[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1344 Reported in Senate (RS)]






                                                       Calendar No. 557
107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1344

                          [Report No. 107-248]

 To provide training and technical assistance to Native Americans who 
         are interested in commercial vehicle driving careers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 2, 2001

 Mr. Campbell introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

                            August 28, 2002

 Reported under authority of the order of the Senate of July 29, 2002, 
                    by Mr. Inouye, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide training and technical assistance to Native Americans who 
         are interested in commercial vehicle driving careers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Commercial 
Driving Training and Technical Assistance Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following 
findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Despite the availability of abundant natural 
        resources on Indian lands and a rich cultural legacy that 
        accords great value to self-determination, self-reliance, and 
        independence, Native Americans suffer higher rates of 
        unemployment, poverty, poor health, substandard housing, and 
        associated social ills than those of any other group in the 
        United States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The United States has an obligation to assist 
        Indian tribes with the creation of appropriate economic and 
        political conditions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The economic success and material well-being 
        of Native American communities depends on the combined efforts 
        of the Federal Government, tribal governments, the private 
        sector, and individuals.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Two tribally controlled community colleges, D-
        Q University in the State of California and Fort Peck Community 
        College in the State of Montana, currently offer commercial 
        vehicle driving programs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The American Trucking Association reports that 
        at least until the year 2005, the trucking industry will need 
        to hire 403,000 truck drivers each year to fill empty 
        positions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) According to the Federal Government 
        Occupational Handbook the commercial driving industry is 
        expected to increase about as fast as the average for all 
        occupations through the year 2008 as the economy grows and the 
        amount of freight carried by trucks increases.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) A career in commercial vehicle driving offers 
        a competitive salary, employment benefits, job security, and a 
        profession.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) to foster and promote job creation and 
        economic opportunities for Native Americans; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) to provide education, technical, and training 
        assistance to Native Americans who are interested in a 
        commercial vehicle driving career.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Commercial vehicle driving.--The term 
        ``commercial vehicle driving'' means the driving of a vehicle 
        which is a tractor-trailer truck.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of Labor.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING TRAINING PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Grants.--The Secretary may award 4 grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible entities to support programs providing 
training and certificates leading to the professional development of 
individuals with respect to commercial vehicle driving.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), an entity shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) be a tribally-controlled community college or 
        university (as defined in section 2 of the Tribally-Controlled 
        Community College or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 
        U.S.C. 1801)); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an 
        application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall give priority to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) grant applications that propose training that 
        exceeds the United States Department of Transportation's 
        Proposed Minimum Standards for Training Tractor-Trailer 
        Drivers; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) grant applications that propose training that 
        exceeds the entry level truck driver certification standards 
set by the Professional Truck Driver Institute.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the 
Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Commercial Driving 
Training and Technical Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) despite the availability of abundant natural resources 
        on land under the jurisdiction of Indian tribes and the 
        existence of a rich cultural legacy that accords great value to 
        self-determination, self-reliance, and independence, Native 
        Americans suffer higher rates of unemployment, poverty, poor 
        health, substandard housing, and associated social problems 
        than any other group in the United States;
            (2) the United States has an obligation to assist Native 
        American communities in the establishment of appropriate 
        economic and political conditions;
            (3) the economic success and material well-being of Indian 
        communities depend on the combined efforts of the Federal 
        Government, tribal governments, the private sector, and 
        individuals;
            (4) commercial vehicle driving programs are currently 
        offered at several tribal colleges and universities;
            (5) the American Trucking Association reports that at least 
        until 2005, the trucking industry will need to hire 403,000 
        truck drivers each year to fill vacant positions;
            (6) according to the Federal Government Occupational 
        Handbook, the commercial vehicle driving industry is expected 
        to expand at the average rate of expansion for all occupations 
        through the year 2008 because of economic growth and an 
        increase in the quantity of freight carried by trucks; and
            (7) a career in commercial vehicle driving offers a 
        competitive salary, employment benefits, job security, and a 
        profession.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to foster and promote job creation and economic 
        opportunities for Native Americans; and
            (2) to provide education, technical, and training 
        assistance to Native Americans who are interested in commercial 
        vehicle driving careers.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Commercial vehicle driving.--The term ``commercial 
        vehicle driving'' means the driving of--
                    (A) a vehicle that is a tractor-trailer truck; or
                    (B) any other vehicle (such as a bus or a vehicle 
                used for the purpose of construction) the driving of 
                which requires a commercial license.
            (2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
            (3) Native american.--The term ``Native American'' means an 
        individual who is a member of--
                    (A) an Indian tribe; or
                    (B) any people or culture that is indigenous to the 
                United States, as determined by the Secretary.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.

SEC. 4. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING TRAINING PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants.--The Secretary may provide grants, on a competitive 
basis, to entities described in subsection (b) to support programs 
providing training and certificates leading to the licensing of Native 
Americans with respect to commercial vehicle driving.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), an entity shall--
            (1) be a tribal college or university (as defined in 
        section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1059(b)(3)); and
            (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require.
    (c) Priority.--In providing grants under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall give priority to grant applications that--
            (1) propose training that exceeds proposed minimum 
        standards for training tractor-trailer drivers of the 
        Department of Transportation;
            (2) propose training that exceeds the entry level truck 
        driver certification standards set by the Professional Truck 
        Driver Institute; and
            (3) propose an education partnership with a private 
        trucking firm, trucking association, or similar entity in order 
        to ensure the effectiveness of the grant program under this 
        section.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.




                                                       Calendar No. 557

107th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1344

                          [Report No. 107-248]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To provide training and technical assistance to Native Americans who 
         are interested in commercial vehicle driving careers.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            August 28, 2002

                       Reported with an amendment