[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6247 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6247
To establish a competitive grant program at the U.S. Department of
Education to support the development, production, and distribution of
public media programming designed to prepare Americans for in-demand
occupations that address the needs of State and local economies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 12, 2020
Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself and Mr. Meuser) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a competitive grant program at the U.S. Department of
Education to support the development, production, and distribution of
public media programming designed to prepare Americans for in-demand
occupations that address the needs of State and local economies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Partnerships for American Jobs
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The terms ``career pathway'', ``State board'', and
``local board'' have the meanings given the terms in section 3
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3102).
(2) The term ``digital media programming'' means video and
audio programming that may be delivered through a variety of
media platforms, including broadcast television and radio, the
internet, mobile devices, and other platforms.
(3) The term ``in-demand industry sector or occupation''
has the meaning given in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(4) The term ``institutions of higher education'' has the
meaning given in section 102 of the Higher Education Act (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(5) The terms ``local educational agency'' and ``State
educational agency'' have the meanings given such terms in
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(6) The terms ``public broadcast station'' and ``public
telecommunications entity'' have the meanings given such terms
in section 397 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
397).
(7) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Education.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to support the development and
distribution of digital media programming that--
(1) promotes middle school, high school, and postsecondary
student entrance into in-demand occupations;
(2) promotes student entrance into career pathway programs
that provide such preparation; and
(3) assists in meeting the needs of State and local
economies through increased workers in in-demand industry
sectors or occupations.
SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Education, in consultation with
the Secretary of Labor, may award competitive grants to, or enter into
contracts or cooperative agreements with, eligible entities described
in subsection (c) to enable such entities--
(1) to develop, produce, and distribute educational and
promotional digital media programming that is designed--
(A) to illustrate the value of career pathways in
in-demand industry sectors and occupations;
(B) to encourage secondary and postsecondary
graduation and demonstrate successful student outcomes;
(C) to inform young Americans, particularly those
who live in communities not currently served by career
pathway programs, of a full range of secondary or
postsecondary education options which align with the
skill needs of industries in the economy of the State
or a locality as specified in subparagraph (D); and
(D) to address the economic needs of a State as
specified in the unified State plan that such State
established under section 102 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3112) or
locality as specified in a local plan established under
section 108 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3123) through
encouragement of students and workers to enter
professions and occupations related to in-demand
industries or occupations;
(2) to facilitate the development, directly or through
contracts with producers of educational television and audio
programming, of educational programming for middle school, high
school, and postsecondary learners, and accompanying support
materials and services that promote the effective use of such
programming;
(3) to facilitate the development of programming, digital
content, and support materials, for parents, educators,
specialized instructional support personnel, and employers,
that is designed for distribution over the broadcast channels
of television and radio public broadcast stations and the
internet; and
(4) to contract with entities (such as public
telecommunications entities) to disseminate and distribute
programming developed under this Act to the widest possible
audience through the most appropriate distribution
technologies, including broadcast and online platforms.
(b) Availability.--In awarding grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that eligible
entities make programming widely available, with support materials as
appropriate, to local educational agencies, institutions of higher
education, workforce development systems, and employers in relevant
industries.
(c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant, contract
or cooperative agreement under this section an entity shall be a public
telecommunications entity that is able to demonstrate each of the
following:
(1) A capacity to contract for the development and national
distribution of educational and promotional video, audio, and
other media programming that is accessible by middle school,
high school, and postsecondary learners.
(2) A capacity to distribute programming, digital content,
and support materials, for parents, educators, specialized
instructional support personnel, and employers, that is
designed for distribution over the broadcast channels of
television and radio public broadcast stations and the
internet.
(3) A capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and
nonprofit nature, to negotiate the contracts described in
paragraphs (2) and (4) of subsection (a) in a manner that
returns to the entity an appropriate share of any ancillary
income from sales of any program-related products.
(4) A capacity to localize programming and materials to
meet specific State and local needs and to provide educational
outreach at the local level.
SEC. 5. COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.
(a) Consultation With the Secretary.--An eligible entity receiving
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this Act shall
consult with the Secretary--
(1) to maximize the utilization of educational programming
by secondary and postsecondary learners, and make such
programming widely available to federally funded programs
serving such populations; and
(2) to coordinate activities with Federal, State, and local
programs that support workforce development and career and
technical education, including programs under the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (29 U.S.C.
2301 et seq.), the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.).
(b) Coordination With Other Entities.--To the extent feasible, an
eligible entity receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement
shall also coordinate its activity under such award with the activities
of one or more of the following entities:
(1) Employers.
(2) Workforce development professionals and agencies.
(3) Educators.
(4) Labor organizations.
(5) Joint labor-management partnerships.
(6) State educational agencies and local educational
agencies.
(7) State boards and local boards.
(8) Institutions of higher education.
(9) Business councils.
SEC. 6. APPLICATIONS.
An eligible entity desiring to receive a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under this Act shall submit to the Secretary in
consultation with the Secretary of Labor an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
reasonably require. This application must include--
(1) the full scale and content of the programming to be
produced;
(2) the population and geographic area to be targeted by
the programming;
(3) the economic need of the State or locality that the
programming is designed to meet through increased participation
in in-demand industries and occupations; and
(4) the initiatives to be undertaken by the eligible entity
to develop public-private partnerships to secure non-Federal
support for the development, distribution, and broadcast of the
programming.
SEC. 7. REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS.
(a) Biennial Report to the Secretary.--An eligible entity receiving
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this Act shall
prepare and submit to the Secretary a biennial report that contains
such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, the report
shall describe the activities undertaken with funds received under the
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, including each of the
following:
(1) The programming that has been developed, directly or
indirectly, by the eligible entity.
(2) The target population for this programming.
(3) The economic needs of the State or locality (as
identified in the application of the eligible entity under
section 6(3)) that this programming was attempting to meet
through the encouragement of new workers in in-demand sectors
and occupations.
(4) The degree to which the number of workers working in
such in-demand sectors and occupations has increased since the
programming was distributed.
(5) The means by which programming developed under this
section has been distributed, and the geographic distribution
achieved.
(6) The initiatives undertaken by the eligible entity to
develop public-private partnerships to secure non-Federal
support for the development, distribution, and broadcast of
educational and promotional programming.
(b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to
the relevant committees of Congress a biennial report that includes the
following:
(1) A summary of the activities assisted under this Act.
(2) A description of the educational and promotional
materials made available under section 4(a)(4), and the manner
in which such materials have been distributed in accordance
with such section.
SEC. 8. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
An eligible entity that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement under this Act may use up to 5 percent of the amount received
under the grant, contract, or agreement for the normal and customary
expenses of administering the grant, contract, or agreement.
SEC. 9. SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATIONS.
The authority provided by section 4 may be exercised only to such
extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations
Acts.
<all>