[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3126 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3126

To allow State manufacturing extension partnerships to award grants to 
 small and medium sized manufacturers for the purpose of training new 
           workers to replace departing experienced workers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 25, 2018

Mr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To allow State manufacturing extension partnerships to award grants to 
 small and medium sized manufacturers for the purpose of training new 
           workers to replace departing experienced workers.

    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 ``Retain Innovation and Manufacturing 
Excellence (RIME) Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 25(a) of the National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)).
            (2) Eligible manufacturers.--The term ``eligible 
        manufacturer'' means a manufacturer that--
                    (A) is a small business concern, as that term is 
                defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 
                U.S.C. 632); and
                    (B) has an existing relationship with a Center.

SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall establish a pilot 
program to award National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) grants to help ensure an 
adequately trained manufacturing workforce. Under the program, eligible 
Centers may award MEP grants to eligible manufacturers to retain 
retiring employees for up to 90 days for the purpose of transferring 
job-specific skills and training to existing or new employees. The 
length of each grant shall be determined through negotiations between 
the Center and the eligible manufacturer.
    (b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to receive funding and 
award grants under the program, a Center--
            (1) must be able to document evidence of an aging workforce 
        within manufacturing firms that are seeking assistance with 
        retaining skills and knowledge of their operations; and
            (2) shall establish a transparent application process for 
        eligible manufacturing firms that may include one or more of 
        the following preferences:
                    (A) A preference for manufacturers that employ 
                veterans discharged or released under honorable 
                conditions.
                    (B) A preference for manufacturing firms from 
                industry sectors that are most in need of assistance as 
                determined by the local MEP.
                    (C) A preference for manufacturing firms with a 
                facility in the State or region for an extended period 
                of time before the application is submitted (as 
                determined by the Center).
                    (D) A preference for manufacturing firms that have 
                an existing relationship with the local MEP.
    (c) Cost Sharing.--State and local agencies shall provide 50 
percent of the funds awarded as part of a grant under the pilot program 
under this section.
    (d) Number and Size of Awards.--
            (1) Number.--The Secretary may award up to 20 grants to 
        Centers under the pilot program.
            (2) Size.--Each award under the program shall be for not 
        less than $500,000.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
$20,000,000 to carry out the pilot program.
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