[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1855 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1855

 To promote industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker 
     training, retention, and advancement, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 1, 2009

  Mr. Loebsack (for himself and Mr. Platts) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and 
in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means and the Judiciary, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To promote industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker 
     training, retention, and advancement, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Strengthening Employment Clusters to 
Organize Regional Success Act of 2009'' or the ``SECTORS Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. INDUSTRY OR SECTOR PARTNERSHIP GRANT.

    Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 
U.S.C. 2911 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 174 the 
following:

``SEC. 174A. INDUSTRY OR SECTOR PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to create 
designated capacity to promote industry or sector partnerships that 
lead collaborative planning, resource alignment, and training efforts 
across multiple firms for a range of workers employed or potentially 
employed by a targeted industry cluster, in order to encourage industry 
growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training, retention, 
and advancement in targeted industry clusters, including by 
developing--
            ``(1) immediate strategies for regions and communities to 
        fulfill pressing skilled workforce needs;
            ``(2) long-term plans to grow targeted industry clusters 
        with better training and a more productive workforce;
            ``(3) core competencies and competitive advantages for 
        regions and communities undergoing structural economic 
        redevelopment; and
            ``(4) cross-firm skill standards, career ladders, job 
        redefinitions, employer practices, and shared training and 
        support capacities that facilitate the advancement of workers 
        at all skill levels.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Career ladder.--The term `career ladder' means an 
        identified series of positions, work experiences, and 
        educational benchmarks or credentials that offer occupational 
        and financial advancement within a specified career field or 
        related fields over time.
            ``(2) Economic self-sufficiency.--The term `economic self-
        sufficiency' means, with respect to a worker, earning a wage 
        sufficient to support a family adequately over time, based on 
        factors such as--
                    ``(A) family size;
                    ``(B) the number and ages of children in the 
                family;
                    ``(C) the cost of living in the worker's community; 
                and
                    ``(D) other factors that may vary by region.
            ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) an industry or sector partnership; or
                    ``(B) an eligible State agency.
            ``(4) Eligible state agency.--The term `eligible State 
        agency' means a State agency designated by the Governor of the 
        State for the purposes of the grant program under this section.
            ``(5) High-priority occupation.--The term `high-priority 
        occupation' means an occupation that--
                    ``(A) has a significant presence in an industry 
                cluster;
                    ``(B) is in demand by employers;
                    ``(C) pays family-sustaining wages that enable 
                workers to achieve economic self-sufficiency, or can 
                reasonably be expected to lead to such wages;
                    ``(D) has a documented career ladder; and
                    ``(E) has a significant impact on a region's 
                economic development strategy.
            ``(6) Industry cluster.--The term `industry cluster' means 
        a concentration of interconnected businesses, suppliers, 
        research and development, service providers, and associated 
        institutions in a particular field that are linked by common 
        workforce needs.
            ``(7) Industry or sector partnership.--The term `industry 
        or sector partnership' means a workforce collaborative that--
                    ``(A) organizes key stakeholders in a targeted 
                industry cluster into a working group that focuses on 
                the human capital needs of a targeted industry cluster 
                and that includes, at the appropriate stage of 
                development of the partnership--
                            ``(i) representatives of multiple firms or 
                        employers, including workers, in a targeted 
                        industry cluster, including small- and medium-
                        sized employers when practicable;
                            ``(ii) 1 or more representatives of State 
                        labor organizations, central labor coalitions, 
                        or other labor organizations;
                            ``(iii) 1 or more representatives of local 
                        boards;
                            ``(iv) 1 or more representatives of 
                        postsecondary educational institutions or other 
                        training providers; and
                            ``(v) 1 or more representatives of State 
                        workforce agencies or other entities providing 
                        employment services; and
                    ``(B) may include representatives of--
                            ``(i) State or local government;
                            ``(ii) State or local economic development 
                        agencies;
                            ``(iii) other State or local agencies;
                            ``(iv) chambers of commerce;
                            ``(v) nonprofit organizations;
                            ``(vi) philanthropic organizations;
                            ``(vii) economic development organizations;
                            ``(viii) industry associations; and
                            ``(ix) other organizations, as determined 
                        necessary by the members comprising the 
                        industry or sector partnership.
            ``(8) Targeted industry cluster.--The term `targeted 
        industry cluster' means an industry cluster that has--
                    ``(A) economic impact in a local or regional area;
                    ``(B) immediate workforce development needs; and
