[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7545 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7545

 To amend subtitle A of title XX of the Social Security Act to provide 
   for grants to conduct demonstration projects designed to provide 
   eligible individuals with the opportunity to obtain education and 
     training for occupations in the fields of transportation and 
   infrastructure that pay well and are expected to experience labor 
                    shortages or be in high demand.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2020

  Mr. Lewis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend subtitle A of title XX of the Social Security Act to provide 
   for grants to conduct demonstration projects designed to provide 
   eligible individuals with the opportunity to obtain education and 
     training for occupations in the fields of transportation and 
   infrastructure that pay well and are expected to experience labor 
                    shortages or be in high demand.

    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 ``Transportation and Infrastructure 
Profession Opportunity Grants Act''.

SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROFESSION OPPORTUNITY 
              GRANTS.

    Subtitle A of title XX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 2008 the following:

``SEC. 2008A. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROFESSION OPPORTUNITY 
              GRANTS.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to increase and 
improve opportunities and Federal supports for low-income people, 
especially women, racial or ethnic minorities, and veterans, to enter, 
follow, and succeed in a career pathway in transportation and 
infrastructure professions. By the enactment of this section, the 
Congress intends to enhance these opportunities through partnerships 
with organizations that specialize in serving these populations.
    ``(b) Authority To Award Grants.--The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Transportation, shall 
award grants to eligible entities to conduct demonstration projects 
that are designed to provide eligible individuals with the opportunity 
to obtain education and training for transportation and infrastructure 
professions that pay at least 300 percent of the Federal poverty level 
and are expected to experience labor shortages or be in high demand.
    ``(c) Assessment of Labor Shortage and Demand.--In assessing 
whether a transportation and infrastructure profession experiences 
labor shortages or is in high demand, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Transportation, using 
available Federal, State, and local data and other information as the 
Secretary may deem appropriate, shall consider, with respect to the 
geographic area proposed to be served by an applicant--
            ``(1) relevant and updated employment and labor market 
        trends to assess historic, current, and projected future trends 
        for specific occupations;
            ``(2) available occupational wage data to understand 
        earnings potential;
            ``(3) local training capacity to fill current and future 
        workforce needs;
            ``(4) the workforce needs of transportation and 
        infrastructure employers and agencies; and
            ``(5) racial, gender, and economic disparities in pay or 
        promotion rates that may exist in the transportation and 
        infrastructure profession for which the applicant proposes to 
        train, as well as disparities in pay or promotion rates that 
        may exist between veterans and non-veterans in the profession.
    ``(d) Application.--
            ``(1) Requirements.--An eligible entity applying for a 
        grant to carry out a demonstration project under this section 
        shall submit to the Secretary an application for the grant that 
        includes the following:
                    ``(A) A description of how the applicant will use a 
                career pathways approach to train eligible individuals 
                for transportation and infrastructure professions that 
                pay, or will put eligible individuals on a career path 
                to a related occupation that pays, at least 300 percent 
                of the Federal poverty level.
                    ``(B) A description of the adult basic education 
                and literacy activities, work readiness activities, 
                training activities, and case management and career 
                coaching services that the applicant will use to assist 
                eligible individuals to gain work experience, 
                connection to employers, and job placement, and a 
                description of the plan for recruiting, hiring, and 
                training staff to provide the case management, 
                mentoring, and career coaching services, under the 
                project directly or through local governmental, 
                apprenticeship, educational, or charitable 
                institutions.
                    ``(C) A demonstration that the applicant has 
                experience working with low-income populations, or a 
                description of the plan of the applicant to work with a 
                partner organization that has the experience.
                    ``(D) A plan for providing post-employment support 
                and ongoing training as part of a career pathway under 
                the project.
                    ``(E) A description of the support services that 
                the applicant will provide under the project, including 
                a plan for how child care and transportation support 
                services will be guaranteed and, if the applicant will 
                provide a cash stipend or wage supplement, how the 
                stipend or supplement would be calculated and 
                distributed.
