[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 91 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 91
To provide grants to States for the purpose of providing workplace
services to small businesses.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 5, 1993
Mr. Kildee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide grants to States for the purpose of providing workplace
services to small businesses.
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 ``Workplace Education and High
Performance Workforce Act of 1993''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to assist small businesses in establishing workplace
education programs to improve the productivity of such
businesses;
(2) to assist small businesses in introducing new
technologies and the reorganization of work; and
(3) to assist institutions of higher education and other
suitable education providers in providing workplace services to
small businesses.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1141(a)).
(2) New technologies.--The term ``new technologies'' means
equipment, processes, and techniques that have not previously
been utilized by a business that will improve the productivity
of such business.
(3) Reorganization of work.--The term ``reorganization of
work'' means the processes and techniques for directing the
work of employees that have not previously been utilized by a
business that will improve the productivity of such business.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(5) Small business.--The term ``small business'' means an
independently incorporated, for-profit business that employs
500 or fewer full-time employees.
(6) Workforce specialist.--The term ``workforce
specialist'' means an individual with experience in improving
the productivity of businesses through such methods as total
quality management, statistical process control, the
development of work teams and quality circles, reduction of
management layers and oversight and enhancing the
responsibility of front-line workers, introduction of just-in-
time or computer integrated production, and increased general
or job-specific training.
(7) Workplace education.--The term ``workplace education''
means employer-sponsored instruction provided to employees
which--
(A) shall include instruction in reading, writing,
mathematics, or English as a second language; and
(B) may include instruction in problem solving,
interpersonal communications, teamwork, and other work-
related basic skills.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Title i.--There are authorized to be appropriated
$5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1998 to
carry out title I.
(2) Title ii.--There are authorized to be appropriated
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, $60,000,000 for fiscal year
1995, and $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1996
through 1998, to carry out title II.
(b) Availability.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated under
subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
TITLE I--OFFICE OF WORKPLACE EDUCATION AND HIGH PERFORMANCE WORK
SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT.
The Secretary of Labor shall establish in the Employment and
Training Administration an Office of Workplace Education and High
Performance Work (in this Act referred to as the ``Federal office'').
SEC. 102 DIRECTOR.
The Federal office shall be headed by a Director (in this title
referred to as the ``Director''), who shall be paid at a rate equal to
level 5 of the Executive Schedule.
SEC. 103. DUTIES.
The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall--
(1) carry out the grant program established under section
201(a);
(2) establish standards for the employment, qualifications,
training, and activities of workforce specialists described in
section 203(b)(3);
(3) conduct programs of research and analysis, which may
include demonstration programs, to determine how small
businesses can more effectively implement workplace education
programs;
(4) develop and disseminate information on the introduction
of new technologies and the reorganization of work by small
businesses by--
(A) identifying sources of expertise of such
technologies and reorganization of work in Federal,
State, and local agencies (including the Department of
Commerce, the National Science Foundation, and the
Small Business Administration);
(B) forming cooperative relationships with
appropriate Federal agencies to determine how small
businesses can more effectively implement such new
technologies and reorganization of work; and
(C) encouraging and assisting labor organizations,
educational organizations, businesses and other private
organizations to provide information and technical
assistance to small businesses regarding workplace
education, new technologies, and the reorganization of
work.
SEC. 104. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
Not later than September 30, 1994, and at the end of each fiscal
year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the President and the
Congress a report containing--
(1) a compilation of the information contained in the State
reports received by the Secretary under section 207; and
(2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the grant program
authorized under section 201(a).
TITLE II--WORKPLACE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM
SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall, from amounts appropriated
pursuant to section 4(a)(2), provide grants to States for the purpose
of establishing programs to improve the productivity of small
businesses in such States.
(b) Period of Grants.--A grant received under subsection (a) may
extend for a period of not more than 5 fiscal years. The payments under
such grant shall be subject to annual approval by the Secretary and
subject to the availability of appropriations for each fiscal year.