                    ``(C) documented career opportunities.
    ``(c) Grants Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--From amounts appropriated under 
        subsection (i), the Secretary shall award, on a competitive 
        basis, planning grants described in paragraph (3) and 
        implementation grants described in paragraph (4) to eligible 
        entities, to enable the eligible entities to plan and 
        implement, respectively, the eligible entities' strategic 
        objectives in accordance with subsection (f).
            ``(2) Maximum amount.--
                    ``(A) Planning grants.--A planning grant awarded 
                under paragraph (3) shall not exceed $250,000.
                    ``(B) Implementation grants.--An implementation 
                grant awarded under paragraph (4)(A) shall not exceed a 
                total of $2,500,000 for a 3-year period.
                    ``(C) Renewal grants.--A renewal grant awarded 
                under paragraph (4)(C) shall not exceed a total of 
                $1,500,000 for a 3-year period.
            ``(3) Planning grants.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award a 
                planning grant under this section to an eligible entity 
                that--
                            ``(i) is a newly formed industry or sector 
                        partnership; and
                            ``(ii) has not received a grant under this 
                        section.
                    ``(B) Duration.--A planning grant shall be for a 
                duration of 1 year.
            ``(4) Implementation grants.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award an 
                implementation grant under this section to--
                            ``(i) an eligible entity that has already 
                        received a planning grant under this section; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) an eligible entity that is an 
                        established industry or sector partnership.
                    ``(B) Duration.--An implementation grant shall be 
                for a duration of not more than 3 years, and may be 
                renewed in accordance with subparagraph (C).
                    ``(C) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew an 
                implementation grant for not more than 3 years. A 
                renewal of such grant shall be subject to the 
                requirements of this section, except that the Secretary 
                shall--
                            ``(i) prioritize renewals to eligible 
                        entities that can demonstrate the long-term 
                        sustainability of an industry or sector 
                        partnership funded under this section;
                            ``(ii) as a condition of renewing the 
                        grant, and notwithstanding subsection (d), 
                        decrease the amount of the Federal share and 
                        increase the amount of the non-Federal share 
                        required for the grant, which must include at 
                        least a 25 percent cash match from the State, 
                        the industry cluster, or some combination 
                        thereof; and
                            ``(iii) require assurances that the 
                        eligible entity will leverage, each year, 
                        additional funding sources in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (D)(ii) than the eligible entity 
                        provided for the preceding year of the grant.
                    ``(D) Federal and non-federal share.--
                            ``(i) Federal share.--Except as provided in 
                        subparagraph (C)(ii) and (D)(iii), the Federal 
                        share of an implementation grant under this 
                        section shall be--
                                    ``(I) 90 percent of the costs of 
                                the activities described in subsection 
                                (g), in the first year of the grant;
                                    ``(II) 80 percent of such costs in 
                                the second year of the grant; and
                                    ``(III) 70 percent of such costs in 
                                the third year of the grant.
                            ``(ii) Non-federal.--The non-Federal share 
                        of an implementation grant under this section 
                        may be in cash or in-kind, and may come from 
                        State, local, philanthropic, private, or other 
                        sources.
                            ``(iii) Exception.--The Secretary may 
                        require the Federal share of an implementation 
                        grant under this section to be 100 percent if 
                        an eligible entity receiving such grant is 
                        located in a State or local area that is 
                        receiving a national emergency grant under 
                        section 173.
            ``(5) Fiscal agent.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this section that is an industry or sector partnership 
        shall designate an entity in the partnership as the fiscal 
        agent for purposes of this grant.
            ``(6) Use of grant funds during grant periods.--An eligible 
        entity receiving grant funds under a planning grant, 
        implementation grant, or a renewal grant under this section 
        shall expend grant funds or obligate grant funds to be expended 
        by the last day of the grant period.
    ``(d) Application Process.--
            ``(1) Identification of a targeted industry cluster.--In 
        order to qualify for a grant under this section, an eligible 
        entity shall identify a targeted industry cluster that could 
        benefit from such grant by--
                    ``(A) working with businesses, industry 
                associations and organizations, labor organizations, 
                State boards, local boards, economic development 
                agencies, and other organizations that the eligible 
                entity determines necessary, to identify an appropriate 
                targeted industry cluster based on criteria that 
                include, at a minimum--
                            ``(i) data showing the competitiveness of 
                        the industry cluster;
                            ``(ii) the importance of the industry 
                        cluster to the economic development of the area 
