[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 531 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 531
To assist States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost of,
defraying the cost of pre-apprenticeships or related instruction
associated with qualified apprenticeship programs, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 11, 2025
Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To assist States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost of,
defraying the cost of pre-apprenticeships or related instruction
associated with qualified apprenticeship programs, 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 ``American Apprenticeship Act''.
SEC. 2. PRE-APPRENTICESHIP AND QUALIFIED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Qualified apprenticeship.--The term ``qualified
apprenticeship'', used with respect to a program, means an
apprenticeship program that is--
(A) 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.); and
(B) concentrated in an industry sector or
occupation that represents less than 10 percent of
apprenticeable occupations or of the programs under the
national apprenticeship system.
(2) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term
``postsecondary educational institution'' means an institution
of higher education, as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
(3) Pre-apprenticeship.--The term ``pre-apprenticeship'',
used with respect to a program, means an initiative or set of
strategies that--
(A) is designed to prepare individuals to enter and
succeed in a qualified apprenticeship program;
(B) is carried out by a sponsor described in
paragraph (6)(B) that has a documented partnership with
one or more sponsors of qualified apprenticeship
programs; and
(C) includes each of the following:
(i) Training (including a curriculum for
the training), aligned with industry standards
related to apprenticeships in a qualified
apprenticeship program, and reviewed and
approved annually by sponsors of such
apprenticeships within the documented
partnership, that will prepare individuals by
teaching the skills and competencies needed to
enter one or more qualified apprenticeship
programs.
(ii) Provision of hands-on training and
theoretical education to individuals that--
(I) is carried out in a manner that
includes proper observation of
supervision and safety protocols; and
(II) is carried out in a manner
that does not displace a paid employee.
(iii) A formal agreement with a sponsor of
a qualified apprenticeship program that would
enable participants who successfully complete
the pre-apprenticeship program to enter
directly into the qualified apprenticeship
program (if a place in the program is available
and if the participant meets the qualifications
of the qualified apprenticeship program), and
includes agreements concerning earning credit
recognized by a postsecondary educational
institution for skills and competencies
acquired during the pre-apprenticeship program.
(4) Related instruction.--The term ``related instruction''
means an organized and systematic form of classroom or web-
based 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 qualified
apprenticeship program.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(6) Sponsor.--The term ``sponsor'' means--
(A) with respect to a qualified apprenticeship
program, an employer, joint labor-management
partnership, trade association, professional
association, labor organization, or other entity, that
administers the qualified apprenticeship program; and
(B) with respect to a pre-apprenticeship program, a
local educational agency, a secondary school, an area
career and technical education school, a State board, a
local board, a joint labor-management committee, a
labor organization, or a community-based organization,
with responsibility for the pre-apprenticeship program.
(7) Workforce innovation and opportunity act definitions.--
The terms ``area career and technical education school'',
``community-based organization'', ``individual with a barrier
to employment'', ``local board'', ``local educational agency'',
``secondary school'', and ``State board'' have the meanings
given the terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(b) Grants for Tuition Assistance.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to States on
a competitive basis to assist the States in, and pay for the
Federal share of the cost of, defraying the cost of a pre-
apprenticeship, or the cost of related instruction, associated
with a qualified apprenticeship program.
(2) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this subsection, a State shall submit an application to the
Secretary for such a project at such time, in such manner, and
containing a strategic plan that contains such information as
the Secretary may require, including--
(A) information identifying the State agency
(referred to in this Act as the ``State entity'') that
will administer the grant as determined by the Governor
of the State;
(B) a description of strategies that the State
entity will use to collaborate with key industry
representatives, State agencies, postsecondary
educational institutions, labor-management entities,
and other relevant partners to launch or expand pre-
apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in qualified
apprenticeship programs;
(C) a description of how the State entity will--
(i) coordinate activities carried out under
this subsection with activities carried out
under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.)
and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) to support pre-
apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in
qualified apprenticeship programs;
(ii) leverage funds provided under the Acts
specified in clause (i) to support pre-
apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in
qualified apprenticeship programs; and
(iii) utilize, and encourage individual
participants in programs supported under this
subsection to utilize, available Federal and
State financial assistance, including
assistance available under the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101
et seq.), education assistance benefits
available to veterans, and Federal Pell Grants
available under section 401 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a), prior
to using assistance made available under this
Act;
(D) a description of strategies to elevate
apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship programs as
a workforce solution in nontraditional industries, such
as information technology, health care, advanced
manufacturing, transportation, and other industries
determined to be high-demand by the State board for the
State;
(E) a description of activities that the State
entity will carry out to build awareness about the
economic potential of apprenticeships in qualified
apprenticeship programs;
(F) a description that outlines how the State
entity will increase opportunities for pre-
apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in qualified
apprenticeship programs, among members of minority
groups, youth, individuals with disabilities, veterans,
and individuals with barriers to employment;
(G) a description of--
(i) how the State entity will ensure that
the qualified apprenticeship program meets
certain performance measures and quality
standards, including that the qualified
apprenticeship program has been in existence
for not fewer than 6 months prior to the
application date;
(ii) the targeted outreach strategies that
the State entity will use for populations
previously underserved through apprenticeships;
and
(iii) any State performance measures that
the State will use, at the election of the
State, to measure the effectiveness of the
project; and
(H) in the case of a State that has already
received a grant under this subsection for a project,
information indicating that the State met the
performance measures with respect to the project.
(3) Application review process.--A joint team of employees
from the Department of Labor and the Department of Education
shall--
(A) review such an application; and
(B) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding
approval of the application.
(4) Use of funds.--A State that receives a grant under this
subsection shall use the funds made available through the grant
to defray any of the following costs of related instruction:
(A) Tuition and fees.
(B) Cost of textbooks, equipment, curriculum
development, and other required educational materials.
(C) Costs of any other item or service determined
by the State to be necessary.
(5) Administrative costs.--The State may use not more than
10 percent of the grant funds for administrative costs relating
to carrying out the project described in paragraph (1).
(6) Performance and evaluation.--The Secretary, after
consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall--
(A) establish performance measures based on
indicators set by the Administrator of the Office of
Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor; and
(B) establish an evaluation system aligned with the
performance measures, and reporting requirements for
the program carried out under this subsection.
(c) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost described in
subsection (b)(1) shall be not less than 20 percent and not
more than 50 percent.
(2) Non-federal share.--The State may make the non-Federal
share available--
(A) in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including
plant, equipment, or services; and
(B) directly or through donations from public or
private entities.
(d) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress,
not later than September 30, 2030, a report--
(1) detailing the results of the evaluation described in
subsection (b)(6)(B); and
(2) analyzing the extent to which States have used grant
funds effectively under this section.
(e) Policy of the United States.--It is the policy of the United
States that funds made available under this section should be used to
supplement and not supplant other funds available under the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) and other
Federal and State funds available to the State to support workforce
development programs.
SEC. 3. IDENTIFYING IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS.
The Secretary shall--
(1) identify in-demand occupations nationally and
regionally that lack the use of apprenticeships in qualified
apprenticeship programs;
(2) analyze the use of the qualified apprenticeship program
model in those identified in-demand occupations; and
(3) prepare and submit to States and Congress a report that
contains the analysis described in paragraph (2).
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
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