollars.

Latest Action

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Introduced2/23/2026

StatusMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

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This bill would open up federal contract jobs to people without college degrees by requiring government agencies to justify why a degree is necessary before including it as a requirement. Instead of automatically requiring diplomas, contractors would need to focus on whether someone has the actual skills to do the job, whether gained through education, work experience, or other paths. This represents a shift toward skills-based hiring for work funded by taxpayer dollars.

Bill Number: 5235
Introduced: 2/23/2026
Status: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Policy Area: Government Operations and Politics

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025
Bill Number: 5235
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Introduced: 2/23/2026
Summary: This bill would open up federal contract jobs to people without college degrees by requiring government agencies to justify why a degree is necessary before including it as a requirement. Instead of automatically requiring diplomas, contractors would need to focus on whether someone has the actual s

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would open up federal contract jobs to people without college degrees by requiring government agencies to justify why a degree is necessary before including it as a requirement. Instead of automatically requiring diplomas, contractors would need to focus on whether someone has the actual skills to do the job, whether gained through education, work experience, or other paths. This represents a shift toward skills-based hiring for work funded by taxpayer dollars.

Last updated: 2/24/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Skills-Based Federal Contracting ActThis bill prohibits federal contract bid solicitations for contractor personnel from including minimum educational requirements unless the contracting officer justifies the requirements. The prohibition applies to educational requirements that may be met through education alone, education or experience, or a combination of education and experience.The bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget to issue implementing guidance to federal agencies, including instructions for contracting officers that encourage using alternatives to education requirements.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Prohibits federal contractors from requiring college degrees for jobs unless they can prove the degree is truly necessary for the work
Encourages contractors to evaluate candidates based on their actual skills and experience rather than educational credentials alone
Could expand job opportunities for millions of Americans who have valuable skills but lack formal degrees
Applies to the entire federal contracting workforce, which represents billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded jobs annually
Directs federal agencies to develop alternative qualification standards that focus on what workers can do, not just where they went to school

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would primarily benefit skilled workers without college degrees who have been excluded from federal contract jobs due to blanket education requirements. It could create new career pathways for veterans, trade workers, and self-taught professionals while potentially giving taxpayers better value by expanding the pool of qualified candidates competing for government-funded positions. Federal contractors would need to redesign their hiring practices to focus on demonstrable skills rather than relying on degrees as a screening tool.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

5235, 119th Congress (2026). "Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-5235

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