[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4981 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4981

 To provide eligible institutions with grant funds to support programs 
        of study for in-demand industry sectors or occupations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 1, 2024

   Ms. Rosen introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide eligible institutions with grant funds to support programs 
        of study for in-demand industry sectors or occupations.

    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 ``Skilled Workforce for America Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible institution.--The term ``eligible 
        institution'' means an institution of higher education, as 
        defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (2) 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).
            (3) Local board.--The term ``local board'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to eligible institutions to enable those eligible institutions 
to fund programs to prepare students to work in in-demand industry 
sectors or occupations and wrap-around services to support such 
students, as described in section 5.
    (b) Grant Duration.--The period of a grant under this Act shall not 
exceed 4 years.

SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Application Requirement.--An eligible institution desiring a 
grant under this Act shall submit to the Secretary an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such 
information, as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Contents.--An application submitted under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) describe how a grant under this Act would--
                    (A) prepare students to--
                            (i) work in an in-demand industry sector or 
                        occupation; or
                            (ii) teach courses in in-demand industry 
                        sectors or occupations at the secondary and 
                        post-secondary level;
                    (B) benefit students served by the eligible 
                institution; and
                    (C) reflect the needs of local employers;
            (2) describe how funds awarded by a grant under this Act 
        would be used; and
            (3) contain other information as the Secretary considers 
        necessary to determine the nature of the local workforce needs, 
        the quality of the proposed program, and the capability of the 
        applicant to carry out the program.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    An eligible institution receiving a grant under this Act, in 
collaboration with the local board, shall use grant funds to--
            (1) establish and support programs of study in in-demand 
        industry sectors or occupations;
            (2) provide academic and nonacademic wrap-around services 
        to students enrolled in those programs of study, including--
                    (A) mentorship and advisement;
                    (B) financial literacy;
                    (C) academic support;
                    (D) tuition reimbursement;
                    (E) childcare assistance;
                    (F) transportation; and
                    (G) reimbursement for equipment; and
            (3) establish or support such additional programs as the 
        Secretary may determine.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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