[House Report 115-168] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 115th Congress } { Rept. 115-168 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session } { Part 1 ====================================================================== TO PROMOTE A 21ST CENTURY ENERGY AND MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE _______ June 12, 2017.--Ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Walden, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 338] The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 338) to promote a 21st century energy and manufacturing workforce, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. CONTENTS Page Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1 Committee Action................................................. 2 Committee Votes.................................................. 2 Oversight Findings and Recommendations........................... 2 New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 2 Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 2 Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 2 Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 2 Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 2 Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 2 Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits....... 3 Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings.............................. 3 Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 3 Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 3 Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 3 Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 5 PURPOSE AND SUMMARY H.R. 338 would direct the Secretary of the Energy to prioritize education and training for energy and manufacturing- related jobs in order to increase the number of skilled workers trained to work in energy and manufacturing-related fields when considering awards for existing grant programs. COMMITTEE ACTION The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings on the legislation. On June 7, 2017, the full Committee on Energy and Commerce met in open markup session and ordered H.R. 338, without amendment, favorably reported to the House by unanimous consent. COMMITTEE VOTES Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. There were no record votes taken in connection with ordering H.R. 338 reported. OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII, the Committee has not held hearings on this legislation. NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII, the Committee finds that H.R. 338 would result in no new or increased budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII, at the time this report was filed, the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available. FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective of this legislation is to direct the Secretary of Energy to prioritize education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs in order to increase the number of skilled workers trained to work in energy and manufacturing-related fields when considering awards for existing grant programs. DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII, no provision of H.R. 338 is known to be duplicative of another Federal program, including any program that was included in a report to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII, the Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the time this report was filed, the estimate was not available. EARMARK, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the Committee finds that H.R. 338 contains no earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits. DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, the Committee finds that H.R. 338 contains no directed rule makings. ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION Section 1. Energy and manufacturing workforce development Section 1 directs the Secretary to prioritize education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs in order to increase the number of skilled workers trained to work in energy and manufacturing-related fields when considering awards for existing grant programs. Such efforts may include both encouraging State education agencies and local educational agencies to equip students with the skills, mentorships, training, and technical expertise necessary to fill the employment opportunities vital to managing and operating the Nation's energy and manufacturing industries, and strengthening and more fully engaging Department of Energy programs and labs in carrying out the Department's workforce development initiatives, including the Minorities in Energy Initiative. The Secretary is required to prioritize the education and training of underrepresented groups in energy and manufacturing-related jobs. Section 1 also directs the Secretary to establish a clearinghouse to maintain and update information and resources on training and workforce development programs for energy and manufacturing-related jobs, and provide technical assistance for States, local educational agencies, schools, community colleges, universities (including minority-serving institutions), workforce development programs, labor-management organizations, and industry organizations that would like to develop and implement energy and manufacturing-related training programs. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Secretary must (1) collaborate with States, local educational agencies, schools, community colleges, universities (including minority- serving institutions), workforce-training organizations, national laboratories, State energy offices, workforce investment boards, and the energy and manufacturing industries; (2) encourage and foster collaboration, mentorships, and partnerships among organizations (including industry, States, local educational agencies, schools, community colleges, workforce-development organizations, and colleges and universities) that currently provide effective job training programs in the energy and manufacturing fields and entities (including States, local educational agencies, schools, community colleges, workforce development programs, and colleges and universities) that seek to establish these types of programs in order to share best practices; and (3) shall collaborate with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of the Census, States, and the energy and manufacturing industries to develop a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the energy and manufacturing workforce needs and opportunities by State and by region. The Secretary also must (1) give special consideration to increasing outreach to minority-serving institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities; (2) make existing resources available through program cross-cutting to minority- serving institutions with the objective of increasing the number of skilled minorities and women trained to go into the energy and manufacturing sectors; (3) encourage industry to improve the opportunities for students of minority-serving institutions to participate in industry internships and cooperative work/study programs; and (4) partner with the Department of Energy laboratories to increase underrepresented groups' participation in internships, fellowships, traineeships, and employment at all Department of Energy laboratories. In addition, the Secretary must (1) give special consideration to increasing outreach to employers and job trainers preparing dislocated energy and manufacturing workers for in-demand sectors or occupations; (2) make existing resources available through program cross-cutting to institutions serving dislocated energy and manufacturing workers with the objective of training individuals to re-enter in-demand sectors or occupations; (3) encourage the energy and manufacturing industries to improve opportunities for dislocated energy and manufacturing workers to participate in career pathways; and (4) work closely with the energy and manufacturing industries to identify energy and manufacturing operations, such as coal-fired power plants and coal mines, scheduled for closure and to provide early intervention assistance to workers employed at such energy and manufacturing operations. In carrying out the section, the Secretary is also directed to work with industry and community-based workforce organizations to help identify candidates, including from underrepresented communities such as minorities, women, and veterans, to enroll in workforce development programs for energy and manufacturing-related jobs. Finally, the section defines the terms ``career pathways,'' ``dislocated worker,'' ``in-demand sectors or occupations,'' ``local workforce development board,'' ``State workforce development board,'' and ``minority-serving institution.'' Section 2. Report Section 2 directs Secretary to publish a comprehensive report to specified congressional committees on the outlook for energy and manufacturing sectors nationally. The report must include a comprehensive summary of energy and manufacturing job creation as a result of the enactment of this Act and performance data regarding the number of program participants served, the percentage of participants in competitive integrated employment two quarters and four quarters after program completion, the median income of program participants two quarters and four quarters after program completion, and the percentage of program participants receiving industry- recognized credentials. Section 3. Use of existing funds Section 3 provides that no additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be out using amounts otherwise authorized. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED This legislation does not amend any existing Federal statute. [all]