[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2722 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2722

To address the needs of workers in industries likely to be impacted by 
                     rapidly evolving technologies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 5, 2023

   Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Warnock, Ms. Cortez Masto, and Mrs. 
  Feinstein) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To address the needs of workers in industries likely to be impacted by 
                     rapidly evolving technologies.

    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 ``Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) A 2019 Government Accountability Office report found 
        that while there are many Federal employment and training 
        programs, their total funding levels remain at nearly 
        $20,000,000,000, or less than 0.1 percent of the gross domestic 
        product of the United States.
            (2) The number of workers receiving federally supported 
        training has declined in the past 3 decades as advances in 
        technology have simultaneously shifted labor market demand over 
        time.
            (3) Job losses from automation are more likely to impact 
        women, people of color, and workers making less than $40,000 
        annually.
            (4) The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends in automation, 
        with 43 percent of businesses in the World Economic Forum's 
        Future of Jobs survey indicating they plan to reduce their 
        workforce as a result of technology integration.
            (5) Strong Federal investment in expanding training 
        services for workers whose jobs may be lost due to automation 
        could prepare the United States workforce to better adapt to 
        changes in the labor market and enter into skilled positions in 
        technologically oriented occupations and industries.
            (6) A focus on preparing the workforce of the United States 
        for jobs that utilize advanced technologies and require digital 
        literacy could grow wages, increase economic productivity, and 
        boost the competitiveness of the United States.
            (7) Studies show that the United States would need to 
        invest $72,000,000,000 more annually just to reach the average 
        investment in workforce policies of other industrial countries. 
        For training alone, the United States would need to invest 
        nearly $8,500,000,000 just to reach the average amount invested 
        by member countries of the Organisation on Economic Co-
        operation and Development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Automation.--The term ``automation'' means a device, 
        process, or system that functions without continuous input from 
        an operator, including--
                    (A) advanced technologies, such as--
                            (i) data collection, classification 
                        processing, and analytics; and
                            (ii) 3-D printing, digital design and 
                        simulation, and digital manufacturing;
                    (B) robotics, including collaborative robotics, and 
                worker augmentation technology;
                    (C) autonomous vehicle technology; or
                    (D) autonomous machinery technology.
            (2) Covered population.--The term ``covered population'' 
        means a population of individuals with a barrier to employment 
        described in subparagraphs (A) through (N) of section 3(24) of 
        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3102(24)).
            (3) Digital literacy.--The term ``digital literacy'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 60301 of the 
        Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (47 U.S.C. 1721).
            (4) Dislocated worker.--The term ``dislocated worker'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (5) Eligible partnership.--The term eligible partnership 
        means an industry or sector partnership, as defined in section 
        3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, except 
        that--
                    (A) for purposes of applying paragraph (26)(A)(iii) 
                of that section, the term ``institution of higher 
                education'' has the meaning given the term in section 
                101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1001); and
                    (B) the partnership shall include, in addition to 
                the representatives described in clauses (i) through 
                (iii) of section 3(26)(A) of the Workforce Innovation 
                and Opportunity Act, representatives of--
                            (i) a State workforce development board or 
                        a local workforce development board; and
                            (ii) an economic development organization.
            (6) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term 
        ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (7) Integrated education and training.--The term 
        ``integrated education and training'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 203 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act (29 U.S.C. 3272).
            (8) Local and state workforce development boards.--The 
        terms ``local workforce development board'' and ``State 
        workforce development board'' have the meanings given the terms 
        ``local board'' and ``State board'', respectively, in section 3 
        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3102).
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (10) Training services.--The term ``training services'' 
        means training services described in section 134(c)(3)(D) of 
        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3174(c)(3)(D)) and may include digital literacy skills.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO IMPROVE TRAINING FOR WORKERS IMPACTED BY AUTOMATION.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--From the amounts appropriated under 
        subsection (g) and beginning in fiscal year 2024, the Secretary 
        shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
        partnerships to support demonstration and pilot projects 
        relating to the training needs of workers who are, or are 
        likely to become, dislocated workers as a result of automation.
            (2) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be 
        for a period not to exceed 4 years.
    (b) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, an eligible partnership shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary shall reasonably 
        require.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include a description of the demonstration or pilot 
        project to be completed with the grant funds, which description 
        shall include--
                    (A) a description of the members of the eligible 
                partnership who will be involved in the demonstration 
                or pilot project and the services each member will 
                provide;
                    (B) a description of the training services that 
                will be available to individuals participating in the 
                demonstration or pilot project, which may include--
                            (i) a plan to train dislocated workers from 
                        industries likely to be impacted by automation 
                        and transition the workers into regionally in-
                        demand industry sectors or occupations; and
                            (ii) a plan to partner with local 
                        businesses to retrain, upskill, and re-deploy 