                    ``(F) A certification by the applicant that the 
                project development included--
                            ``(i) consultation with a local workforce 
                        development board established under section 107 
                        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
                        Act;
                            ``(ii) consideration of apprenticeship and 
                        pre-apprenticeship models registered under the 
                        Act of August 16, 1937 (also known as the 
                        `National Apprenticeship Act');
                            ``(iii) consideration of career pathway 
                        programs in the State in which the project is 
                        to be conducted; and
                            ``(iv) a review of the State plan under 
                        section 102 or 103 of the Workforce Innovation 
                        and Opportunity Act.
                    ``(G) A description of the availability and 
                relevance of recent labor market information and other 
                pertinent evidence of in-demand jobs or worker 
                shortages.
                    ``(H) A certification that the applicant will 
                directly provide or contract for the training services 
                described in the application.
                    ``(I) A commitment by the applicant that, if the 
                grant is made to the applicant, the applicant will--
                            ``(i) during the planning period for the 
                        project, provide the Secretary with any 
                        information needed by the Secretary to 
                        establish adequate data reporting and 
                        administrative structure for the project;
                            ``(ii) hire a person to direct the project 
                        not later than the end of the planning period 
                        applicable to the project;
                            ``(iii) accept all technical assistance 
                        offered by the Secretary with respect to the 
                        grant;
                            ``(iv) participate in such in-person 
                        grantee conferences as are regularly scheduled 
                        by the Secretary;
                            ``(v) provide all data required by the 
                        Secretary under subsection (h); and
                            ``(vi) notify the local disabled veterans' 
                        outreach program specialists under section 
                        4103A of title 38, United States Code, and the 
                        local veterans' employment representatives 
                        under section 4104 of such title, of the 
                        grantee's outreach plan for advertising 
                        training opportunities to potential 
                        participants in the project.
            ``(2) Preferences.--In considering applications for a grant 
        for a demonstration project under this section, the Secretary--
                    ``(A) shall give preference to--
                            ``(i) applications submitted by applicants 
                        who have business and community partners in 
                        each of the following categories:
                                    ``(I) State and local government 
                                agencies and social service providers, 
                                including a State or local entity that 
                                administers a State program funded 
                                under part A of title IV;
                                    ``(II) institutions of higher 
                                education, apprenticeship programs, and 
                                local workforce development boards 
                                established under section 107 of the 
                                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
                                Act; and
                                    ``(III) transportation and 
                                infrastructure employers, 
                                transportation and infrastructure 
                                industry or sector partnerships, labor 
                                unions, and labor-management 
                                partnerships;
                            ``(ii) applications that include 
                        opportunities for mentoring or peer support, 
                        and make career coaching available, as part of 
                        the case management plan;
                            ``(iii) applications that include a 
                        commitment to providing project participants 
                        with a cash stipend or wage supplement;
                            ``(iv) applications which have an emergency 
                        cash fund to assist project participants 
                        financially in emergency situations;
                            ``(v) applications submitted by, or in 
                        partnership with, an eligible entity with a 
                        history of providing specialized programming or 
                        training to low-income women, racial or ethnic 
                        minorities, or veterans; and
                            ``(vi) applications submitted by eligible 
                        entities that include plans to provide one or 
                        more of the supports described in subsection 
                        (e)(2)(B); and
                    ``(B) may give preference to--
                            ``(i) applicants that will administer the 
                        training program through, or in partnership 
                        with, an institution of higher education that 
                        is a Historically Black College or University 
                        or a minority-serving institution;
                            ``(ii) applicants that will administer the 
                        training program through, or in partnership 
                        with, institutions of higher education at which 
                        at least 50 percent of students receive Pell 
                        Grants under subpart 1 of title IV of the 
                        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a);
                            ``(iii) applicants that will administer the 
                        training program through, or in partnership 
                        with, an Indian tribe or a tribal organization; 
                        and
                            ``(iv) applicants that will administer the 
                        training program through, or in partnership 
                        with, a territory or an eligible entity in a 
                        territory.
    ``(e) Use of Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--An entity to which a grant for a 
        demonstration project is made under this section shall use the 
        grant in accordance with the approved application for the 
        grant.
