The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe 469: Rep. Riley Moore—I'm Just a Bill
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Feb 6, 2026 Riley Moore, a U.S. Congressman from West Virginia who started his career as a welder, discusses the Jumpstart Savings Act to fund tools, certifications, and startup costs. He explains how the plan mirrors 529s while offering rollovers and perpetual accounts. They talk stigma around trades, fast-tracking credentials, state rollouts, and the national skills gap.
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Use Jumpstart Like A 529 For Trades
- Start a Jumpstart account like a 529 at a child's birth to save for tools, licenses, certifications, and startup costs.
- Roll unused 529 funds into Jumpstart to avoid penalties and fund trade careers tax-advantaged.
From Welder To Policy Maker
- Riley Moore recounts wanting a mobile welding rig but having no credit or funds to buy the truck and equipment.
- That personal experience motivated him to create the Jumpstart program in West Virginia and now at the federal level.
Capital Costs Happen After Training
- The main financial barrier for tradespeople often comes after training when capital is needed to start work or a business.
- Jumpstart targets that post-training expense gap to make entrepreneurship feasible for tradespeople.