                        served by the eligible entity;
                            ``(iii) the identification of supply and 
                        distribution chains within the industry 
                        cluster; and
                            ``(iv) research studies on industry 
                        clusters; and
                    ``(B) working with appropriate employment agencies, 
                workforce investment boards, economic development 
                agencies, community organizations, and other 
                organizations that the eligible entity determines 
                necessary to ensure that the targeted industry cluster 
                identified under subparagraph (A) should be targeted 
                for investment, based primarily on the following 
                criteria:
                            ``(i) Demonstrated demand for job growth 
                        potential.
                            ``(ii) Measurable evidence of 
                        competitiveness.
                            ``(iii) Employment base.
                            ``(iv) Wages and benefits.
                            ``(v) Demonstrated importance of the 
                        targeted industry cluster to the area's 
                        economy.
                            ``(vi) Workforce development needs.
            ``(2) Application.--An eligible entity desiring to receive 
        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. An application 
        submitted under this paragraph shall contain, at a minimum, the 
        following:
                    ``(A) A description of the eligible entity, 
                evidence of the eligible entity's capacity to carry out 
                activities in support of the strategic objectives 
                identified in the application under subparagraph (D), 
                and, if the eligible entity is an industry or sector 
                partnership, a description of the expected 
                participation and responsibilities of each of the 
                mandatory partners described in subsection (b)(8)(A).
                    ``(B) A description of the targeted industry 
                cluster for which the eligible entity intends to carry 
                out activities through a grant under this section, and 
                a description of how such targeted industry cluster was 
                identified in accordance with paragraph (1).
                    ``(C) A description of the workers that will be 
                targeted or recruited by the partnership, including an 
                analysis of the existing labor market, a description of 
                potential barriers to employment for targeted workers, 
                and a description of strategies that will be employed 
                to help workers overcome such barriers.
                    ``(D) A description of the strategic objectives 
                that the eligible entity intends to carry out for the 
                targeted industry cluster, which objectives shall 
                include--
                            ``(i) recruiting key stakeholders in the 
                        targeted industry cluster, such as businesses 
                        and employers, labor organizations, industry 
                        associations, local boards, State boards, and 
                        education and training providers, and regularly 
                        convening the stakeholders in a collaborative 
                        structure that supports the sharing of 
                        information, ideas, and challenges common to 
                        the targeted industry cluster;
                            ``(ii) identifying the training needs of 
                        multiple businesses, especially skill gaps 
                        critical to competitiveness and innovation to 
                        the targeted industry cluster;
                            ``(iii) facilitating economies of scale by 
                        aggregating training and education needs of 
                        multiple employers;
                            ``(iv) helping postsecondary educational 
                        institutions, training institutions, and 
                        registered apprenticeship programs align 
                        curricula entrance requirements and programs to 
                        industry demand, particularly for higher skill, 
                        high-priority occupations validated by the 
                        industry;
                            ``(v) ensuring that the State agency, 
                        including services provided by State merit 
                        staff authorized under the Wagner-Peyser Act 
                        program, shall inform recipients of 
                        unemployment insurance and trade adjustment 
                        assistance under chapter 2 or 6 of title II of 
                        the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq., 
                        2401 et seq.) of the job and training 
                        opportunities that may result from the 
                        implementation of this grant;
                            ``(vi) informing and collaborating with 
                        organizations such as youth councils, business-
                        education partnerships, apprenticeship 
                        programs, secondary schools, and postsecondary 
                        educational institutions, and with parents and 
                        career counselors, for the purpose of 
                        addressing the challenges of connecting 
                        disadvantaged adults as defined in section 
                        132(b)(1)(B)(v) and disadvantaged youth as 
                        defined in section 127(b) to careers;
                            ``(vii) helping companies identify, and 
                        work together to address, common organizational 
                        and human resource challenges, such as--
                                    ``(I) recruiting new workers;
                                    ``(II) implementing effective 
                                workplace practices;
                                    ``(III) retaining dislocated and 
                                incumbent workers;
                                    ``(IV) implementing a high-
                                performance work organization;
                                    ``(V) recruiting and retaining 
                                women in nontraditional occupations;
                                    ``(VI) adopting new technologies; 