SEC. 202. APPLICATION.
The Secretary may provide a grant to a State under section 201(a)
only if such State submits to the Secretary an application which
contains--
(1) a plan containing the number of workforce service
districts to be established by the State office in accordance
with section 203(b)(2); and
(2) such other information as the Secretary may reasonably
require.
SEC. 203. USE OF FUNDS.
(a) Establishment of Program.--A State shall use amounts received
from a grant under section 201(a) to establish a program to improve the
productivity of small businesses in such State.
(b) Conduct of Program.--In conducting the program established
under subsection (a), the State shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Establishment of state office of workplace education
and high performance work.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
State shall establish a State office of workplace
education and high performance work (in this Act
referred to as the ``State office'') in 1 of the
following entities:
(i) A State agency that has responsibility
for education, training, or economic
development policy.
(ii) An institution of higher education
located in such State.
(B) Exception.--In the case of a State that has
established an entity comparable to the State office
described in subparagraph (A), such State may, upon the
approval of the Secretary, designate such entity as the
State office for purposes of such subparagraph.
(2) Establishment of workplace service districts.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
State office shall establish workplace service
districts throughout the State--
(i) each of which contains at least 1
institution of higher education which has
existing workplace education programs (or will
establish such programs not later than the date
on which the State in which such institution is
located will receive amounts from a grant under
section 201(a)), to provide small businesses
with access to workplace services; and
(ii) which are of a sufficient number in
order to allow ease of access by small
businesses located in the State to utilize the
services provided at such institutions of
higher education.
(B) Requirements.--In establishing workplace
service districts, the State office shall--
(i) if the amount of the grant received by
the State under section 201(a) is greater than
an amount equal to $100,000 multiplied by the
number of such districts proposed to be
established by the State in its application,
hire and place at least 1 workforce specialist
who meets the standards established by the
Secretary under section 103(2), including
necessary support staff, at an institution of
higher education in each district; and
(ii) if the amount of the grant received by
the State under section 201(a) is less than an
amount equal to $100,000 multiplied by the
number of such districts proposed to be
established by the State in its application,
place at least 1 such workforce specialist,
including necessary support staff, at an
institution of higher education in each
district that the State office determines to be
appropriate.
(3) Duties of workforce specialists.--Each workforce
specialist hired by a State office and placed at an institution
of higher education under paragraph (2)(B) shall--
(A) serve as a local point of contact for small
businesses interested in workplace services;
(B) provide workplace services to individual small
businesses by analyzing the needs of such businesses
for the purpose of--
(i) designing workplace education programs
that will improve the productivity of such
businesses; and
(ii) introducing new technologies and the
reorganization of work at such businesses;
(C) refer small businesses to other suitable
education providers for the purpose of providing
workplace services to such businesses, provided that
each such business shall reimburse such provider in an
amount equal to at least 75 percent of the cost of the
services attributable to such business, including
instructional time, materials, and facilities;
(D) assist in negotiating financial, logistical,
and other arrangements between small businesses and
other suitable education providers;
(E) provide technical assistance and training to
the staff of suitable education providers described in
subparagraph (C) for the purpose of providing workplace
services to small businesses;
(F) encourage other small businesses and labor
groups to provide such services; and
(G) provide small businesses with general
information on workplace services.
(4) Cooperation with workforce specialists.--The State
office shall encourage local educational agencies and other
local agencies, small businesses, labor organizations,
community-based organizations, and other private organizations
to cooperate with workforce specialists described in paragraph
(3).
(5) Oversight of workforce specialists.--The State office
shall monitor and supervise the activities of each workforce
specialist described in paragraph (3).
(6) Workplace service information.--The State office shall
produce and disseminate information to the entities described
in paragraph (4) and the general public on workplace services,
including the need for and means of implementing workplace
education programs, the introduction of new technologies, and
the reorganization of work.
