[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1883 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1883

To increase funding for aviation workforce development grant programs, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 8, 2023

 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Moran, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Thune, Mr. 
   Kelly, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Warnock, and Mrs. Capito) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To increase funding for aviation workforce development grant programs, 
                        and for other purposes.

    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 ``Aviation Workforce Development and 
Recruitment Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASING FUNDING FOR AVIATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 625 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
(49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) a program to provide grants for eligible projects to 
        support the education and recruitment of aviation manufacturing 
        technical workers and the development of the aviation 
        manufacturing workforce.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2023'' each 
                place it appears and inserting ``2029'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3);
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(2) Additional funding.--In addition to amounts available 
        for grants pursuant to paragraph (1), there is authorized to be 
        appropriated--
                    ``(A) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2029 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(1);
                    ``(B) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2029 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(2); and
                    ``(C) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2029 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(3).''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (B), by inserting ``(or, in the case of 
                fiscal years 2024 through 2029, $1,000,000)'' after 
                ``$500,000'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``, a 
                postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002),'' after ``(20 U.S.C. 1001))'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``, a 
                postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002),'' after ``(20 U.S.C. 1001))''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) An application for a grant under the program 
        established under subsection (a)(3) shall be submitted, in such 
        form as the Secretary may specify, by--
                    ``(A) a holder of a type or production certificate 
                or similar authorization issued under section 44704 of 
                title 49, United States Code, or a credible applicant 
                for such a certificate as determined by the Secretary;
                    ``(B) an accredited institution of higher education 
                (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), a postsecondary vocational 
                institution (as defined in section 102 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002), or a high 
                school or secondary school (as defined in section 7801 
                of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 7801); and
                    ``(C) a State or local governmental entity.'';
            (4) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Eligible Projects.--For purposes of a program established 
under subsection (a), an eligible project is a project--
            ``(1) to create and deliver a program designed to provide 
        students with meaningful aviation education that is designed to 
        prepare the students to become aircraft pilots, aerospace 
        engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, aviation 
        maintenance technical workers, or aviation manufacturing 
        technical workers (as applicable to the relevant program 
        described in subsection (a));
            ``(2) to support the professional development of teachers 
        and other educators implementing a program described in 
        paragraph (1);
            ``(3) to establish new educational programs that teach 
        technical skills used by aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, 
        unmanned aircraft systems operators, aviation maintenance 
        technical workers, or aviation manufacturing technical workers 
        (as applicable to the relevant program described in subsection 
        (a)), including purchasing equipment, or to improve existing 
        such programs;
            ``(4) to establish scholarships or registered 
        apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment as aircraft 
        pilots, aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems 
        operators, aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a));
            ``(5) to support outreach about careers as aircraft pilots, 
        aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, 
        aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a)) to--
                    ``(A) primary, secondary, and post-secondary school 
                students; or
                    ``(B) communities underrepresented in the 
                applicable industry;
            ``(6) to support educational opportunities in both urban 
        and rural areas;
            ``(7) to support transition to careers as aircraft pilots, 
        aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, 
        aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a)), including for veterans 
        and members of the Armed Forces; or
            ``(8) to otherwise enhance or expand the aircraft pilot, 
        aerospace engineer, unmanned aircraft system operator 
        workforces, aviation maintenance technical worker, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical worker workforces.'';
            (5) in subsection (e)
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``aviation 
                        manufacturers,'' after ``repair stations,'' and
                            (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) give priority to applicants who partner with, or 
        establish links between, secondary schools and post-secondary 
        schools and who work collaboratively or participate in industry 
        or sector partnerships.''; and
            (6) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f) Consultation With the Secretary of Education.--The Secretary 
may consult with the Secretary of Education in--
            ``(1) developing the design of the grant application under 
        this section;
            ``(2) reviewing and selecting applications for grants for 
        eligible projects under this section; and
            ``(3) establishing considerations regarding program quality 
        and measurement of student outcomes.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (4) of section 48105 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
``2029''.
    (c) National Strategic Plan for Aviation Workforce Development.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall, to the 
        extent practicable and in consultation with other Federal 
        agencies and private individuals, establish a national 
        strategic plan for addressing projected shortages of aviation 
        workers in the aviation industry, including--
                    (A) any short-term, medium-term, and long-term 
                needs critical to the economy, national security, 
                workforce readiness, environmental concerns, and 
                priorities of the United States aviation sector, such 
                as emergency readiness and resilience; and
                    (B) any situation or condition that warrants 
                special attention by the Federal Government.
            (2) Requirements.--The national strategic plan established 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) take into account the activities and 
                accomplishments of all agencies in the executive branch 
                of the Federal Government that are related to carrying 
                out such national strategic plan; and
                    (B) include recommendations for legislation, 
                regulations, and budget proposals to carry out such 
                national strategic plan.
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