[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6142 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6142

  To direct the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Energy, and the 
 Secretary of Education to, jointly, develop a workforce training and 
  education program to prepare workers for careers in the alternative 
                energy and energy efficiency industries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 2010

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Energy, and the 
 Secretary of Education to, jointly, develop a workforce training and 
  education program to prepare workers for careers in the alternative 
                energy and energy efficiency industries.

    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 Workforce Development Through 
Community Colleges Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to direct the Secretary of Labor, the 
Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Education (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Secretaries'') to, jointly, develop a workforce 
training and education program to prepare workers for careers in the 
alternative energy and energy efficiency industries.

SEC. 3. ADVISORY COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall establish and convene an 
advisory commission (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Duties of the Commission.--The duties of the Commission shall 
be to carry out the following:
            (1) Review and analyze the skill needs of the alternative 
        energy and energy efficiency fields.
            (2) Identify and define career pathways, including 
        coursework, certification, and other training needed for career 
        development in the following career areas in the alternative 
        energy and energy efficiency fields:
                    (A) Wind power, including the construction and 
                maintenance of commercial and residential wind 
                turbines.
                    (B) Solar power, including commercial and 
                residential photovoltaic installation.
                    (C) Geo-thermal energy, including home and 
                commercial heating and cooling and other applications.
                    (D) Training of energy auditors to perform energy 
                efficiency audits on both residential and commercial 
                structures.
                    (E) Energy efficient retrofit and renovation of 
                residential and commercial structures.
            (3) Recommend a curriculum framework and best practices for 
        educational and workforce training programs related to each 
        career area described in paragraph (2), by consulting with 
        leaders in alternative energy and energy efficiency fields, 
        including--
                    (A) community colleges identified by the 
                Secretaries as leaders, or having the best practices, 
                in alternative energy workforce development;
                    (B) State energy offices and other local agencies 
                with expertise in energy efficiency; and
                    (C) representatives from the alternative energy 
                industry and trade unions that represent workers in the 
                alternative energy industry.
            (4) In making recommendations under paragraph (3), the 
        Commission shall take into account variations in the skill 
        level, work experience, and education of students who may 
        participate in the educational and workforce training programs 
        described in such paragraph.
            (5) Not later than 12 months after the date on which the 
        first train-the-trainers grant is awarded under section 5, 
        submit to the Secretaries of Labor, Energy, and Education, and 
        the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate, a report on that includes--
                    (A) the Commission's findings with regard to 
                identifying career pathways related to the career areas 
                described in paragraph (2);
                    (B) the Commission's recommendations regarding the 
                curriculum framework for such career areas; and
                    (C) other information and recommendations on best 
                practices with respect to teaching in such career areas 
                that the Commission considers appropriate.
            (6) Assist the Secretaries in administering the grant 
        program established under section 5.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be 
        composed of 15 members appointed not later than 45 days after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act as follows:
                    (A) 5 individuals appointed by the Secretary of 
                Energy.
                    (B) 5 individuals appointed by the Secretary of 
                Labor.
                    (C) 5 individuals appointed by the Secretary of 
                Education.
            (2) Qualifications.--Of the members appointed under 
        subparagraph (A), a minimum of--
                    (A) 5 members shall represent employers in the 
                energy efficiency field; and
                    (B) 5 members shall be experts in alternative 
                energy workforce education in community colleges.
            (3) Terms.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for 
                the life of the Commission.
                    (B) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall 
                be filed in the manner in which the original 
                appointment was made.
            (4) Compensation.--All members of the Commission shall 
        serve voluntarily and without additional compensation.
            (5) Chairperson.--The Secretary of Labor shall designate a 
        member of the Commission to be the Chairperson of the 
        Commission.
            (6) Meetings.--The Commission shall--
                    (A) hold its first meeting not later than 30 days 
                after the date on which a majority of the members of 
                the Commission have been appointed; and
                    (B) meet at the call of the Chairperson.
            (7) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold 
        hearings.
    (d) Staff of the Commission.--
            (1) Additional staff.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission may appoint up to 3 
                additional staff who will report to the Chairperson.
                    (B) Applicability of certain civil service laws.--
                The staff of the Commission shall be appointed subject 
                to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
                governing appointments in the competitive service, and 
                shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of 51 
                and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating 
                to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
            (2) Staff of federal agencies.--Upon request of the 
        Chairman of the Commission, the head of any Federal department 
        or agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any personnel 
        of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it in 
        carrying out its duties under this Act.
    (e) Powers of the Commission.--
            (1) Hearings and sessions.--The Commission may, for the 
        purpose of carrying out its duties under this Act, hold 
        hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take testimony, 
        and receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
            (2) Powers of members and agents.--Any member or agent of 
        the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any 
        action which the Commission is authorized to take by this 
        subsection.
            (3) Obtaining official data.--The Commission may secure 
        directly from any department or agency of the Federal 
        Government information necessary to enable it to carry out its 
        duties under this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the 
        Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish 
        that information to the Commission.
            (4) Studies.--The Commission may conduct studies to enable 
        it to carry out its duties under this Act.
            (5) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
        in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
        departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
    (f) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on 90 days after 
submitting its final report under subsection (b)(5).

