[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4730 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4730
To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977 to establish a pilot program to provide competitive
grants to land-grant colleges and universities to facilitate research
and rapid workforce development and promote entrepreneurship and other
benefits to communities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 2, 2022
Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself and Mrs. Fischer) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
Policy Act of 1977 to establish a pilot program to provide competitive
grants to land-grant colleges and universities to facilitate research
and rapid workforce development and promote entrepreneurship and other
benefits to communities, 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 ``National Innovation and Modern
Skills Training Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL INNOVATION AND MODERN SKILLS TRAINING COMPETITIVE
GRANT PILOT PROGRAM.
The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy
Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after section 1418 (7 U.S.C. 3153)
the following:
``SEC. 1419. NATIONAL INNOVATION AND MODERN SKILLS TRAINING COMPETITIVE
GRANT PILOT PROGRAM.
``(a) Definition of Land-Grant College or University.--In this
section, the term `land-grant college or university' includes a 1994
Institution (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational
Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103-382)).
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot program
(referred to in this section as the `pilot program') to award
competitive grants to land-grant colleges and universities to carry out
activities described in subsection (c).
``(c) Eligible Activities.--
``(1) In general.--A land-grant college or university that
receives a grant under the pilot program shall use the grant
funds to establish a statewide program, in cooperation with
cooperative extension services and industry experts, to
facilitate research and rapid workforce development and promote
entrepreneurship and other benefits to communities across the
applicable State.
``(2) Workforce development, research, and entrepreneurship
programs.--
``(A) In general.--A statewide program established
under paragraph (1) shall be composed of 1 or more
workforce development, research, or entrepreneurship
programs, which shall--
``(i) be provided through cooperative
extension services, in partnership with 1 or
more colleges or universities in the applicable
geographic area;
``(ii) be administered by the applicable
land-grant college or university; and
``(iii) confer to a participant a
measurable benefit or credential on successful
completion of the program.
``(B) Workforce development programs.--A workforce
development program established under subparagraph (A)
shall--
``(i) offer flexible and alternative
educational pathways to promote workforce
development, including--
``(I) stackable credentials;
``(II) micro degrees;
``(III) boot camps; or
``(IV) credit-by-examination
programs; and
``(ii) focus on the middle- and high-
skilled jobs needed in the economy, including
local and remote work opportunities, with an
emphasis on the unemployed and underemployed,
through rapid upskilling, registered
apprenticeships, and mentorship opportunities.
``(C) Research programs.--A research program
established under subparagraph (A)--
``(i) may be tailored to support the needs
of regional attributes, workforce needs, and
economic development goals; and
``(ii) shall--
``(I) immerse participants in
emerging science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics fields and
technologies such as artificial
intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced
computing, advanced manufacturing, 3D
technology and printing, data
management and use, digital
technologies, biotechnology, health
information technology, agricultural
technology, advanced
telecommunications, and robotics;
``(II) be tailored to support--
``(aa) the needs of large
industry partners and their
innovation pipelines;
``(bb) regional attributes;
or
``(cc) economic development
goals;
``(III) consist of research
conducted by the land-grant college or
university in partnership with the
applicable community; and
``(IV) include the provision of
match-funded research grants to local
community members--
``(aa) to conduct research
led by the land-grant college
or university under subclause
(III); and
``(bb) to submit to faculty
of the land-grant college or
university or staff of the
cooperative extension service
quarterly reports describing
findings of the research
conducted under item (aa),
which may be shared with
private sector providers of
grants.
``(D) Entrepreneurship programs.--An
entrepreneurship program established under subparagraph
(A)--
``(i) shall focus on--
``(I) the strengths of local
historical industries;
``(II) the modern globalized
versions of those industries;
``(III) the innovation
opportunities within those industries;
``(IV) the needs of the community;
and
``(V) the variety of localized
industries in the region; and
``(ii) may focus on creating an
entrepreneurial environment, professional
network, mentoring, and other resources to
develop strong entrepreneurial ecosystems and
small businesses--
``(I) to spur economic development
in underrepresented communities; and
``(II) to develop the next
generation of entrepreneurs across the
United States.
``(E) Collaboration.--In carrying out a workforce
development, research, or entrepreneurship program
under this paragraph, a land-grant college or
university is encouraged to collaborate with private-
sector partners, workforce development boards, other
institutions of higher education, and local leaders to
develop programs that--
``(i) meet the professional and social
needs of the applicable community; and
``(ii) address areas of national importance
or need.
``(d) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under the pilot
program, a land-grant college or university--
``(1) shall submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require, including--
``(A) a demonstration of the availability of
matching funding from the private sector equal to the
amount of the grant to carry out activities under the
pilot program;
``(B) a 12-month plan that defines outcome goals
under the pilot program for workforce,
entrepreneurship, and research focuses; and
``(C) a demonstration of community engagement or
community partners;
``(2) may submit an application under paragraph (1) jointly
with 1 or more other land-grant colleges or universities in the
same State; and
``(3) shall be subject to an evaluation, including metrics,
relating to the performance of the land-grant college or
university under the pilot program.
``(e) Selection of Recipients.--The Secretary shall provide grants
under the pilot program--
``(1) to land-grant colleges or universities in 10 States,
including not more than 1 land-grant college or university in
any State, unless 2 or more land-grant colleges or universities
in a State submit a joint application in accordance with
subsection (d)(2); and
``(2) taking into consideration--
``(A) regional and geographic diversity; and
``(B) the capacity of a land-grant college or
university to engage industry, the workforce, and other
organizations.
``(f) Amount and Duration.--A grant under the pilot program shall
be--
``(1) in the amount of $5,000,000; and
``(2) provided over a 3-year period.
``(g) Economic Development Coordinator.--The Secretary may appoint
an Economic Development Coordinator--
``(1) to work with recipients of grants under this section;
and
``(2) to coordinate efforts with cooperative extension
services.
``(h) Coordination.--In carrying out the pilot program, the
Secretary shall coordinate with--
``(1) the Secretary of Commerce;
``(2) the Secretary of Labor;
``(3) the Secretary of Education;
``(4) the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration; and
``(5) the Director of the National Science Foundation.
``(i) Reports.--
``(1) Economic impact reports.--Not later than 180 days
after the end of the period of a grant under the pilot program,
the recipient of the grant shall submit to the Secretary a
report describing the economic impacts of activities carried
out using the grant.
``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 180 days after
the Secretary receives the report under paragraph (1) from the
last recipient of a grant under the pilot program, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the
economic impacts of activities carried out using grants under
the pilot program, based on the reports submitted to the
Secretary under paragraph (1).''.
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