[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2847 Reported in House (RH)]






                                                 Union Calendar No. 167
110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2847

                          [Report No. 110-262]

 To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish an energy 
        efficiency and renewable energy worker training program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2007

 Ms. Solis (for herself, Mr. Tierney, and Mr. McNerney) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                                 Labor

                             July 27, 2007

 Additional sponsors: Ms. Lee, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Inslee, Mr. 
          Smith of Washington, and Mr. Frank of Massachusetts

                             July 27, 2007

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 
                               25, 2007]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish an energy 
        efficiency and renewable energy worker training program.

    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 ``Green Jobs Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM.

    Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 
2916) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training 
Program.--
            ``(1) Grant program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after 
                the date of enactment of the Green Jobs Act of 2007, 
                the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
                Energy, shall establish an energy efficiency and 
                renewable energy worker training program under which 
                the Secretary shall carry out the activities described 
                in paragraph (2) to achieve the purposes of this 
                subsection.
                    ``(B) Eligibility.--For purposes of providing 
                assistance and services under the program established 
                under this subsection--
                            ``(i) target populations of eligible 
                        individuals to be given priority for training 
                        and other services shall include--
                                    ``(I) workers affected by national 
                                energy and environmental policy;
                                    ``(II) individuals in need of 
                                updated training related to the energy 
                                efficiency and renewable energy 
                                industries;
                                    ``(III) veterans, or past and 
                                present members of reserve components 
                                of the Armed Forces;
                                    ``(IV) unemployed workers;
                                    ``(V) individuals, including at-
                                risk youth, seeking employment pathways 
                                out of poverty and into economic self-
                                sufficiency; and
                                    ``(VI) formerly incarcerated, 
                                adjudicated, non-violent offenders;
                            ``(ii) energy efficiency and renewable 
                        energy industries eligible to participate in a 
                        program under this subsection include--
                                    ``(I) the energy-efficient 
                                building, construction, and retrofits 
                                industries;
                                    ``(II) the renewable electric power 
                                industry;
                                    ``(III) the energy efficient and 
                                advanced drive train vehicle industry;
                                    ``(IV) the biofuels industry;
                                    ``(V) the deconstruction and 
                                materials use industries;
                                    ``(VI) the energy efficiency 
                                assessment industry serving the 
                                residential, commercial, or industrial 
                                sectors; and
                                    ``(VII) manufacturers that produce 
                                sustainable products using 
                                environmentally sustainable processes 
                                and materials.
            ``(2) Activities.--
                    ``(A) National research program.--Under the program 
                established under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting 
                through the Bureau of Labor Statistics, where 
                appropriate, shall collect and analyze labor market 
                data to track workforce trends resulting from energy-
                related initiatives carried out under this subsection. 
                Activities carried out under this paragraph shall 
                include--
                            ``(i) tracking and documentation of 
                        academic and occupational competencies as well 
                        as future skill needs with respect to renewable 
                        energy and energy efficiency technology;
                            ``(ii) tracking and documentation of 
                        occupational information and workforce training 
                        data with respect to renewable energy and 
                        energy efficiency technology;
                            ``(iii) collaborating with State agencies, 
                        workforce investments boards, industry, 
                        organized labor, and community and nonprofit 
                        organizations to disseminate information on 
                        successful innovations for labor market 
                        services and worker training with respect to 
                        renewable energy and energy efficiency 
                        technology;
                            ``(iv) serving as a clearinghouse for best 
                        practices in workforce development, job 
                        placement, and collaborative training 
                        partnerships;
                            ``(v) promoting the establishment of 
                        workforce training initiatives with respect to 
                        renewable energy and energy efficiency 
                        technologies;
                            ``(vi) linking research and development in 
                        renewable energy and energy efficiency 
                        technology with the development of standards 
                        and curricula for current and future jobs;
                            ``(vii) assessing new employment and work 
                        practices including career ladder and upgrade 
                        training as well as high performance work 
                        systems; and
                            ``(viii) providing technical assistance and 
                        capacity building to national and state energy 
                        partnerships, including industry and labor 
                        representatives.
                    ``(B) National energy training partnership 
                grants.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Under the program 
                        established under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
                        shall award National Energy Training 
                        Partnerships Grants on a competitive basis to 
                        eligible entities to enable such entities to 
                        carry out training that leads to economic self-