SEC. 4. POSTING REPORT ON WEBSITE.

    Upon receipt of the report under section 3(b)(5), the Secretary of 
Labor, Education, and Energy shall post on the Internet website of the 
Department of Labor, Education, and Energy, respectively, the report.

SEC. 5. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated under section 8 to 
carry out this section, not earlier than fiscal year 2011, the 
Secretaries shall, jointly, award grants to community colleges for the 
purposes of providing education and workforce training in the 
alternative energy and energy efficiency fields.
    (b) Application.--To receive a grant under this Act, a community 
college shall submit an application to the Secretaries at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretaries may 
require. Such application shall include--
            (1) an identification of employment opportunities in the 
        alternative energy and energy efficiency fields in the area 
        served by the community college and the specific skills needed 
        to obtain such employment opportunities, based on information 
        from--
                    (A) existing labor market and industry analyses;
                    (B) local workforce investment boards; or
                    (C) private, non-profit organizations or nonprofit 
                business or economic development organizations;
            (2) an assurance that the community college will carry out 
        detailed market research to assess, with respect to the area 
        served by the community college--
                    (A) the current and projected employment 
                opportunities and labor demand in the alternative 
                energy and energy efficiency fields; and
                    (B) the job skills necessary to obtain such 
                employment opportunities; and
            (3) an assurance that the community college will use the 
        information described in paragraph (1) and the market research 
        carried out by the college under paragraph (2) to establish 
        education and workforce training programs that correspond to 
        the employment opportunities in the alternative energy and 
        energy efficiency fields in the area served by the community 
        college, and the skills needs to obtain such opportunities.
    (c) Uses of Funds.--A community college receiving a grant under 
this Act shall use such grant funds to--
            (1) establish educational and workforce training programs 
        that--
                    (A) correspond to the employment opportunities in 
                such fields, and the skills needs with respect to such 
                opportunities in the area served by the community 
                college, as determined by the information obtained, and 
                the market research carried out, by the community 
                college under subsection (b);
                    (B) incorporate--
                            (i) following the completion of the 
                        Commission's report pursuant to section 3(b)(5) 
                        curriculum recommend private non-profit or not-
                        for-profit business/economic development 
                        organizations developed by the Commission 
                        pursuant to such section; and
                            (ii) best practices developed by community 
                        colleges pursuant to section 6;
            (2) assist students and graduates of the educational and 
        workforce training program in apprenticeship and employment 
        placement in the alternative energy and energy efficiency 
        fields;
            (3) coordinate with the secondary schools and vocational 
        schools in the area served by the community college to assist 
        such schools in providing educational services in the 
        alternative energy and energy efficiency fields for students 
        enrolled in such schools (such as by assisting in the 
        development of a curriculum or apprenticeship program in such 
        fields); and
            (4) coordinate with local workforce investment boards to 
        ensure--
                    (A) access to enroll in the programs established 
                under paragraph (1) to individuals participating in 
                workforce investment activities in the local area; and
                    (B) that the programs provide access to enrollment 
                in the programs to--
                            (i) dislocated workers;
                            (ii) workers who are transitioning into 
                        careers in the alternative energy or energy 
                        efficiency fields;
                            (iii) underrepresented minorities; and
                            (iv) low-income individuals.