                                and
                                    ``(VII) fostering experiential and 
                                contextualized on-the-job learning;
                            ``(viii) developing and strengthening 
                        career ladders within and across companies (in 
                        cooperation with labor organizations if the 
                        labor organizations represent employees engaged 
                        in similar work in the industry cluster), in 
                        order to enable dislocated, incumbent and 
                        entry-level workers to improve skills and 
                        advance to higher-wage jobs;
                            ``(ix) improving job quality through 
                        improving wages, benefits, and working 
                        conditions;
                            ``(x) helping partner companies in industry 
                        or sector partnerships to attract potential 
                        employees from a diverse job seeker base, 
                        including individuals with barriers to 
                        employment (such as job seekers who are low 
                        income, youth, older workers, and individuals 
                        who have completed a term of imprisonment), by 
                        identifying such barriers through analysis of 
                        the existing labor market and implementing 
                        strategies to help such workers overcome such 
                        barriers; and
                            ``(xi) strengthening connections among 
                        businesses in the targeted industry cluster, 
                        leading to cooperation beyond workforce issues 
                        that will improve competitiveness and job 
                        quality, such as joint purchasing, market 
                        research, or centers for technology and 
                        innovation.
                    ``(E) A description of the manner in which the 
                eligible entity intends to make sustainable progress 
                toward the strategic objectives described in 
                subparagraph (D).
                    ``(F) Performance measures, including quantifiable 
                interim performance, for measuring progress toward the 
                strategic objectives. Such measures shall consider, at 
                a minimum, the benefits provided by the grant 
                activities funded under this section for--
                            ``(i) workers employed in the targeted 
                        industry cluster, disaggregated by gender and 
                        race, including--
                                    ``(I) the number of workers 
                                receiving portable industry-recognized 
                                credentials;
                                    ``(II) the number of workers with 
                                increased wages, the percentage of 
                                workers with increased wages, and the 
                                average wage increase; and
                                    ``(III) for dislocated or 
                                nonincumbent workers, the number of 
                                workers placed in sector-related jobs; 
                                and
                            ``(ii) firms and industries in the targeted 
                        industry cluster, including--
                                    ``(I) the creation or updating of 
                                an industry plan to meet current and 
                                future workforce demand;
                                    ``(II) the creation or updating of 
                                published industry-wide skill standards 
                                or career pathways;
                                    ``(III) the creation or updating of 
                                portable, industry-recognized 
                                credentials, or where there is not such 
                                a credential, the creation or updating 
                                of a training curriculum that can lead 
                                to the development of such a 
                                credential;
                                    ``(IV) in the case of an eligible 
                                entity that is an industry or sector 
                                partnership, the number of firms, and 
                                the percentage of the local industry, 
                                participating in the industry or sector 
                                partnership; and
                                    ``(V) the number of firms, and the 
                                percentage of the local industry, 
                                receiving workers or services through 
                                the grant funded under this section.
                    ``(G) A timeline for achieving progress toward the 
                strategic objectives.
                    ``(H) In the case of an eligible entity desiring an 
                implementation grant under this section, an assurance 
                that the eligible entity will leverage other funding 
                sources, in addition to the amount required for the 
                non-Federal share under subsection (d), to provide 
                training or supportive services to workers under the 
                grant program. Such additional funding sources may 
                include--
                            ``(i) funding under this title used for 
                        such training and supportive services;
                            ``(ii) funding under the Adult Education 
                        and Family Literacy Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 9201 
                        et seq.);
                            ``(iii) funding under chapter 2 or 6 of 
                        title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
                        2271 et seq.);
                            ``(iv) economic development funding;
                            ``(v) employer contributions to training 
                        initiatives; or
                            ``(vi) providing employees with employee 
                        release time for such training or supportive 
                        services.
    ``(e) Award Basis.--
            ``(1) Geographic distribution.--The Secretary shall award 
        grants under this section in a manner to ensure geographic 
