[Pages S4097-S4098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2697. Mr. KAINE (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Blunt Rochester, 
Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Hickenlooper) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2360 proposed by Mr. 
Thune (for Mr. Graham) to the bill H.R. 1, to provide for 
reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        Strike section 83002 and insert the following:

     SEC. 83002. EXTENDING FEDERAL PELL GRANT ELIGIBILITY OF 
                   CERTAIN SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS.

       (a) Job Training Federal Pell Grant Program.--Section 401 
     of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(k) Job Training Federal Pell Grant Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Eligible career pathway program.--The term `eligible 
     career pathway program' means a program that--
       ``(i) meets the requirements of section 484(d)(2);
       ``(ii) is listed on the provider list under section 122(d) 
     of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act;
       ``(iii) is part of a career pathway, as defined in section 
     3 of that Act; and
       ``(iv) is aligned to a program of study as defined in 
     section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
     Education Act of 2006.
       ``(B) Eligible job training program.--
       ``(i) In general.--The term `eligible job training program' 
     means a career and technical education program at an 
     institution of higher education that--

       ``(I) provides not less than 150, and not more than 600, 
     clock hours of instructional time over a period of not less 
     than 8 weeks and not more than 15 weeks;
       ``(II) provides training aligned with the requirements of 
     high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or 
     occupations in the State or local area, as determined by an 
     industry or sector partnership;
       ``(III) is a program of training services, and provided 
     through an eligible training provider, as described under 
     section 122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
     Act;
       ``(IV) provides a student, upon completion of the program, 
     with a recognized postsecondary credential that is recognized 
     by employers in the relevant industry, including

[[Page S4098]]

     credentials recognized by industry or sector partnerships in 
     the relevant industry in the State or local area where the 
     industry is located and the job training program is provided;
       ``(V) has been determined by the institution of higher 
     education (after validation of that determination by an 
     industry or sector partnership) to provide academic content, 
     an amount of instructional time, and a recognized 
     postsecondary credential that are sufficient to--

       ``(aa) meet the hiring requirements of potential employers; 
     and
       ``(bb) satisfy any applicable educational prerequisite 
     requirement for professional licensure or certification, so 
     that the student who completes the program and seeks 
     employment qualifies to take any licensure or certification 
     examination needed to practice or find employment in an 
     occupation that the program prepares students to enter;

       ``(VI) may include integrated education and training;
       ``(VII) may be offered as part of an eligible career 
     pathway program;
       ``(VIII) does not exceed by more than 50 percent the 
     minimum number of clock hours required for training if the 
     State has established such a requirement; and
       ``(IX) shall include institutional credit articulation for 
     a student enrolled in a noncredit job training program.

