[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7975 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7975

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 7, 2020

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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's Workforce Act'' or the ``GREEN Workforce 
Act''.

SEC. 2. CLEAN ENERGY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Energy is authorized to award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to develop 
programs of study (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302), as 
in effect on or after July 1, 2019) 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 Energy shall consult with the Secretary of 
Labor 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 education 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 as described in subsection (a).
    (c) Application.--An eligible partnership seeking a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 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 as 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 nontraditional fields as described in section 3 
        of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 
        2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302); 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 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 of the Carl D. Perkins 
        Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
    (e) Peer Review.--The Secretary 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 as 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 such term is defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins 
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302), as in 
effect on or after July 1, 2019) 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 Energy 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 education 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 education service agency 
        described under that 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 at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (d) Peer Review.--The Secretary 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 the Secretary of Energy 
$100,000,000 to carry out the grant program established under this Act.
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