            ``(2) Support to be provided.--
                    ``(A) Required support.--A project for which a 
                grant for a demonstration project is made under this 
                section shall include the following:
                            ``(i) An assessment for adult basic skill 
                        competency, and provision of adult basic skills 
                        education if necessary for lower-skilled 
                        eligible individuals to enroll in the project 
                        and go on to enter and complete post-secondary 
                        training, through means including the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) Establishing a network of 
                                partners that offer pre-training 
                                activities for project participants who 
                                need to improve basic academic skills 
                                or English language proficiency before 
                                entering a transportation and 
                                infrastructure occupational training 
                                career pathway program.
                                    ``(II) Offering resources to enable 
                                project participants to continue 
                                advancing adult basic skill proficiency 
                                while enrolled in a career pathway 
                                program.
                                    ``(III) Embedding adult basic skill 
                                maintenance as part of ongoing post-
                                graduation career coaching and 
                                mentoring.
                            ``(ii) A guarantee that child care is an 
                        available and affordable support service for 
                        project participants through means such as the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) Referral to, and assistance 
                                with, enrollment in a subsidized child 
                                care program.
                                    ``(II) Direct payment to a child 
                                care provider if a slot in a subsidized 
                                child care program is not available or 
                                reasonably accessible.
                                    ``(III) Payment of co-payments or 
                                associated fees for child care.
                            ``(iii) Case management plans that include 
                        career coaching (with the option to offer 
                        appropriate peer support and mentoring 
                        opportunities to help develop soft skills and 
                        social capital), which may be offered on an 
                        ongoing basis before, during, and after initial 
                        training as part of a career pathway model.
                            ``(iv) A plan to provide project 
                        participants with commuting costs through means 
                        such as the following:
                                    ``(I) Referral to, and assistance 
                                with enrollment in, a subsidized 
                                transportation program.
                                    ``(II) If a subsidized 
                                transportation program is not 
                                reasonably available, direct payments 
                                to subsidize commuting costs.
                            ``(v) Assistance with programs and 
                        activities, including legal assistance, deemed 
                        necessary to address arrest or conviction 
                        records as an employment barrier.
                    ``(B) Allowed support.--The goods and services 
                provided under a project for which a grant for a 
                demonstration project is made under this section may 
                include the following:
                            ``(i) A cash stipend that is at least 
                        monthly.
                            ``(ii) A reserve fund for financial 
                        assistance to project participants in emergency 
                        situations.
                            ``(iii) Tuition, and training materials 
                        such as books, software, uniforms, shoes, 
                        helmets, eye goggles, and other personal 
                        protective equipment.
                            ``(iv) In-kind resource donations such as 
                        interview clothing and conference attendance 
                        fees.
                            ``(v) Assistance with accessing and 
                        completing high school equivalency or adult 
                        basic education courses as necessary to achieve 
                        success in the project and make progress toward 
                        career goals.
                            ``(vi) Licensing and examination fees 
                        needed for professional certification.
                            ``(vii) Other support services as deemed 
                        necessary for family well-being, success in the 
                        project, and progress toward career goals.
                    ``(C) Treatment of support for purposes of means-
                tested programs.--Any goods or services provided to an 
                eligible individual participating in a project for 
                which a grant for a demonstration project is made under 
                this section shall not be considered income, and shall 
                not be taken into account for purposes of determining 
                the eligibility of the individual for, or amount of 
                benefits to be provided to the individual, under any 
                means-tested program.
            ``(3) Training.--The number of hours of training provided 
        to an eligible individual under a project for which a grant for 
        a demonstration project is made under this section, for a 
        recognized postsecondary credential, including an industry-
        recognized credential, which is awarded in recognition of 
        attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills 
        necessary to gain employment or advance within an occupation 
        (including a certificate awarded by a local workforce 
        development board established under section 107 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), shall be--
                    ``(A) not less than the number of hours of training 
                required for certification in that level of skill by 
                the State in which the project is conducted; or
                    ``(B) if there is no such requirement, such number 
                of hours of training as the Secretary finds is 
                necessary to achieve that skill level.
            ``(4) Income limitation.--An entity to which a grant for a 
        demonstration project is made under this section shall not use 
        the grant to provide support to a person who is not an eligible 
        individual.
            ``(5) Inclusion of tanf recipients.--In the case of a 
        project for which a grant for a demonstration project is made 
        under this section that is conducted in a State that has a 
        program funded under part A of title IV, at least 10 percent of 
        the eligible individuals to whom support is provided under the 
        project shall meet the income eligibility requirements under 
        the program, without regard to whether the individuals receive 
        benefits or services directly under the program.