                        sufficiency and to develop an energy efficiency 
                        and renewable energy industries workforce. 
                        Grants shall be awarded under this subparagraph 
                        so as to ensure geographic diversity with at 
                        least 2 grants awarded to entities located in 
                        each of the 4 Petroleum Administration for 
                        Defense Districts with no subdistricts, and at 
                        least 1 grant awarded to an entity located in 
                        each of the subdistricts of the Petroleum 
                        Administration for Defense District with 
                        subdistricts, as such districts are established 
                        by the Secretary of Energy.
                            ``(ii) Eligibility.--To be eligible to 
                        receive a grant under clause (i), an entity 
                        shall be a non-profit partnership that--
                                    ``(I) includes the equal 
                                participation of industry, including 
                                public or private employers, and labor 
                                organizations, including joint labor-
                                management training programs, and may 
                                include workforce investment boards, 
                                community-based organizations, 
                                educational institutions, small 
                                businesses, cooperatives, State and 
                                local veterans agencies, and veterans 
                                service organizations; and
                                    ``(II) demonstrates--
                                            ``(aa) experience in 
                                        implementing and operating 
                                        worker skills training and 
                                        education programs;
                                            ``(bb) the ability to 
                                        identify and involve in 
                                        training programs carried out 
                                        under this grant, target 
                                        populations of workers who 
                                        would benefit from activities 
                                        related to energy efficiency 
                                        and renewable energy 
                                        industries; and
                                            ``(cc) the ability to help 
                                        workers achieve economic self-
                                        sufficiency.
                            ``(iii) Priority.--Priority shall be given 
                        to partnerships which leverage additional 
                        public and private resources to fund training 
                        programs, including cash or in-kind matches 
                        from participating employers.
                    ``(C) State labor market research, information, and 
                labor exchange research program.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Under the program 
                        established under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
                        shall award competitive grants to States to 
                        enable such States to administer labor market 
                        and labor exchange information programs that 
                        include the implementation of the activities 
                        described in clause (ii), in coordination with 
                        the one-stop delivery system.
                            ``(ii) Activities.--A State shall use 
                        amounts awarded under a grant under this 
                        subparagraph to provide funding to the State 
                        agency that administers the Wagner-Peyser Act 
                        and State unemployment compensation programs to 
                        carry out the following activities using State 
                        agency merit staff:
                                    ``(I) The identification of job 
                                openings in the renewable energy and 
                                energy efficiency sector.
                                    ``(II) The administration of skill 
                                and aptitude testing and assessment for 
                                workers.
                                    ``(III) The counseling, case 
                                management, and referral of qualified 
                                job seekers to openings and training 
                                programs, including energy efficiency 
                                and renewable energy training programs.
                    ``(D) State energy training partnership program.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Under the program 
                        established under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
                        shall award competitive grants to States to 
                        enable such States to administer renewable 
                        energy and energy efficiency workforce 
                        development programs that include the 
                        implementation of the activities described in 
                        clause (ii).
                            ``(ii) Partnerships.--A State shall use 
                        amounts awarded under a grant under this 
                        subparagraph to award competitive grants to 
                        eligible State Energy Sector Partnerships to 
                        enable such Partnerships to coordinate with 
                        existing apprenticeship and labor management 
                        training programs and implement training 
                        programs that lead to the economic self-
                        sufficiency of trainees.
                            ``(iii) Eligibility.--To be eligible to 
                        receive a grant under this subparagraph, a 
                        State Energy Sector Partnership shall--
                                    ``(I) consist of non-profit 
                                organizations that include equal 
                                participation from industry, including 
                                public or private nonprofit employers, 
                                and labor organizations, including 
                                joint labor-management training 
                                programs, and may include 
                                representatives from local governments, 
                                the workforce investment system, 
                                including worker investment agency one-
                                stop career centers, community based 
                                organizations, community colleges, and 
                                other post-secondary institutions, 
                                small businesses, cooperatives, State 
                                and local veterans agencies, and 
                                veterans service organizations;
                                    ``(II) demonstrate experience in 
                                implementing and operating worker 
                                skills training and education programs; 
                                and
                                    ``(III) demonstrate the ability to 
                                identify and involve in training 
                                programs, target populations of workers 
