[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1739 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 352
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1739
To enable projects that will aid in the development and delivery of
related instruction associated with apprenticeship and
preapprenticeship programs that are focused on serving the skilled
technical workforce at the National Laboratories and certain facilities
of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 5, 2019
Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Crapo, and Mr. Manchin) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources
December 17, 2019
Reported by Ms. Murkowski, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enable projects that will aid in the development and delivery of
related instruction associated with apprenticeship and
preapprenticeship programs that are focused on serving the skilled
technical workforce at the National Laboratories and certain facilities
of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Department of Energy National Labs
Jobs ACCESS Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL LABORATORY JOBS ACCESS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program known as
the ``Department of Energy National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program'', under
which the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, 5-year grants
to eligible entities described in subsection (c) for the Federal share
of the costs of technical, skills-based preapprenticeship and
apprenticeship programs that provide employer-driven or recognized
postsecondary credentials during the grant period.
(b) Requirements.--A program funded by a grant awarded under this
section shall develop and deliver customized and competency-based
training that--
(1) leads to recognized postsecondary credentials for
secondary school and postsecondary students;
(2) is focused on skills and qualifications needed to meet
the immediate and on-going needs of traditional and emerging
technician positions (including machinists and cyber security
technicians) at the National Laboratories and covered
facilities of the National Nuclear Security Administration;
(3) creates an apprenticeship or preapprenticeship
partnership with a National Laboratory or covered facility of
the National Nuclear Security Administration; and
(4) creates an apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program
with the Secretary of Labor or a State department of labor.
(c) Eligible Entities.--An entity that is eligible to receive a
grant under this section shall be a workforce intermediary or an
eligible sponsor of a preapprenticeship or an apprenticeship program
that--
(1) demonstrates experience in implementing and providing
career planning and career pathways towards technical, skills-
based apprenticeship or preapprenticeship training programs;
(2)(A) has a relationship with a National Laboratory or
covered facility of the National Nuclear Security
Administration;
(B) has knowledge of technician workforce needs of such
laboratory or facility and the associated security requirements
of such laboratory or facility; and
(C) is eligible to enter into an agreement with such
laboratory or facility that would be paid for in part or
entirely from grant funds received under this section;
(3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support
individuals who plan to work in relevant technician positions
upon the successful completion of such programs;
(4) provides students who complete such programs with a
recognized postsecondary credential, such as a journeyman craft
license or an industry-recognized certification;
(5) uses a customized training curriculum that is
specifically aligned with employers, utilizing workplace
learning advisors and on-the-job training to the greatest
extent possible; and
(6) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates
of such programs to careers relevant to such programs.
(d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(e) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive grants
under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize an eligible entity
that--
(1) is a member of an industry or sector partnership;
(2) provides the training described in subsection (b)--
(A) at an institution of higher education (such as
a community college) that includes basic science,
technology, and mathematics education in the
curriculum;
(B) through an apprenticeship program that was
registered with the Department of Labor or a State
before the date on which the eligible entity applies
for the grant under subsection (d); or
(C) with respect to a preapprenticeship program, at
a local educational agency, a secondary school, an area
career and technical education school, or an
appropriate community facility;
(3) works with the Secretary of Defense or veterans
organizations to transition members of the Armed Forces and
veterans to apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs in a
relevant sector;
(4) plans to use the grant to carry out the training
described in subsection (b) with an entity that receives State
funding or is operated by a State agency; and
(5) plans to use the grant to carry out the training
described in subsection (b) for--
(A) young adults ages 17 to 29, inclusive; or
(B) individuals with barriers to employment.
(f) Additional Consideration.--In making grants under this section,
the Secretary shall consider regional diversity.
(g) Limitation on Applications.--An eligible entity may not submit,
either individually or as part of a joint application, more than 1
application for a grant under this section during any 1 fiscal year.
(h) Limitations on Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant provided
under this section for any 24-month period of the 5-year grant period
shall not exceed $500,000.
(i) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of a
customized training program carried out using a grant under this
section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost of the
program.
(j) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical
assistance to eligible entities described in subsection (c) to leverage
the existing job training and education programs of the Department of
Labor and other relevant programs at appropriate Federal agencies.
(k) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not less than once every 2 years, the
Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress, and make publicly
available on the website of the Department of Labor, a report
on the program established under this section, including--
(A) a description of--
(i) any entity that receives a grant under
this section;
(ii) any activity carried out using the
grants under this section; and
(iii) best practices used to leverage the
investment of the Federal Government under this
section; and
(B) an assessment of the results achieved by the
program established under this section, including the
rate of employment for participants after completing a
job training and education program carried out using a
grant under this section.
