113 S2897 IS: Manufacturing Skills Act of 2014
U.S. Senate
2014-09-18
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as
the Manufacturing Skills Act of 2014
.2.In this Act:(1)The term eligible entity means a State or a metropolitan area.(2)Institution of
higher educationThe term institution of higher
education means each of the following:(A)An institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).(B)A postsecondary vocational institution, as defined in section 102(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C.
1002(c)).(3)The term manufacturing sector means a manufacturing sector classified in code 31, 32, or 33 of the most recent version of the
North American Industry Classification System developed under the
direction of the Office of Management and Budget.(4)The term
metropolitan area means a standard metropolitan statistical area,
as designated by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.(5)The term Partnership means the
Manufacturing Skills Partnership established in section 101(a).(6)The
term State means each of the several States of the United States,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American
Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern
Mariana Islands.<enum>I</enum><header>Manufacturing Skills program</header><section commented="no" id="ida871983c6b2e4feab73666e1948651f0"><enum>101.</enum><header>Manufacturing Skills program</header><subsection commented="no" id="idD9B610110B7E493C927F4DDF6B79D5E8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Manufacturing Skills Partnership</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The
Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Education,
Secretary of
the Department of Defense, and Director of the National Science Foundation
shall jointly establish a Manufacturing Skills Partnership
consisting of the
Secretaries and the Director, or their representatives. The Partnership
shall—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="id074DED5001334F558D0E782836B064D4"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">administer and carry out the program established under this title;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id5A86670D9C7C4D18AF0CE7B9851E7D0E"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">establish and publish guidelines for the review of applications, and the criteria for selection,
for grants under this title; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="idE1BCE87C4DD1465E93F0BCB6EFECD183"><enum>(3)</enum><text>submit an annual report to Congress on—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="idDA7EB8D332FD4EEA96A8747D1FA381B9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the eligible entities that receive grants under this title; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idAADE8D1A73DD4E42B7E42D68F2E08F92"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the progress such eligible entities have made in achieving the milestones identified in
accordance with section 102(b)(2)(H).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id4534F9539FD04D638D064807ABC2951B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Program
authorized</header><paragraph commented="no" id="id737D1F70F65947B796B48230367A2544"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">From amounts
appropriated to carry out this title, the Partnership shall award
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the
eligible entities to carry out their proposals submitted in the
application under section 102(b)(2), in order to promote reforms in
workforce education and
skill training for manufacturing in the eligible entities.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id3C20BEE3925A4CF29A3884CDD098BF56"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Grant
duration</header><text>A grant awarded under paragraph (1) shall be for a
3-year period, with grant funds under such grant distributed annually in
accordance with subsection (c)(2).</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id4ABEE5CFFD8448D0B003FF0573BD5C20"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Second grants</header><text>If amounts are made available to award grants under this title for subsequent grant periods, the
Partnership may award a grant to an eligible entity that previously
received a grant under
this title after such first grant
period expires. The Partnership shall evaluate the performance of the
eligible entity under the first grant in determining whether to award the
eligible entity a second grant under this title.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="id919248894DBC4AA3899192C9B9B58709"><enum>102.</enum><header>Application
and award process</header><subsection commented="no" id="id0698BDD0657F4AA19A21951F849789DF"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>An eligible entity that desires to receive a
grant under this title shall—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="id095FFFC6ACF54E58B29C4EE6DC66278F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>establish a task
force, consisting of leaders from the public, nonprofit, and manufacturing
sectors, representatives of labor organizations, representatives of
elementary schools and secondary schools, and representatives of
institutions of higher education, to apply for
and carry out a grant under this title; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id8C809225D8204EAD89445EFE6F184928"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submit an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as
the Partnership may require.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id35682ECE0A6A4DC08F137BEA29606C87"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application
contents</header><text>The application described in subsection (a)(2) shall