            ``(6) Prohibition.--An entity to which a grant for a 
        demonstration project is made under this section shall not use 
        the grant for purposes of entertainment, except that case 
        management and career coaching services may include 
        celebrations of specific career-based milestones such as 
        completing a semester, graduation, or job placement.
    ``(f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance--
            ``(1) to assist eligible entities in applying for grants 
        for demonstration projects under this section;
            ``(2) that is tailored to meet the specific needs of 
        grantees at each stage of the administration of projects for 
        which grants for demonstration projects are made under this 
        section;
            ``(3) that is tailored to meet the specific needs of 
        eligible entities in carrying out demonstration projects for 
        which a grant is made under this section; and
            ``(4) to facilitate the exchange of information among 
        eligible entities regarding best practices and promising 
        practices used in the projects.
    ``(g) Evaluation.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, by grant, contract, 
        or interagency agreement, conduct evaluations of the 
        demonstration projects for which a grant is made under this 
        section.
            ``(2) Rule of interpretation.--Evaluations conducted 
        pursuant to this subsection may include a randomized controlled 
        trial, but this subsection shall not be interpreted to require 
        an evaluation to include such a trial.
    ``(h) Reports.--
            ``(1) To the secretary.--An eligible entity awarded a grant 
        to conduct a project under this section shall submit interim 
        reports to the Secretary on the activities carried out under 
        the project, and, on the conclusion of the project, a final 
        report on the activities. Each such report shall include data 
        on participant outcomes related to earnings, employment in 
        transportation and infrastructure professions, graduation rate, 
        graduation timeliness, credential attainment, participant 
        demographics, and other data specified by the Secretary.
            ``(2) To the congress.--During each Congress, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a 
        report--
                    ``(A) on the demographics of the participants in 
                the projects for which a grant is made under this 
                section;
                    ``(B) on the rate of which project participants 
                completed all activities under the projects;
                    ``(C) on the employment credentials acquired by 
                project participants;
                    ``(D) on the employment of project participants on 
                completion of activities under the projects, and the 
                earnings of project participants at entry into 
                employment;
                    ``(E) on best practices and promising practices 
                used in the projects;
                    ``(F) on the nature of any technical assistance 
                provided to grantees under this section;
                    ``(G) on, with respect to the period since the 
                period covered in the most recent prior report 
                submitted under this paragraph--
                            ``(i) the number of applications submitted 
                        under this section, with a separate statement 
                        of the number of applications referred to in 
                        subsection (d)(2)(A)(iii);
                            ``(ii) the number of applications that were 
                        approved, with a separate statement of the 
                        number of such applications referred to in 
                        subsection (d)(2)(A)(iii); and
                            ``(iii) the 10 individual applications not 
                        approved for a grant for a demonstration 
                        project under this section that showed the 
                        greatest potential to meet the purpose of this 
                        section, including the estimated number of 
                        beneficiaries of each such application;
                    ``(H) that includes an assessment of the 
                effectiveness of the projects with respect to 
                addressing transportation and infrastructure 
                professions workforce shortages or in-demand jobs; and
                    ``(I) on the design, nature, and results of the 
                evaluations required by subsection (g), including 
                whether a randomized controlled trial was used in the 
                evaluation and, if so, the reasons for doing so.
    ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Career pathway.--The term `career pathway' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 3(7) of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act.
            ``(2) Commuting costs.--The term `commuting costs' means 
        the cost of public transit, ride-sharing, or gasoline for a 
        personal vehicle, for commuting between a project participant's 
        residence and any site at which the participant receives 
        services under the project.
            ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means 
        any of the following entities that demonstrates in an 
        application submitted under this section that the entity has 
        the capacity to fully develop and administer the project 
        described in the application:
                    ``(A) A local workforce development board 
                established under section 107 of the Workforce 
                Innovation and Opportunity Act.
                    ``(B) A State or territory, a political subdivision 
                of a State or territory, or an agency of a State, 
                territory, or such a political subdivision, including a 
                State, territory, or local entity that administers a 
                State or territory program funded under part A of title 
                IV.
