[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1775 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1775

 To provide support to develop career and technical education programs 
       of study and facilities in the areas of renewable energy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 30, 2009

 Mr. McNerney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide support to develop career and technical education programs 
       of study and facilities in the areas of renewable energy.

    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 ``Grants for Renewable Energy 
Education for the Nation Act'' or the ``GREEN Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) career and technical education provides education 
        pathways that help students explore interests and careers that 
        support the United States economy;
            (2) the United States needs to develop renewable energy 
        options that conserve energy and provide energy efficiency and 
        new and yet unrecognized fields are developing as a result of 
        the attention and focus on renewable energy, and new workers 
        will be needed for professions in these fields;
            (3) the Conference of Mayors reports that millions of U.S. 
        workers across a wide range of familiar occupations, States, 
        and income and skill levels will all benefit from the project 
        of defeating global warming and transforming the United States 
        into a green economy;
            (4) a report commissioned by the American Solar Energy 
        Society attributed 8.5 million jobs in 2006 to renewable energy 
        or energy efficient industries and the Apollo Alliance predicts 
        that the Nation could generate 3 million to 5 million more 
        green jobs over the next 10 years;
            (5) more than 40 percent of the fastest growing occupations 
        will require an associate's degree, a postsecondary vocational 
        certificate, or extensive job training, according to a Bureau 
        of Labor Statistics Report;
            (6) more than 80 percent of respondents in the National 
        Association of Manufacturers 2005 skills gap report indicated 
        that they are experiencing a shortage of qualified workers 
        overall with 13 percent reporting severe shortages and 68 
        percent indicating moderate shortages;
            (7) career and technical education graduates are more 
        likely to be in the labor force and earn more than graduates 
        who have a high school degree; and
            (8) career and technical education programs need support in 
        acquiring the latest technology and developing programs that 
        prepare students for the new and emerging renewable energy 
        field.

SEC. 3. RENEWABLE ENERGY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Education is authorized to 
award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to 
develop programs of study (containing the information described in 
section 122(c)(1)(A) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2342)), that are focused on emerging 
careers and jobs in the renewable energy sector.
    (b) Eligible Partnerships.--For purposes of this section, an 
eligible partnership shall include--
            (1) at least 1 local education agency eligible for funding 
        under section 131 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
        Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2351) or an area career and 
        technical education school or education service agency 
        described in such section;
            (2) at least 1 postsecondary institution eligible for 
        funding under section 132 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 2352); and
            (3) representatives of the community including business, 
        labor organizations, and industry that has experience in the 
        renewable energy field.
    (c) Application.--An eligible partnership seeking a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time 
and in such manner as the Secretary may require. Applications shall 
include--
            (1) a description of the eligible partners and partnership, 
        the roles and responsibilities of each partner, and a 
        demonstration of each partner's capacity to support the 
        program;
            (2) a description of the career area or areas within the 
        field of renewable energy to be developed, the reason for the 
        choice, and evidence of the labor market need to prepare 
        students in that area;
            (3) a description of the new or existing program of study 
        and both secondary and postsecondary components;
            (4) a description of the students to be served by the new 
        program of study;
            (5) a description of how the program of study funded by the 
        grant will be replicable and disseminated to schools outside of 
        the partnership, including urban and rural areas;
            (6) a description of applied learning that will be 
        incorporated into the program of study and how it will 
        incorporate or reinforce academic learning;
            (7) a description of how the program of study will be 
        delivered;
            (8) a description of how the program will provide 
        accessibility to students, especially economically 
        disadvantaged, low performing and urban and rural students; and
            (9) a description of how the program will address placement 
        of students in non-traditional fields as described in section 
        3(20) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act 
        of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302(20)).
    (d) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to applications 
that--
            (1) use online learning or other innovative means to 
        deliver the program of study to students, educators, and 
        instructors outside of the partnership; and
            (2) focus on low performing students and special 
        populations as defined in section 3(29) of the Carl D. Perkins 
        Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 
        2302(29)).
    (e) Peer Review.--The Secretary shall convene a peer review process 
to review applications for grants under this section and to make 
recommendations regarding the selection of grantees. Members of the 
peer review committee shall include--
            (1) educators who have experience implementing renewable 
        energy curriculums; and
            (2) business and industry experts who work and build in 
        renewable energy fields.
    (f) Uses of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used 
for the development, implementation, and dissemination of programs of 
study (as described in section 122(c)(1)(A) of the Carl D. Perkins 
Career and Technical Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2342(c)(1)(A))) in career 
areas related to energy sustainability.

SEC. 4. RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITIES GRANTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Education is authorized to 
award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to promote 
development of career and technical education facilities that are 
energy efficient and promote the use of renewable energy practices.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, eligible 
entities include--
            (1) a local education agency eligible for funding under 
        section 131 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
        Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2351) or an area career and 
        technical education school or education service agency 
        described under that section; or
            (2) a postsecondary institution eligible for funding under 
        section 132 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 2352).
    (c) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (d) Peer Review.--The Secretary shall convene a peer review process 
to review applications for grants under this section and to make 
recommendations regarding the selection of grantees. Members of the 
peer review committee shall include--
            (1) career and technical education administrators who have 
        experience with energy-efficient facilities and equipment; and
            (2) business and industry experts who build and work in 
        renewable energy facilities.
    (e) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used 
for--
            (1) performing an evaluation of the sustainability aspects 
        of current facilities, unless such an evaluation has been 
        conducted prior to receiving a grant under this section;
            (2) convening stakeholders, including organizations devoted 
        to the promotion and support of renewable energy activities, to 
        develop a plan to address needs identified in such an 
        evaluation, unless such a plan has already been developed prior 
        to receiving a grant under this section;
            (3) initiating activities related to the construction, 
        operation, and improvement of facilities that promote the use 
        of renewable energy practices;
            (4) purchasing energy-efficient machinery, technology, or 
        other physical equipment used as an educational tool to deliver 
        career and technical education courses;
            (5) measuring the effectiveness of the new or improved 
        facilities and infrastructure, such as complying with existing 
        renewable energy standards; and
            (6) communicating the lessons and practices learned from 
        the building upgrades to other institutions.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 to the 
Secretary of Education to carry out the grant program established under 
this Act.
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