[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5291 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5291
To establish an offshore wind career training grant program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 14, 2018
Ms. Tsongas (for herself, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Keating) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce, 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 establish an offshore wind career training grant program, 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 ``Offshore Wind Jobs and Opportunity
Act''.
SEC. 2. OFFSHORE WIND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 33. OFFSHORE WIND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--Beginning 360 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary may award offshore wind career
training grants to eligible entities for the purpose of developing,
offering, or improving educational or career training programs that
provide individuals in such programs skills that are useful for
employment in the offshore wind industry.
``(b) Allocation of Grants.--
``(1) Limitation on grant quantity and size.--An eligible
entity may not be awarded--
``(A) more than one grant under this section for
which the eligible entity is the lead applicant; or
``(B) a grant under this section in excess of
$1,000,000.
``(2) Allocation to community colleges.--Not less than 25
percent of the total amount awarded under this section for a
fiscal year shall be awarded to eligible entities that are
community colleges.
``(c) Partnerships.--An eligible entity seeking to receive a grant
under this section may partner with one or more of the following:
``(1) Another eligible entity (including an eligible entity
that is a community college).
``(2) A State or local government.
``(3) A nonprofit organization.
``(d) Use of Grant.--An eligible entity may use a grant awarded
under this section for the following activities:
``(1) Occupational skills training, including curriculum
development, on-the-job training, and classroom training.
``(2) Safety and health training.
``(3) The provision of basic skills, English as a second
language, and job readiness training.
``(4) Individual referral and tuition assistance for a
community college training program or any training program
leading to an industry-recognized certificate.
``(5) Internship programs in a field related to offshore
wind energy.
``(6) Customized training in conjunction with an existing
registered apprenticeship program or labor-management
partnership.
``(7) Incumbent worker and career ladder training and skill
upgrading and retraining.
``(8) The implementation of transitional jobs strategies.
``(9) Curriculum development at the undergraduate and
postgraduate levels.
``(10) Development and support of offshore wind energy
major, minor, or certificate programs.
``(11) Such other activities, as determined by the
Secretary, to meet the purposes of this section.
``(e) Grant Proposals.--
``(1) Submission procedure for grant proposals.--An
eligible entity seeking to receive a grant under this section
shall submit a grant proposal to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
``(2) Content of grant proposals.--A grant proposal
submitted to the Secretary under this section shall include a
detailed description of--
``(A) the specific project for which the grant
proposal is submitted, including the manner in which
the grant will be used to develop, offer, or improve an
educational or career training program that will
provide individuals in such program skills that are
useful for employment in the offshore wind industry;
``(B) any previous experience of the eligible
entity in providing such educational or career training
programs; and
``(C) the extent to which such project will meet
the educational or career training needs identified
under subsection (i).
``(f) Criteria for Award of Grants.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to appropriations, the Secretary
shall award grants under this section based on an evaluation
of--
``(A) the merits of the grant proposal;
``(B) the likely employment opportunities available
to individuals who complete the educational or career
training program that the eligible entity proposes to
develop, offer, or improve;
``(C) prior demand for such educational or career
training programs in the community served by the
eligible entity; and
``(D) the availability and capacity of existing
educational or career training programs in the
community to meet future demand for such programs.
``(2) Priority.--Priority in awarding grants under this
section shall be given to eligible entities that--
``(A) are located in an economically distressed
area;
``(B) focus on individuals who are--
``(i) displaced workers (particularly
workers displaced from the offshore oil and
gas, onshore fossil fuel, nuclear energy, or
fishing industries);
``(ii) veterans, members of the reserve
components of the Armed Forces, or former
members of such reserve components;
``(iii) unemployed;
``(iv) seeking employment pathways out of
poverty and into economic self-sufficiency;
``(v) at-risk youth; or
``(vi) formerly incarcerated, adjudicated,
nonviolent offenders; or
``(C) with respect to eligible entities that are
institutions of higher education, have a high
percentage of low-income or minority students.
``(3) Geographic distribution.--The Secretary shall, to the
extent practicable, award grants under this section in a manner
that provides for a reasonable geographic distribution, except
that the Secretary shall not be required to award grants
equally among different regions of the United States.
``(g) Matching Requirements.--A grant awarded under this section
may not be used to satisfy any non-Federal funds matching requirement
under any other provision of law.
``(h) Grantee Data Collection.--
``(1) In general.--A grantee, with respect to the
educational or career training program for which the grantee
received a grant under this section, shall collect and report
to the Secretary on an annual basis the following:
``(A) The number of participants in the educational
or career training program.
``(B) The services received by such participants,
including a description of training, education, and
supportive services.
``(C) The amount spent by the grantee per
participant.
``(D) The rate of job placement of participants in
the offshore wind industry or related fields.
``(E) The rate of employment retention--
``(i) if the eligible entity is not an
institution of higher education, 1 year after
completion of the educational or career
training program; or
``(ii) if the eligible entity is an
institution of higher education, 1 year after
completion of the educational or career
training program or 1 year after the
participant is no longer enrolled in such
institution of higher education, whichever is
later.
``(2) Assistance from secretary.--The Secretary shall
assist grantees in the collection of data under this subsection
by making available, where practicable, low-cost means of
tracking the labor market outcomes of participants and by
providing standardized reporting forms, where appropriate.
``(i) Identification of Educational and Career Training Needs.--Not
later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section,
the Secretary, in consultation with the offshore wind industry,
eligible entities, including eligible entities that are community
colleges, State and local governments, labor organizations, and
nonprofit organizations, shall identify the educational and career
training needs of such industry, including needs related to
manufacturing, operation, and maintenance activities relevant to the
offshore wind industry.
``(j) Guidelines.--Not later than 240 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall--
``(1) promulgate guidelines for the submission of grant
proposals under this section, including a list of the
educational and career training needs identified under
subsection (i); and
``(2) publish and maintain such guidelines on a public
website of the Secretary.
``(k) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate on the grant program established by
this section. The report shall include a description of the grantees
and the activities for which grantees used a grant awarded under this
section.
``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated for purposes of this section $25,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2018 through 2021.
``(m) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Community college.--The term `community college' has
the meaning given the term `junior or community college' in
section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1058(f)).
``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an
entity that is--
``(A) an institution of higher education, as such
term is defined in section 102 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)); or
``(B) a labor organization.
``(3) Grantee.--The term `grantee' means an eligible entity
that has received a grant under this section.
``(4) Lead applicant.--The term `lead applicant' means the
eligible entity that is primarily responsible for the
preparation, conduct, and administration of the project for
which the grant was awarded.
``(5) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy,
the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Labor.''.
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