include—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="id90CB6D7112A4489E8458F6DAA2464F7C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a description of
the task force that the eligible entity has assembled to design the
proposal described in paragraph (2);</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id20DD6FB3E240402A94ABCA0E957E195F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a proposal that—</text><subparagraph id="id5a79ef78444149e4b4ecc002ab6608c1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>identifies, as of the date of the application—</text><clause id="idF617DB3177884623AFB902BB9ADDB1E8"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the current strengths of the State or metropolitan area represented by the eligible entity in
manufacturing; and</text></clause><clause id="id7A2A6131DB3341E0827E0DF2256A9C44"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>areas for new growth
opportunities in manufacturing;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4fa5757c25f447d5a1bc5f23ea6e312a"><enum>(B)</enum><text>identifies, as of the date of the application, manufacturing workforce and skills challenges
preventing the eligible entity from
expanding in the areas identified under subparagraph (A)(ii), such as—</text><clause id="idF2780E8A701F4A1CB6BD2A6ABA759688"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a lack of availability of—</text><subclause id="id54BEEDD046BD449E9CEF698702FEB2BE"><enum>(I)</enum><text>strong career and
technical education;</text></subclause><subclause id="idCC70C99AF9C54E17BA7455E266B3C334"><enum>(II)</enum><text>educational programs in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; or</text></subclause><subclause id="idBB0E7FF7A109496CBE4ADC6EE6FE5C26"><enum>(III)</enum><text>a skills training system; or</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id8A043E2E0DA94E388EC75070D95AA3D8"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>an absence of customized
training for existing industrial businesses and sectors;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2b282378fde74278b7ce26f39e91084a"><enum>(C)</enum><text>identifies challenges faced within the manufacturing sector by underrepresented and disadvantaged
workers, including veterans, in the State or metropolitan area represented
by the eligible
entity;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idaccb2fe776904328b567ea5fa472dbe6"><enum>(D)</enum><text>provides strategies, designed by the eligible entity, to address challenges identified in
subparagraphs (B) and (C) through tangible projects and investments, with
the deep and
sustainable involvement of manufacturing businesses;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id008C5FF90DD6472CBE5BC90DCE15BCC8"><enum>(E)</enum><text>identifies and leverages innovative and effective career and technical education or skills training
programs in the field of manufacturing that are available in the eligible
entity;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9950325DC41F426EBC7A32DE35D46B7B"><enum>(F)</enum><text>leverages other Federal funds in support of such strategies;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida84ac86af15d46ee933c78ab4da02b15"><enum>(G)</enum><text>reforms State or
local policies and governance, as applicable, in support of such
strategies; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4f7d060e26754ce883ecd2c8a9e191f5"><enum>(H)</enum><text>holds the eligible entity accountable, on a regular basis, through a set of
transparent performance measures, including a timeline for the grant
period
describing when specific milestones and reforms will be achieved; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id09ACCCFDA64B4EE4B08B9576B2785737"><enum>(3)</enum><text>a description of the source of the matching funds required under subsection (d) that the eligible
entity will use if selected for a grant under this title.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id3C114191B6BB4B96B4311FB4DC12005D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Award
basis</header><paragraph id="id4CE44F278C7A414283CD06EB3697F0AD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Selection basis and maximum number of grants</header><subparagraph id="idB8D42D234C1F49A08286A612A8456F31"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Partnership shall award
grants under this title, by not earlier than January 1, 2015, and not
later than March 31, 2015, to the eligible entities that submit the
strongest and
most comprehensive proposals under subsection (b)(2).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idDA51E0EABC1846EDAC54AB6D2E921184"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Maximum number of grants</header><text>For any grant period, the Partnership shall award not more than 5 grants under this title to
eligible entities representing States
and not more than 5 grants to eligible entities representing metropolitan
areas.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id1637C6FF4C5B4F1EB085AA2FADADE1D8"><enum>(2)</enum><header> Amount of
grants</header><subparagraph id="id5C76DB65E84D40C88A2C50ECBDFA787C"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Partnership shall award grants under this title in an
amount that averages, for all grants issued for a 3-year grant period,
$10,000,000 for each year, subject to subparagraph (C) and paragraph
(3).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5C5932FC9FF54E6C9C4B75137AEBB95F"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Amount</header><text>In
determining the amount of each grant for an eligible entity, the
Partnership shall take into consideration the size of the industrial base
