II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 588 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 15, 2011 Mr. Casey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, to authorize a national grant program for on-the-job training.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Marcellus Shale On-the-Job Training Act of 2011.

2.

On-the-job training

(a)

In general

Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 is amended by inserting after section 173A (29 U.S.C. 2918a) the following:

173B.

On-the-job training for the Marcellus Shale region

(a)

Grants

From the amount made available under subsection (f), and subject to subsection (c), the Secretary shall make grants on a discretionary basis to local areas, for adult on-the-job training, or dislocated worker on-the-job-training, carried out under section 134, at worksites directly related to the exploration for, production of, and transportation of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation. (b)

Application

To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), a State, or a local board in consultation with the State in which the local board is located, shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c)

Reimbursement of wage rates

Notwithstanding the limitation in section 101(31)(B), in making the grants described in subsection (a) the Secretary may allow for higher levels of reimbursement of wage rates that the Secretary determines are appropriate based on factors such as— (1)employer size, in order to facilitate the participation of small- and medium-sized employers; and (2)target populations, in order to enhance job creation for persons with barriers to employment. (d)

Administration

The Secretary may use an amount that is not more than 1 percent of the funds made available under subsection (f) for the administration, management, and oversight of the programs, activities, and grants, funded under subsection (a), including the evaluation of the use of such funds. (e)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the manner in which subtitle B is implemented, for activities funded through amounts appropriated under section 137. (f)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012 and each subsequent fiscal year.

. (b)

Table of contents

The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 173A the following: Sec. 173B. On-the-job training for the Marcellus Shale region. .