       ``(ii) Approval by the secretary.--In the case of a program 
     that is seeking to establish eligibility as an eligible job 
     training program under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall 
     make a determination about whether the program meets the 
     requirements of this subparagraph not more than 60 days after 
     the date on which such program is submitted for consideration 
     as an eligible job training program.
       ``(iii) Additional assurance.--The Secretary shall not 
     determine that a program is an eligible job training program 
     in accordance with clause (ii) unless the Secretary receives 
     a certification from the appropriate State board containing 
     an assurance that the program meets the requirements of 
     clause (i).
       ``(C) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     `institution of higher education' means--
       ``(i) an institution of higher education, as defined in 
     section 101; or
       ``(ii) a postsecondary vocational institution, as defined 
     in section 102(c).
       ``(D) Institutional credit articulation.--The term 
     `institutional credit articulation' means an institution of 
     higher education provides a student who has completed a 
     noncredit program with the equivalent academic credit that 
     may be applied to a subsequent credit-bearing certificate or 
     degree program upon enrollment in such program at such 
     institution.
       ``(E) WIOA definitions.--The terms `industry or sector 
     partnership', `in-demand industry sector or occupation', 
     `recognized postsecondary credential', and `State board' have 
     the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Workforce 
     Innovation and Opportunity Act.
       ``(2) In general.--For the award year beginning on July 1, 
     2026, and each subsequent award year, the Secretary shall 
     carry out a program through which the Secretary shall award 
     Federal Pell Grants to students in eligible job training 
     programs (referred to as a `job training Federal Pell 
     Grant'). Each eligible job training Federal Pell Grant 
     awarded under this subsection shall have the same terms and 
     conditions, and be awarded in the same manner, as other 
     Federal Pell Grants awarded under subsection (b), except as 
     follows:
       ``(A) A student who is eligible to receive a job training 
     Federal Pell Grant under this subsection is a student who--
       ``(i) has not yet attained a postbaccalaureate degree;
       ``(ii) attends an institution of higher education;
       ``(iii) is enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in an 
     eligible job training program at such institution of higher 
     education; and
       ``(iv) meets all other eligibility requirements for a 
     Federal Pell Grant (except with respect to the type of 
     program of study, as provided in clause (iii)).
       ``(B) The amount of a job training Federal Pell Grant for 
     an eligible student shall be determined under subsection (b), 
     except that notwithstanding subsection (b)(1)(B) a student 
     who is eligible for less than the minimum Federal Pell Grant 
     for an academic year in which the student is enrolled in an 
     eligible program full time may still be eligible for a 
     Federal Pell Grant.
       ``(3) Inclusion in total eligibility period.--Any period 
     during which a student receives a job training Federal Pell 
     Grant under this subsection shall be included in calculating 
     the student's period of eligibility for Federal Pell Grants 
     under subsection (d), and the eligibility requirements 
     regarding students who are enrolled in an undergraduate 
     program on less than a full-time basis shall similarly apply 
     to students who are enrolled in an eligible job training 
     program at an eligible institution on less than a full-time 
     basis.''.
       (b) Accrediting Agency Recognition of Eligible Job Training 
     Programs.--Section 496(a)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099b(a)(4)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by inserting ``and'' after the 
     semicolon; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) if such agency or association has or seeks to include 
     within its scope of recognition the evaluation of the quality 
     of institutions of higher education participating in the job 
     training Federal Pell Grant program under section 401(k), 
     such agency or association shall, in addition to meeting the 
     other requirements of this subpart, demonstrate to the 
     Secretary that, with respect to such eligible job training 
     programs (as defined in that subsection)--
       ``(i) the agency or association's standards include a 
     process for determining if the institution has the capability 
     to effectively offer an eligible job training program; and
       ``(ii) the agency or association requires a demonstration 
     that the program--

       ``(I) has identified each recognized postsecondary 
     credential offered and the corresponding industry or sector 
     partnership that actively recognizes each credential in the 
     relevant industry in the State or local area where the 
     industry is located; and
       ``(II) provides the academic content and amount of 
     instructional time that is sufficient to--

       ``(aa) meet the hiring requirements of potential employers; 
     and
       ``(bb) satisfy any applicable educational prerequisites for 
     professional licensure or certification requirements so that 
     the student who completes the program and seeks employment 
     qualifies to take any licensure or certification examination 
     that is needed to practice or find employment in an 
     occupation that the program prepares students to enter.''.
       (c) Interagency Data Sharing.--The Secretary of Education 
     shall coordinate and enter into a data sharing agreement with 
     the Secretary of Labor to ensure access to data related to 
     indicators of performance collected under section 116 of the 
     Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3141). 
     Under such data sharing agreement, the Commissioner of the 
     National Center for Education Statistics shall collect and 
     review the contents of performance reports for eligible 
     providers of training services described in section 116(d)(4) 
     of that Act not less frequently than once each year.
       (d) Minimum Federal Pell Grant.--Section 401(a)(2)(F) of 
     the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(a)(2)(F)) 
     is amended by striking ``10 percent'' and inserting ``5 
     percent''.
       (e) Effective Date.--This section, and the amendments made 
     by this section, shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
                                 ______