[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1032 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1032
To address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 11, 2021
Mr. Walberg (for himself and Ms. Clarke of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry.
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 ``Telecommunications Skilled Workforce
Act''.
SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.
(a) In General.--Part I of title III of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) 5G.--The term `5G', with respect to wireless
infrastructure and wireless technology, means fifth-generation
wireless infrastructure and wireless technology.
``(2) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means any area
other than--
``(A) a city, town, or incorporated area that has a
population of more than 20,000 inhabitants; or
``(B) an urbanized area adjacent to a city or town
that has a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants.
``(3) Telecommunications interagency working group.--The
term `telecommunications interagency working group' means the
interagency working group established under subsection (b).
``(b) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Chairman of the Commission, in
consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish within the
Commission an interagency working group to develop recommendations to
address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry.
``(c) Duties.--In developing recommendations under subsection (b),
the telecommunications interagency working group shall--
``(1) determine whether, and if so how, any Federal laws
(including regulations), guidance, policies, or practices, or
any budgetary constraints, inhibit institutions of higher
education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or for-profit businesses from
establishing, adopting, or expanding programs intended to
address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry,
including the workforce needed to build and maintain the 5G
wireless infrastructure necessary to support 5G wireless
technology;
``(2) identify potential policies and programs that could
encourage and improve coordination among Federal agencies,
between Federal agencies and States, and among States, on
telecommunications workforce needs;
``(3) identify ways in which existing Federal programs,
including programs that help facilitate the employment of
veterans and military personnel transitioning into civilian
life, could be leveraged to help address the workforce needs of
the telecommunications industry;
``(4) identify ways to encourage individuals and for-profit
businesses to participate in qualified industry-led workforce
development programs, including the Telecommunications Industry
Registered Apprenticeship Program;
``(5) identify ways to improve recruitment in qualified
industry-led workforce development programs, including the
Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program
and other industry-recognized apprenticeship programs; and
``(6) identify Federal incentives that could be provided to
institutions of higher education, for-profit businesses, State
workforce development boards established under section 101 of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111),
or other relevant stakeholders to establish or adopt programs,
or expand current programs, to address the workforce needs of
the telecommunications industry, including such needs in rural
areas.
``(d) Members.--The telecommunications interagency working group
shall be composed of representatives of such Federal agencies and
relevant non-Federal industry stakeholder organizations as the Chairman
of the Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor,
considers appropriate, including--
``(1) a representative of the Department of Education,
appointed by the Secretary of Education;
``(2) a representative of the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration, appointed by the Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information;
``(3) a representative of the Department of Commerce,
appointed by the Secretary of Commerce;
``(4) a representative of the Commission, appointed by the
Chairman of the Commission;
``(5) a representative of the Telecommunications Industry
Registered Apprenticeship Program, appointed by the Secretary
of Labor;
``(6) a representative of a telecommunications industry
association, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission;
``(7) a representative of an Indian Tribe or Tribal
organization, appointed by the Secretary of Labor;
``(8) a representative of a rural telecommunications
carrier, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission;
``(9) a representative of a telecommunications contractor
firm, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission;
``(10) a representative of a minority institution (as
defined in section 365 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1067k)), appointed by the Secretary of Education; and
``(11) a representative of a labor organization, appointed
by the Secretary of Labor.
``(e) No Compensation.--A member of the telecommunications
interagency working group shall serve without compensation.
``(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date
on which the telecommunications interagency working group is
established, the working group shall submit a report containing
recommendations to address the workforce needs of the
telecommunications industry to--
``(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
``(2) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate;
``(3) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives; and
``(4) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of
Representatives.
``(g) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the telecommunications interagency
working group.''.
(b) Sunset.--Section 344 of the Communications Act of 1934, as
added by subsection (a), shall be repealed on the day after the date on
which the interagency working group established under subsection (b) of
that section submits the report to Congress under subsection (f) of
that section.
SEC. 3. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE GUIDANCE.
Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, in consultation
with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish and issue guidance on how
States can address the workforce needs of the telecommunications
industry, including guidance on how a State workforce development board
established under section 101 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111) can--
(1) utilize Federal resources available to States to meet
the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry; and
(2) promote and improve recruitment in qualified industry-
led workforce development programs, including the
Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program.
SEC. 4. GAO ASSESSMENT OF WORKFORCE NEEDS OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INDUSTRY.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) 5G.--The term ``5G'', with respect to wireless
infrastructure and wireless technology, means fifth-generation
wireless infrastructure and wireless technology.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Education and Labor of the
House of Representatives.
(3) Broadband infrastructure.--The term ``broadband
infrastructure'' means any buried, underground, or aerial
facility, and any wireless or wireline connection, that enables
users to send and receive voice, video, data, graphics, or any
combination thereof.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report that estimates the
number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to
build and maintain--
(1) broadband infrastructure in rural areas; and
(2) the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to support 5G
wireless technology.
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