(7) Sources of expertise and technical assistance.--The
State office shall--
(A) identify Federal, State, and local sources of
expertise and technical assistance that can assist
small businesses in implementing workplace education
programs, the introduction of new technologies, and the
reorganization of work; and
(B) develop cooperative and collaborative
relationships with such sources of expertise.
(8) Research and demonstration programs.--The State office
shall conduct research and demonstration programs to promote
the understanding and acceptance of workplace education and
encourage the use of and improvement of state-of-the-art
workplace services.
(9) Statewide or regional training programs.--The State
office shall, in conjunction with the Federal office and
workforce specialists, conduct Statewide or regional training
programs for teachers and administrators at institutions of
higher education, small businesses, labor organizations,
community-based organizations, and other individuals and
entities that are engaged, or wish to become engaged, in the
provision of workplace services.
(10) Supplemental grant program.--
(A) In general.--(i) Subject to clause (ii), the
State office shall provide grants to small businesses
for the purpose of improving the productivity of such
businesses.
(ii) The State office shall use not more than 15
percent of amounts received from a grant under section
201(a) to provide grants under clause (i).
(B) Application.--To receive a grant under
subparagraph (A)(i), a small business shall submit an
application to the State office at such time, in such
form, and containing such information as the office may
reasonably require.
(C) Use of funds.--Grants made under subparagraph
(A)(i) may be used by a small business only to--
(i) carry out workplace education programs
at such business;
(ii) introduce new technologies at such
business; and
(iii) provide for the reorganization of
work at such business.
(D) Amount of grant.--The State office may not make
grants under subparagraph (A)(i) to any small business
in an amount equal to or more than $25,000.
(E) Allocation.--The State office shall provide at
least 60 percent of amounts used to provide grants
under subparagraph (A)(i) to small businesses with 50
or fewer employees.
(11) Evaluations.--At the end of each fiscal year in which
the Secretary makes payments to a State under a grant under
section 201(a), the State office in such State shall conduct a
quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of the program
established under subsection (a) in improving corporate
productivity through workplace education, the introduction of
new technologies, and the reorganization of work.
(c) Administrative Costs.--Of the amount received by a State from a
grant under section 201(a) for any fiscal year, not more than 10
percent of such amount may be used to pay the administrative costs of
the program established under subsection (a).
SEC. 204. MATCHING FUNDS.
The Secretary may not make a grant to a State under section 201(a)
unless such State agrees to provide non-Federal funds for the purpose
of conducting the program under section 203(b) in an amount equal to
not less than 20 percent of the Federal funds provided to the State in
each of the first two fiscal years that it receives amounts from a
grant, and not less than 30 percent of the Federal funds that the State
receives from such grant in each subsequent fiscal year.
SEC. 205. ALLOCATION.
(a) In General.--In providing grants under section 201(a), the
Secretary shall award grants in a greater amount to States with larger
populations, as determined by the Secretary.
(b) Limitation.--The Secretary may not provide grants under section
201(a) in a fiscal year to any State in an amount totaling more than 10
percent of amounts appropriated pursuant to section 4(a)(2) for that
fiscal year.
SEC. 206. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
The Secretary may not make a grant to a State under section 201(a)
unless such State agrees to maintain its aggregate expenditures for
programs to improve the productivity of small businesses in such State
at or above the average level of such expenditures in the fiscal year
preceding the fiscal year for which the State is applying to receive
the grant.
SEC. 207. STATE REPORTS.
The Secretary may not make a grant to a State under section 201(a)
unless such State agrees to submit to the Secretary, in each fiscal
year in which the Secretary makes payments under such grant to such
State, a report containing--
(1) a description of the program established by such State
under section 203(a), including a summary of the evaluation of
such program conducted under section 203(b)(11);
(2) the number of small businesses receiving assistance
under such program; and
(3) any other information as the Secretary may reasonably
require.
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HR 91 IH----2