                    ``(C) An Indian Tribe or a Tribal organization.
                    ``(D) An institution of higher education (as 
                defined in section 101 or 102(a)(1)(B) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965).
                    ``(E) A nonprofit organization described in section 
                501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, a labor 
                organization, or an entity with shared labor-management 
                oversight, that has a demonstrated history of providing 
                transportation and infrastructure profession training 
                to eligible individuals.
            ``(4) Eligible individual.--The term `eligible individual' 
        means--
                    ``(A) an individual whose family income does not 
                exceed 200 percent of the Federal poverty level; or
                    ``(B) an individual who is receiving services under 
                section 477.
            ``(5) Federal poverty level.--The term `Federal poverty 
        level' means the poverty line (as defined in section 673(2) of 
        the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, including any 
        revision required by such section applicable to a family of the 
        size involved).
            ``(6) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        `Historically Black College or University' has the meaning 
        given the term `part B institution' in section 322 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            ``(7) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms `Indian 
        Tribe' and `Tribal organization' have the meaning given the 
        terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
        Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
            ``(8) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 or 102(a)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act 
        of 1965.
            ``(9) Minority-serving institution.--The term `minority-
        serving institution' has the meaning given the term--
                    ``(A) `Hispanic-serving institution' in section 502 
                of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a);
                    ``(B) `Tribal college or university' in section 316 
                of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c);
                    ``(C) `Alaska Native-serving Institution' in 
                section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1059d(b));
                    ``(D) `Native Hawaiian-serving institution' in 
                section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1059d(b));
                    ``(E) `Predominantly Black Institution' in section 
                371(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1067q(c));
                    ``(F) `Asian American and Native American Pacific 
                Islander-serving institution' in section 371(c) of the 
                Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)); and
                    ``(G) `Native American-serving nontribal 
                institution' in section 371(c) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)).
            ``(10) Racial or ethnic minorities.--The term `racial or 
        ethnic minorities' means persons of Black or African-American, 
        American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, or 
        Pacific Islander descent, and Hispanic persons (including those 
        of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, or South 
        American descent).
            ``(11) Randomized controlled trial.--The term `randomized 
        controlled trial' means an evaluation that employs random 
        assignment of eligible individuals to a treatment group that 
        receives the project component under evaluation and a control 
        group that does not, in order to establish causal links between 
        assistance and outcomes.
            ``(12) State.--The term `State' means the 50 States of the 
        United States and the District of Columbia.
            ``(13) Territory.--The term `territory' means the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and 
        American Samoa.
            ``(14) Transportation and infrastructure profession.--The 
        term `transportation and infrastructure profession' means any 
        profession requiring certification or training to construct, 
        maintain, manage, operate, or repair roads, bridges, tunnels, 
        rails, airports, seaports, water and sewage systems, utility 
        systems, or public buildings, or to operate public transit.
    ``(j) Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--Out of any funds in the Treasury of the 
        United States not otherwise appropriated, there are 
        appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
        $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
            ``(2) Allocation of funds.--Of the amount appropriated for 
        a fiscal year under paragraph (1) of this subsection--
                    ``(A) 90 percent shall be available for 
                demonstration project grants under subsection (e)(1);
                    ``(B) 6 percent, plus all amounts referred to in 
                subparagraph (A) that remain unused after all grant 
                awards are made for the fiscal year, shall be available 
                for the provision of technical assistance and 
                associated staffing; and
                    ``(C) 4 percent shall be available for studying the 
                effects of the demonstration projects for which a grant 
                is made under this section, and for associated 
                staffing, for the purpose of supporting the rigorous 
                evaluation of the demonstration projects, and 
                supporting the continued study of the short-, medium-, 
                and long-term effects of all such projects.
    ``(k) Nonapplicability of Preceding Sections of This Subtitle.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        preceding sections of this subtitle shall not apply to a grant 
        awarded under this section.
            ``(2) Exception for certain limitations on the use of 
        grants.--Section 2005(a) (other than paragraphs (2), (3), (5), 
        (6), and (8)) shall apply to a grant awarded under this section 
        to the same extent and in the same manner as such section 
        applies to payments to States under this subtitle.''.
                                 <all>