(2) Provision of information.--The Secretary of Energy
shall provide such information as necessary to the Secretary of
Labor for purposes of the report under paragraph (1).
(l) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``local educational agency'' and
``secondary school'' have the meanings given the terms in
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) WIOA terms.--The terms ``career planning'',
``community-based organization'', ``customized training'',
``economic development agency'', ``individual with a barrier to
employment'', ``industry or sector partnership'', ``on-the-job
training'', ``recognized postsecondary credential'', and
``workplace learning advisor'' have the meanings given such
terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(3) Apprenticeship.--The term ``apprenticeship'' means an
apprenticeship registered under the Act of August 16, 1937
(commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50
Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
(4) Area career and technical education school.--The term
``area career and technical education school'' has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(5) Community college.--The term ``community college'' has
the meaning given the term ``junior or community college'' in
section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1058(f)).
(6) Covered facility of the national nuclear security
administration.--The term ``covered facility of the National
Nuclear Security Administration'' means a national security
laboratory or a nuclear weapons production facility as such
terms are defined in section 4002 of the Atomic Energy Defense
Act (50 U.S.C. 2501).
(7) Eligible sponsor.--The term ``eligible sponsor'' means
a public organization or an organization described in section
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax
under section 501(a) of that Code, that--
(A) with respect to an apprenticeship program,
administers such program through a partnership that may
include--
(i) a business;
(ii) an employer or industry association;
(iii) a labor-management organization;
(iv) a local workforce development board or
State workforce development board;
(v) a 2- or 4-year institution of higher
education that offers an educational program
leading to an associate's or bachelor's degree
in conjunction with a certificate of completion
of apprenticeship;
(vi) the Armed Forces (including the
National Guard and Reserves);
(vii) a community-based organization; or
(viii) an economic development agency; and
(B) with respect to a preapprenticeship program, is
a local educational agency, a secondary school, an area
career and technical education school, a State
workforce development board, a local workforce
development board, or a community-based organization,
that administers such program with any required
coordination and necessary approvals from the Secretary
of Labor or a State department of labor.
(8) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(9) Local workforce development board.--The term ``local
workforce development board'' has the meaning given the term
``local board'' in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(10) 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).
(11) Preapprenticeship.--The term ``preapprenticeship'',
used with respect to a program, means an initiative or set of
strategies that--
(A) is designed to prepare participants to enter
and succeed in an apprenticeship program;
(B) is carried out by an eligible sponsor that has
a documented partnership with one or more sponsors of
apprenticeship programs; and
(C) includes each of the following:
(i) Training (including a curriculum for
the training) aligned with industry standards
related to apprenticeships and reviewed and
approved annually by sponsors of the
apprenticeships within the documented
partnership that will prepare participants by
teaching the skills and competencies needed to
enter one or more apprenticeship programs.
(ii) Hands-on training and theoretical
education for participants that--
(I) includes proper observation of
supervision and safety protocols; and
(II) does not displace a paid
employee.
(iii) A formal agreement with a sponsor of
an apprenticeship program that would enable
participants who successfully complete the
preapprenticeship program--
(I) to enter directly into the
apprenticeship program if a place in
the program is available and if the
participant meets the qualifications of
the apprenticeship program; and
(II) to earn credits towards the
apprenticeship program.
(12) Related instruction.--The term ``related instruction''
means an organized and systematic form of instruction designed
to provide an apprentice with the knowledge of the theoretical
and technical subjects related to the occupation of the
apprentice or the instruction needed to prepare an individual
to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program.
(13) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, except
as otherwise specified in this Act.
(14) State workforce development board.--The term ``State
workforce development board'' has the meaning given the term
``State board'' in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(15) Workforce intermediary.--The term ``workforce
intermediary''--
(A) means an organization that proactively
addresses workforce needs using a dual customer
approach, which considers the needs of both employees
and employers; and
(B) may include a faith-based and community
organization, an employer organization, a community
college, a temporary staffing agency, a State workforce
development board, a local workforce development board,
or a labor organization.
(m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of the
fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
Calendar No. 352
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1739
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enable projects that will aid in the development and delivery of
related instruction associated with apprenticeship and
preapprenticeship programs that are focused on serving the skilled
technical workforce at the National Laboratories and certain facilities
of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 17, 2019
Reported without amendment