SEC. 6. TRAIN THE TRAINERS PROGRAM.

    (a) Grant Program Authorized.--From the amount reserved under 
section 8(b), the Secretaries shall, jointly, award grants to up to 10 
community colleges identified by the Secretaries as leaders in 
education and workforce training in the alternative energy and energy 
efficiency fields to develop best practices with respect to such 
education and training.
    (b) Application.--A community college desiring to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information that the Secretaries may 
require, which shall, at a minimum, include information with respect 
to--
            (1) the training program in the alternative energy and 
        energy efficiency fields that is being carried out by the 
        community college;
            (2) the facility where the program is being carried out;
            (3) the curriculum for such program; and
            (4) any partnerships the community college--
                    (A) has established with representatives of 
                businesses, educational institutions, or other 
                organizations that have expertise in the alternative 
                energy or energy efficiency fields; and
                    (B) that have provided training experience 
                opportunities in such fields for students in the 
                program.
    (c) Uses of Funds.--A community college receiving a grant under 
this section shall use such funds to develop best practices in 
instruction and instructor training with respect to education and 
workforce training programs carried out pursuant to section 5. Such 
funds may be used by the community college to cover any costs 
associated with the development of the best practices, including--
            (1) instructor salaries; and
            (2) the purchase of equipment and supplies.

SEC. 7. SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.

    Funds made available under this Act shall be used to supplement, 
and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds that would 
otherwise be expended to carry out activities under this Act.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; RESERVATION.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $200,000,000 to carry out this Act for fiscal year 2012 
and for each of the succeeding 4 fiscal years.
    (b) Reservation.--Of the amount appropriated under subsection (a) 
for a fiscal year, 15 percent shall be made available to carry out 
section 6 for such fiscal year.

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Alternative energy fields.--The term ``alternative 
        energy fields'' means solar, wind, geothermal, and energy 
        efficiency fields.
            (2) Career pathways.--The term ``career pathways'' means a 
        clear sequence of coursework and credentials enabling career 
        development in a particular field that assists individuals of 
        varying skill levels to enter and progress in jobs in that 
        field.
            (3) Community college.--The term ``community college'' 
        means a public institution of higher education at which the 
        highest degree that is predominantly awarded to students is an 
        associate's degree.
            (4) Dislocated worker.--The term ``dislocated worker'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998.
            (5) Energy efficiency fields.--The term ``energy efficiency 
        fields'' means energy efficiency auditing for residential and 
        commercial structures and energy efficiency retrofit for 
        residential and commercial structures.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (7) Local workforce investment board.--The term ``local 
        workforce investment board'' refers to the term in section 117 
        of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
            (8) Low-income individual.--The term ``low-income'' 
        individual means an individual from a family whose taxable 
        income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent an 
        amount equal to the poverty level determined by using criteria 
        of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census.
            (9) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (10) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the 
        Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Labor.
            (11) Vocational school.--The term ``vocational school'' 
        means--
                    (A) a specialized public secondary school used 
                exclusively or principally for the provision of career 
                and technical education to individuals who are 
                available for study in preparation for entering the 
                labor market; or
                    (B) the department of a public secondary school 
                exclusively or principally used for providing career 
                and technical education in not fewer than 5 different 
                occupational fields to individuals who are available 
                for study in preparation for entering the labor market.
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