[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1952 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1952

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 16, 2014

  Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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. CLEAN 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(c)(1)(A))), that are focused on 
emerging careers and jobs in the fields of clean energy, renewable 
energy, energy efficiency, climate change mitigation, and climate 
change adaptation. The Secretary of Education shall consult with the 
Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Energy prior to the issuance of 
a solicitation for grant applications.
    (b) Eligible Partnerships.--For purposes of this section, an 
eligible partnership shall include--
            (1) at least 1 local educational 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 educational 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 have experience in 
        fields described in subsection (a).
    (c) Application.--An eligible partnership seeking a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary of Education 
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 
        fields described in subsection (a) 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;
            (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)); and
            (10) a description of how the applicant proposes to consult 
        or has consulted with a labor organization, labor management 
        partnership, apprenticeship program, or joint apprenticeship 
        and training program that provides education and training in 
        the field of study for which the applicant proposes to develop 
        a curriculum.
    (d) Priority.--The Secretary of Education 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 of Education 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 curricula 
        with comparable purposes; and
            (2) business and industry experts in fields described in 
        subsection (a).
    (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 clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, 
climate change mitigation, and climate change adaptation.

SEC. 3. 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 educational 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 educational service agency 
        described under such 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 of Education at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require.
    (d) Peer Review.--The Secretary of Education 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. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$100,000,000.
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