        diversity.
            ``(2) Priorities.--In awarding grants under this section, 
        the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
                    ``(A) work with employers within a targeted 
                industry cluster to retain and expand employment in 
                high wage, high growth areas;
                    ``(B) focus on helping workers move toward economic 
                self-sufficiency and ensuring the workers have access 
                to adequate supportive services;
                    ``(C) address the needs of firms with limited human 
                resources or in-house training capacity, including 
                small- and medium-sized firms; and
                    ``(D) coordinate with entities carrying out State 
                and local workforce investment, economic development, 
                and education activities.
    ``(f) Activities.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this section shall carry out the activities necessary to 
        meet the strategic objectives described in the entity's 
        application in a manner that--
                    ``(A) integrates services and funding sources in a 
                way that enhances the effectiveness of the activities; 
                and
                    ``(B) uses grant funds awarded under this section 
                efficiently.
            ``(2) Administrative costs.--An eligible entity may retain 
        a portion of a grant awarded under this section for a fiscal 
        year to carry out the administration of this section in an 
        amount not to exceed 10 percent of the grant amount.
    ``(g) Evaluation and Progress Reports.--
            ``(1) Annual activity report and evaluation.--Not later 
        than 1 year after receiving a grant under this section, and 
        annually thereafter, an eligible entity shall--
                    ``(A) report to the Secretary, and to the Governor 
                of the State that the eligible entity serves, on the 
                activities funded pursuant to a grant under this 
                section; and
                    ``(B) evaluate the progress the eligible entity has 
                made toward the strategic objectives identified in the 
                application under subsection (d)(2)(D), and measure the 
                progress using the performance measures identified in 
                the application under subsection (d)(2)(F).
            ``(2) Report to the secretary.--An eligible entity 
        receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the 
        Secretary a report containing the results of the evaluation 
        described in subparagraph (B) at such time and in such manner 
        as the Secretary may require.
    ``(h) Administration by the Secretary.--
            ``(1) Administrative costs.--The Secretary may retain not 
        more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under subsection (j) for each 
        fiscal year to administer this section.
            ``(2) Technical assistance and oversight.--The Secretary 
        shall provide technical assistance and oversight to assist the 
        eligible State and local agencies or eligible entities in 
        applying for and administering grants awarded under this 
        section. The Secretary shall also provide technical assistance 
        to eligible entities in the form of conferences and through the 
        collection and dissemination of information on best practices 
        developed by eligible partnerships. The Secretary may award a 
        grant or contract to 1 or more national or State organizations 
        to provide technical assistance to foster the planning, 
        formation, and implementation of industry cluster partnerships.
            ``(3) Geographic equality.--The Secretary shall ensure 
        that, to the extent practicable, grants are awarded on a 
        geographically equal basis.
            ``(4) Performance measures.--The Secretary shall issue a 
        range of performance measures, with quantifiable benchmarks, 
        and methodologies that eligible entities may use to evaluate 
        the effectiveness of each type of activity in making progress 
        toward the strategic objectives described in subsection 
        (d)(2)(D). Such measures shall consider the benefits of the 
        industry or sector partnership and its activities for workers, 
        firms, industries, and communities.
            ``(5) Dissemination of information.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) coordinate the annual review of each eligible 
                entity receiving a grant under this section and produce 
                an overview report that, at a minimum, includes--
                            ``(i) the critical learning of each 
                        industry or sector partnership, such as--
                                    ``(I) the training that was most 
                                effective;
                                    ``(II) the human resource 
                                challenges that were most common;
                                    ``(III) how technology is changing 
                                the targeted industry cluster; and
                                    ``(IV) the changes that may impact 
                                the targeted industry cluster over the 
                                next 5 years; and
                            ``(ii) a description of what eligible 
                        entities serving similar targeted industry 
                        clusters consider exemplary practices, such 
                        as--
                                    ``(I) how to work effectively with 
                                postsecondary educational institutions;
                                    ``(II) the use of internships;
                                    ``(III) coordinating with 
                                apprenticeships and cooperative 
                                education programs;
                                    ``(IV) how to work effectively with 
                                schools providing vocational education;
                                    ``(V) how to work effectively with 
                                adult populations, including--
                                            ``(aa) dislocated workers;
                                            ``(bb) women in 
                                        nontraditional occupations; and
                                            ``(cc) individuals with 
                                        barriers to employment, such as 
                                        job seekers who--