                                who would benefit from activities 
                                related to energy efficiency and 
                                renewable energy industries.
                            ``(iv) Priority.--In awarding grants under 
                        this subparagraph, the Secretary shall give 
                        priority to States that demonstrate that 
                        activities under the grant--
                                    ``(I) meet national energy policies 
                                associated with energy efficiency, 
                                renewable energy, and the reduction of 
                                emissions of greenhouse gases;
                                    ``(II) meet State energy policies 
                                associated with energy efficiency, 
                                renewable energy, and the reduction of 
                                emissions of greenhouse gases; and
                                    ``(III) leverage additional public 
                                and private resources to fund training 
                                programs, including cash or in-kind 
                                matches from participating employers.
                            ``(v) Coordination.--A grantee under this 
                        subparagraph shall coordinate activities 
                        carried out under the grant with existing other 
                        appropriate training programs, including 
                        apprenticeship and labor management training 
                        programs, and implement training programs that 
                        lead to the economic self-sufficiency of 
                        trainees.
                    ``(E) Pathways out of poverty demonstration 
                program.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Under the program 
                        established under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
                        shall award at least 10 competitive grants to 
                        eligible entities to enable such entities to 
                        carry out training that leads to economic self-
                        sufficiency. The Secretary shall give priority 
                        to entities that serve individuals in families 
                        with income of less than 200 percent of the 
                        poverty threshold (as determined by the Bureau 
                        of the Census) or a self-sufficiency standard 
                        for the local areas where the training is 
                        conducted that specifies the income needs of 
                        families, by family size, the number and ages 
                        of children in the family, and sub-State 
                        geographical considerations. Grants shall be 
                        awards to ensure geographic diversity.
                            ``(ii) Eligible entities.--To be eligible 
                        to receive a grant an entity shall be a 
                        partnership that--
                                    ``(I) includes community-based non-
                                profit organizations, educational 
                                institutions with expertise in serving 
                                low-income adults or youth, public or 
                                private employers from the industry 
                                sectors described in paragraph 
                                (1)(B)(ii), and labor organizations 
                                representing workers in such industry 
                                sectors;
                                    ``(II) demonstrates experience in 
                                implementing and operating worker 
                                skills training and education programs;
                                    ``(III) coordinates activities, 
                                where appropriate, with the workforce 
                                investment system; and
                                    ``(IV) demonstrates the ability to 
                                recruit individuals for training and to 
                                support such individuals to successful 
                                completion in training programs carried 
                                out under this grant, targeting 
                                populations of workers who are or will 
                                be engaged in activities related to 
                                energy efficiency and renewable energy 
                                industries.
                            ``(iii) Priorities.--In awarding grants 
                        under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give 
                        priority to applicants that--
                                    ``(I) target programs to benefit 
                                low-income workers, unemployed youth 
                                and adults, high school dropouts, or 
                                other underserved sectors of the 
                                workforce within areas of high poverty;
                                    ``(II) ensure that supportive 
                                services are integrated with education 
                                and training, and delivered by 
                                organizations with direct access to and 
                                experience with targeted populations;
                                    ``(III) leverage additional public 
                                and private resources to fund training 
                                programs, including cash or in-kind 
                                matches from participating employers;
                                    ``(IV) involve employers and labor 
                                organizations in the determination of 
                                relevant skills and competencies and 
                                ensure that the certificates or 
                                credentials that result from the 
                                training are employer-recognized;
                                    ``(V) deliver courses at 
                                alternative times (such as evening and 
                                weekend programs) and locations most 
                                convenient and accessible to 
                                participants; and
                                    ``(VI) link adult remedial 
                                education with occupational skills 
                                training.
                            ``(iv) Data collection.--Grantees shall 
                        collect and report the following information:
                                    ``(I) The number of participants.
                                    ``(II) The demographic 
                                characteristics of participants, 
                                including race, gender, age, parenting 
                                status, participation in other Federal 
                                programs, education and literacy level 
                                at entry, significant barriers to 
                                employment (such as limited English 
                                proficiency, criminal record, addiction 
                                or mental health problem requiring 
                                treatment, or mental disability).
                                    ``(III) The services received by 
                                participants, including training, 
