[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 876 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 351
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 876
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of
Energy to establish a program to prepare veterans for careers in the
energy industry, including the solar, wind, cybersecurity, and other
low-carbon emissions sectors or zero-emissions sectors of the energy
industry, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 26, 2019
Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Graham, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Gardner, and
Mr. Crapo) 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, with amendments
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of
Energy to establish a program to prepare veterans for careers in the
energy industry, including the solar, wind, cybersecurity, and other
low-carbon emissions sectors or zero-emissions sectors of the energy
industry, 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 ``Energy Jobs for our Heroes Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. ENERGY-READY VETS PROGRAM.
Title XI of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16411 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 1107. ENERGY-READY VETS PROGRAM.
``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to ensure that
veterans have the credentials and training necessary to secure careers
in the energy industry.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Active military, naval, or air service.--The term
`active military, naval, or air service' has the meaning given
such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
``(2) Eligible participant.--The term `eligible
participant' means a veteran who--
``(A) was discharged or released from service in
the active military, naval, or air service during the
most recent 1-year period; or
``(B)(i) was discharged or released from service in
the active military, naval, or air service during the
2-year period immediately preceding the most recent 1-
year period; and
``(ii) receives the approval of the Secretary to
participate in the program.
``(3) Program.--The term `program' means the Energy-Ready
Vets Program established under subsection (c)(1).
``(4) Uniformed services.--The term `uniformed services'
has the meaning given such term in section 10(a) of title 10,
United States Code.
``(5) Veteran.--The term `veteran' has the meaning given
such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
``(c) Establishment; Implementation.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a
program, to be known as the `Energy-Ready Vets Program', to
prepare eligible participants for careers in the energy
industry.
``(2) Implementation.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
program is implemented by an administrator, to be appointed by
the Secretary from among individuals with experience relating
to military service.
``(d) Administration of Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in partnership with the
Secretary of Defense, shall carry out the program through the
SkillBridge program of the Department of Defense, under which
the Secretary shall provide standardized training courses,
based, to the maximum extent practicable, on existing industry-
recognized certification and training programs, to prepare
eligible participants in the program for careers in the energy
industry, including--
``(A) in the solar energy industry, careers--
``(i) as solar photovoltaic system
installers;
``(ii) as solar technicians;
``(iii) as system inspectors; and
``(iv) in other areas relating to the solar
energy industry;
``(B) in the wind energy industry, careers--
``(i) in wind energy operations;
``(ii) in wind energy development;
``(iii) in wind energy manufacturing;
``(iv) as wind energy technicians;
``(v) in the support of all parts of the
wind energy supply chain; and
``(vi) in other areas relating to the wind
energy industry;
``(C) in the cybersecurity sector of the energy
industry, careers in--
``(i) cybersecurity preparedness;
``(ii) cyber incident response and
recovery;
``(iii) grid modernization, security, and
maintenance;
``(iv) resilience planning; and
``(v) other areas relating to the
cybersecurity sector of the energy industry;
``(D) careers in other low-carbon emissions sectors
or zero-emissions sectors of the energy industry
identified by the Secretary; and
``(E) careers in sectors that plan, develop,
construct, maintain, and expand energy industry
infrastructure.
``(2) Program requirements.--
``(A) In general.--In carrying out the program, the
Secretary shall ensure that the courses described in
paragraph (1)--
``(i) provide--
``(I) job training;
``(II) employment skills training,
including providing comprehensive
wraparound support services to eligible
participants that--
``(aa) enhance the training
experience and promote the
professional development of
eligible participants; and
``(bb) help eligible
participants transition into
the workforce; and
``(III) opportunities for
internships of not longer than 180
days; and
``(ii) are carried out primarily through--
``(I) internships; or
``(II) applied, work-based
training.
``(B) Exam requirement.--As a requirement for
completing a course described in paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall require each eligible participant in
the course to earn an applicable industry-recognized
entry-level certificate or other credential.
``(e) Recognition of Entities.--The Secretary and the administrator
of the program appointed under subsection (c)(2), working jointly,
shall establish and carry out a program to recognize commercial
entities that hire eligible participants who receive certifications or
other credentials under the program, based on the proportion that--
``(1) the number of such eligible participants hired by the
commercial entity; bears to
``(2) the number of such eligible participants hired by all
commercial entities.
<DELETED> ``(f) Establishment of Industry-Recognized Certification
and Training Programs.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (d),
if an appropriate industry-recognized certification and
training program does not exist, the Secretary shall establish
a grant program to assist the industry in developing such an
industry-recognized certification and training
program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Funding.--Out of the amounts made available
under subsection (g)(1), the Secretary shall use such sums as
are necessary to carry out paragraph (1).</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(g) Funding.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are
necessary to carry out this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Allocation of funding.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph
(B), the Secretary shall allocate to each facility of
the Department of Defense participating in the program
an amount based on a percentage of how many
participants enroll in courses at the
facility.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Applications.--A facility of the
Department of Defense participating in the program and
desiring funding under subparagraph (A) shall annually
submit an application for such funding.</DELETED>
``(f) Establishment of Industry-Recognized Certification and
Training Programs.--For purposes of subsection (d), if an appropriate
industry-recognized certification and training program does not exist,
the Secretary shall establish a grant program to assist the industry in
developing such an industry-recognized certification and training
program.
``(h)(g) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the
program is established, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report describing the activities carried out
under, and accomplishments of, the program. program, including--
``(1) the number of veterans enrolled in the program;
``(2) the regional distribution of those veterans;
``(3) the cost of certification under the program;
``(4) the rate of job placement;
``(5) the rate of job retention; and
``(6) the average salaries of veterans who were enrolled in
the program.''.
Calendar No. 351
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 876
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of
Energy to establish a program to prepare veterans for careers in the
energy industry, including the solar, wind, cybersecurity, and other
low-carbon emissions sectors or zero-emissions sectors of the energy
industry, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 17, 2019
Reported with amendments