                                                    ``(AA) are 
                                                economically 
                                                disadvantaged;

                                                    ``(BB) have limited 
                                                English proficiency;

                                                    ``(CC) require 
                                                remedial education;

                                                    ``(DD) are older 
                                                workers;

                                                    ``(EE) are 
                                                individuals who have 
                                                completed a sentence 
                                                for a criminal offense; 
                                                and

                                                    ``(FF) have other 
                                                barriers to employment;

                                    ``(VI) employer practices that are 
                                most effective;
                                    ``(VII) the types of training that 
                                are most effective; and
                                    ``(VIII) other areas where industry 
                                or sector partnerships can assist each 
                                other;
                    ``(B) make resource materials, including all 
                reports published and all data collected under this 
                section, available on the Internet; and
                    ``(C) conduct conferences and seminars to--
                            ``(i) disseminate information on best 
                        practices developed by eligible entities 
                        receiving a grant under this section; and
                            ``(ii) provide information to the 
                        communities of eligible entities.
            ``(6) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act and on an annual basis, the Secretary 
        shall transmit a report to Congress on the industry or sector 
        partnership grant program established by this section. The 
        report shall include a description of--
                    ``(A) the eligible entities receiving funding;
                    ``(B) the activities carried out by the eligible 
                entities;
                    ``(C) how the eligible entities were selected to 
                receive funding under this section; and
                    ``(D) an assessment of the results achieved by the 
                grant program including findings from the annual 
                reviews described in paragraph (4)(A).
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for 
        fiscal year 2010 and for each succeeding fiscal year.
            ``(2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) for the 
        fiscal year shall remain available until the end of the second 
        fiscal year following the fiscal year in which such amounts 
        were first appropriated.''.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL AGENCY COORDINATION.

    (a) Interagency Cooperation.--The head of each Federal department 
or agency whose funding, regulations, or other policies impact workers 
shall cooperate with the Secretary of Labor to--
            (1) maintain up-to-date information on jobs, wages, 
        benefits, skills, and careers of workers impacted by the 
        actions of such agency or department;
            (2) develop and implement policies that would improve the 
        jobs and careers of workers impacted by the actions of such 
        agency or department; and
            (3) report the department or agency's job creation and 
        economic development strategies to the Secretary.
    (b) Alignment.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary and the heads of other Federal departments or agencies shall 
work together to align existing education and training programs with 
the demonstrated needs of industry or sector partnerships, as defined 
in section 174A(b) of the Workforce Investment Act. These collaborative 
efforts shall include the following:
            (1) Department of commerce.--The Secretary of Commerce 
        shall advise the Secretary of Labor of the Department of 
        Commerce's workforce and economic development strategies, 
        programs, and initiatives.
            (2) Justice department.--The Attorney General shall--
                    (A) align federally funded programs offering 
                training for inmates with industry clusters (as defined 
                in section 174A(b) of the Workforce Investment Act) and 
                high-priority occupations, and annually review these 
                training programs to assure that the training programs 
                prepare individuals for high-priority occupations; and
                    (B) align federally funded reentry programs to take 
                advantage of information and career opportunities 
                provided by industry and sector partnerships.
            (3) Department of education.--The Secretary of Education 
        shall--
                    (A) develop and support career ladders for high-
                priority occupations critical to targeted industry 
                clusters served by a grant under section 174A of the 
                Workforce Investment Act;
                    (B) develop and support innovative programs to 
                address literacy (including English as a second 
                language) and numeracy shortcomings, especially in 
                those occupations critical to such targeted industry 
                clusters;
                    (C) develop and support programs and strategies to 
                reduce barriers to adult education;
                    (D) develop and support career education 
                initiatives in middle and high schools; and
                    (E) support initiatives to develop industry-
                recognized credentials and new credit-bearing programs 
                in public and private postsecondary educational 
                institutions, especially in occupations critical to 
                such targeted industry clusters.
            (4) Department of health and human services.--The Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services shall--
                    (A) develop and support innovative programs that 
                connect qualified individuals receiving assistance 
                under the State temporary assistance for needy families 
                program funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) with employment 
                opportunities in the targeted industry clusters served 
                by a grant under section 174A of the Workforce 
                Investment Act;
                    (B) develop and support strategies to prepare 
                individuals receiving assistance under the State 
                temporary assistance for needy families programs funded 
                under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
                U.S.C. 601 et seq.) for success in postsecondary 
                education and training programs; and
                    (C) develop and support career education 
                initiatives that provide such individuals with 
                information to guide the clients' education and 
                training plans.
                                 <all>