                        workers within an industry as an alternative to 
                        layoffs;
                    (C) a plan to provide workers with technology-based 
                skills training, which may include training to provide 
                skills related to coding, systems engineering, or 
                information technology security, in addition to other 
                skills;
                    (D) a description of the goals that the eligible 
                partnership intends to achieve to upskill workers and 
                prepare them for in-demand industry sectors or 
                occupations; and
                    (E) a description of how and which covered 
                populations within the area will be supported through 
                this grant, including a plan for stakeholder 
                engagement.
    (c) Priorities.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) first give priority to eligible partnerships that are 
        located in areas with a high percentage of individuals from 
        covered populations; and
            (2) to the extent amounts remain available for additional 
        grants after carrying out paragraph (1), give priority to--
                    (A) eligible partnerships that are located in an 
                area with a high concentration of--
                            (i) industries with a higher likelihood of 
                        being impacted by automation; or
                            (ii) industries included in in-demand 
                        industry sectors, as determined under 
                        subparagraphs (A)(i) and (B) of section 3(23) 
                        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
                        (29 U.S.C. 3102(23));
                    (B) eligible partnerships--
                            (i) with a plan to provide incumbent worker 
                        training--
                                    (I) to assist workers in obtaining 
                                the skills necessary to retain 
                                employment or avert layoffs; or
                                    (II) that allows a worker working 
                                for an employer to acquire new skills 
                                that allow the worker to obtain a 
                                higher-skilled or higher-paid position 
                                with such employer; and
                            (ii) that partner with local employers that 
                        intend to backfill the pre-training positions 
                        of the incumbent workers by hiring new workers 
                        to fill those positions;
                    (C) eligible partnerships that will provide workers 
                with a transportation stipend, paid sick leave, paid 
                family and medical leave, access to child care 
                services, or other employment benefits; or
                    (D) eligible partnerships with a plan to develop a 
                shared training curriculum that can be used across 
                local and regional networks of employers and training 
                providers.
    (d) Use of Funds.--An eligible partnership that receives a grant 
under this section shall use the grant funds for 1 or more of the 
following:
            (1) Providing training services under the demonstration or 
        pilot project, which may include training services that prepare 
        workers for in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
            (2) Providing assistance for employers in developing a 
        staff position for an individual who will be responsible for 
        supporting training services provided under the grant.
            (3) Purchasing equipment or technology necessary for 
        training services provided under paragraph (1).
            (4) Providing job search and other transitional assistance 
        to workers in industries with high rates of job loss.
            (5) Providing a training stipend to workers for training 
        services.
            (6) Providing integrated education and training.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after an eligible 
        partnership's completion of a demonstration or pilot project 
        supported under this section, the eligible partnership shall 
        prepare and submit to the Secretary a report regarding--
                    (A) the number of workers who received training 
                services through the demonstration or pilot project;
                    (B) the number of such workers who successfully 
                transitioned into a new position following completion 
                of the training services;
                    (C) the number of individuals who successfully 
                transitioned into an in-demand industry sector or 
                occupation following completion of the training 
                services;
                    (D) annual earnings data for individuals who have 
                completed training services through the demonstration 
                or pilot project;
                    (E) the percentage of individuals described in 
                subparagraph (D) who are in education or training 
                activities, or in employment, during the second quarter 
                after exit from the training services;
                    (F) the percentage of individuals described in 
                subparagraph (D) who are in education or training 
                activities, or in employment, during the fourth quarter 
                after exit from the training services; and
                    (G) any practices used by the partnership that 
                should be considered best practices with respect to 
                training workers in industries that have, or are 
                expected to have, high rates of job loss as a result of 
                automation.
            (2) Disaggregation.--Each eligible partnership shall 
        provide the information required under subparagraphs (A) 
        through (F) of paragraph (1) in the aggregate and disaggregated 
        by type of training service and by age, gender, and race of the 
        workers.
    (f) General Requirements.--An eligible partnership that receives a 
grant under this section shall use the grant funds in a manner that is 
consistent with the labor standards and protections described in 
section 181 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3241) and nondiscrimination provisions described in section 188 of such 
Act (29 U.S.C. 3248).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years 2024 through 2028.

SEC. 5. EXPANSION OF WORKER TRAINING SERVICES.

    (a) Adult and Dislocated Worker Employment and Training.--Section 
134(d)(1)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3174(d)(1)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (xi), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (xii), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(xiii) training programs for individuals 
                        who are, or are likely to become, dislocated 
                        workers as a result of automation, including 
                        activities that prepare the individuals for 
                        occupations in the technology sector.''.
    (b) National Dislocated Worker Grants.--Section 170 of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting ``advances in 
        automation technology,'' before ``plant closures,''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to any funds 
reserved under section 132(a)(2)(A) to carry out this section, there 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.''.
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