of the eligible entity.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC54701EA3321469AABBCBB852804BDB1"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Insufficient
appropriations</header><text>For any grant period for which the amounts available to
carry out this title are insufficient to award grants in the amount
described
in
subparagraph (A), the Partnership shall award grants in amounts determined
appropriate by the Partnership.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idfc83c6ed9a85471faec5a0627bc5d0f1"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Funding
contingent on performance</header><text>In order for an eligible entity to receive funds under a grant under this title for the second or
third
year of the grant period, the eligible entity shall demonstrate to
the Partnership that the eligible entity has achieved the specific reforms
and milestones required under the timeline included in the eligible
entity's proposal under subsection (b)(2)(H).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idD6ED3571702045D381461F5DA4CE381D"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Consultation
with policy experts</header><text>The Partnership shall assemble a panel of
manufacturing policy experts and manufacturing leaders from the private
sector
to serve in an advisory capacity in helping to oversee the competition and
review the competition's effectiveness.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id0A9D42F11D4D45BF92FA5B342A303048"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Matching funds</header><text>An eligible entity receiving a grant under this title shall provide matching funds toward the grant
in an amount of not less than 50 percent of the
costs of the activities carried out under the grant. Matching funds under
this subsection shall be from
non-Federal sources and shall be in cash or in-kind.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="idB86E5E4D3A884679A3856EF72162FF15"><enum>103.</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><subsection commented="no" id="id877F8863ED1D4C609C43DCE5AE428D3B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title such sums as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2015.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="idEA70A69E67604B7D986BF689EF6396C6"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Availability</header><text>Funds appropriated under this section shall remain available until expended.</text></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Audit of Federal
education and skills training</header><section id="idF11DFE0AF46F4DA18CCD563B2BA7406E"><enum>201.</enum><header>Audit of
Federal education and skills training</header><subsection id="id92fa7a0e285941fba143e1b4ebcaa08e"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Audit</header><text>By
not later than March 31, 2015, the Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, acting through the Advanced Manufacturing
National Program Office, shall conduct an audit of all Federal education
and skills
training programs related to manufacturing to ensure that States and
metropolitan areas are able to align Federal resources to the greatest
extent
possible with the labor demands of their primary manufacturing industries.
In
carrying out the audit, the Director shall work with States and
metropolitan areas to determine how Federal funds can be more tailored to
meet
their different needs.</text></subsection><subsection id="id42ee05cf8c4144e69f0dd17deebd3d13"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report and
recommendations</header><text>By not later than March 31, 2016, the Director of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall prepare and
submit a
report to Congress that includes—</text><paragraph id="id811E7F601976402DAC660EFAB9F730E5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a summary of the
findings from the audit conducted under subsection (a); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idD27AE327F3AD4890ADF7710A31046F8A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>recommendations
for such legislative and administrative actions to reform the existing
funding
for Federal education and skills training programs related to
manufacturing as
the Director determines appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Offset</header><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6F216B2EE386455299F1CF0CE879CDF8" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>301.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rescission of Department of Labor funds</header><subsection id="idA12BB9583A1D433785079FA557B1B4A0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Rescission of funds</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an amount equal to the amount of funds made available
to carry out title I for a fiscal year shall be rescinded, in accordance
with subsection (b), from the unobligated discretionary funds available
to the Secretary from prior fiscal years.</text></subsection><subsection id="id68BBDA555E9F4CBFAD7FA4F089AD0C45"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Return of funds</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, by not later than 15 days after funds are appropriated
or made available to carry out title I, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget shall—</text><paragraph id="idFC3102D6EBEA4593802358CC6F92524B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>identify from which appropriations accounts available to the Secretary of Labor the rescission
described in subsection (a) shall apply; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id7DE5BFEDBCC5486781214FA9C27F680E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>determine the amount of the rescission that shall apply to each account.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>