                                education, and supportive services.
                                    ``(IV) The amount of program 
                                spending per participant.
                                    ``(V) Program completion rates.
                                    ``(VI) Factors determined as 
                                significantly interfering with program 
                                participation or completion.
                                    ``(VII) The rate of job placement 
                                and the rate of employment retention 
                                after 1 year.
                                    ``(VIII) The average wage at 
                                placement, including any benefits, and 
                                the rate of average wage increase after 
                                1 year.
                                    ``(IX) Any post-employment 
                                supportive services provided.
                        The Secretary shall assist grantees in the 
                        collection of data under this clause by making 
                        available, where practicable, low-cost means of 
                        tracking the labor market outcomes of 
                        participants, and by providing standardized 
                        reporting forms, where appropriate.
            ``(3) Activities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Activities to be carried out 
                under a program authorized by subparagraphs (B), (D), 
                or (E) of paragraph (2) shall be coordinated with 
                existing systems or providers, as appropriate. Such 
                activities may include--
                            ``(i) occupational skills training, 
                        including curriculum development, on-the-job 
                        training, and classroom training;
                            ``(ii) safety and health training;
                            ``(iii) the provision of basic skills, 
                        literacy, GED, English as a second language, 
                        and job readiness training;
                            ``(iv) individual referral and tuition 
                        assistance for a community college training 
                        program, or any training program leading to an 
                        industry-recognized certificate;
                            ``(v) internship programs in fields related 
                        to energy efficiency and renewable energy;
                            ``(vi) customized training in conjunction 
                        with an existing registered apprenticeship 
                        program or labor-management partnership;
                            ``(vii) career ladder and upgrade training;
                            ``(viii) the implementation of transitional 
                        jobs strategies; and
                            ``(ix) the provision of supportive 
                        services.
                    ``(B) Outreach activities.--In addition to the 
                activities authorized under subparagraph (A), 
                activities authorized for programs under subparagraphs 
                (D) or (E) of paragraph (2) may include the provision 
                of outreach, recruitment, career guidance, and case 
                management services.
            ``(4) Worker protections and nondiscrimination 
        requirements.--
                    ``(A) Application of wia.--The provisions of 
                sections 181 and 188 of the Workforce Investment Act of 
                1998 (29 U.S.C. 2931 and 2938) shall apply to all 
                programs carried out with assistance under this 
                subsection.
                    ``(B) Consultation with labor organizations.--If a 
                labor organization represents a substantial number of 
                workers who are engaged in similar work or training in 
                an area that is the same as the area that is proposed 
                to be funded under this Act, the labor organization 
                shall be provided an opportunity to be consulted and to 
                submit comments in regard to such a proposal.
            ``(5) Performance measures.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall negotiate 
                and reach agreement with the eligible entities that 
                receive grants and assistance under this section on 
                performance measures for the indicators of performance 
                referred to in subparagraph (A) and (B) of section 
                136(b)(2) that will be used to evaluate the performance 
                of the eligible entity in carrying out the activities 
                described in subsection (e)(2). Each State and local 
                performance measure shall consist of such an indicator 
                of performance, and a performance level referred to in 
                subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Performance levels.--The Secretary shall 
                negotiate and reach agreement with the eligible entity 
                regarding the levels of performance expected to be 
                achieved by the eligible entity on the indicators of 
                performance.
            ``(6) Report.--
                    ``(A) Status report.--Not later than 18 months 
                after the date of enactment of the Green Jobs Act of 
                2007, the Secretary shall transmit a report to Congress 
                on the training program established by this subsection. 
                The report shall include a description of the entities 
                receiving funding and the activities carried out by 
                such entities.
                    ``(B) Evaluation.--Not later than 3 years after the 
                date of enactment of such Act, the Secretary shall 
                transmit to Congress an assessment of such program and 
                an evaluation of the activities carried out by entities 
                receiving funding from such program.
            ``(7) Definition.--As used in this subsection, the term 
        `renewable energy' has the meaning given such term in section 
        203(b)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58).
            ``(8) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $125,000,000 
        for each fiscal years, of which--
                    ``(A) not to exceed 20 percent of the amount 
                appropriated in each such fiscal year shall be made 
                available for, and shall be equally divided between, 
                national labor market research and information under 
                paragraph (2)(A) and State labor market information and 
                labor exchange research under paragraph (2)(C), and not 
                more than 2 percent of such amount shall be for the 
                evaluation and report required under paragraph (4);
                    ``(B) 20 percent shall be dedicated to Pathways Out 
                of Poverty Demonstration Programs under paragraph 
                (2)(E); and
                    ``(C) the remainder shall be divided equally 
                between National Energy Partnership Training Grants 
                under paragraph (2)(B) and State energy training 
                partnership grants under paragraph (2)(D).''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 167

110th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 2847

                          [Report No. 110-262]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish an energy 
        efficiency and renewable energy worker training program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 27, 2007

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed