[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 174 (Tuesday, November 25, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16007-S16008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BAYH:
  S. 1965. A bill to provide for the creation of private-sector-led 
Community Workforce Partnerships, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1965

       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 ``Community Workforce 
     Development and Modernization Partnership Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION.

       (a) In General.--From amounts made available to carry out 
     this Act, the Secretary of Labor (referred to in this Act as 
     the ``Secretary''), in consultation with the Secretary of 
     Commerce and the Secretary of Education, shall award grants 
     on a competitive basis to eligible entities described in 
     subsection (b) to assist each entity to--
       (1) help workers improve those job skills that are 
     necessary for employment by businesses in the industry with 
     respect to which the entity was established;
       (2) help dislocated workers find employment; and
       (3) upgrade the operating and competitive capacities of 
     businesses that are members of the entity.
       (b) Eligible Entities.--An eligible entity described in 
     this subsection is a consortium (either established prior to 
     the date of enactment of this Act or established specifically 
     to carry out programs under this Act) that--
       (1) shall include--
       (A) 2 or more businesses (or nonprofit organizations 
     representing businesses) that are facing similar workforce 
     development or business modernization challenges;
       (B) labor organizations, if the businesses described in 
     subparagraph (A) employ workers who are covered by collective 
     bargaining agreements; and
       (C) 1 or more businesses (or nonprofit organizations that 
     represent businesses) with resources or expertise that can be 
     brought to bear on the workforce development and business 
     modernization challenges referred to in subparagraph (A); and
       (2) may include--
       (A) State governments and units of local government;
       (B) educational institutions;
       (C) labor organizations; or
       (D) nonprofit organizations.
       (c) Common Geographic Region.--To the maximum extent 
     practicable, the organizations that are members of an 
     eligible entity described in subsection (b) shall be located 
     within a single geographic region of the United States.
       (d) Priority Consideration.--In awarding grants under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority 
     consideration to--
       (1) eligible entities that serve dislocated workers or 
     workers who are threatened with becoming totally or partially 
     separated from employment;
       (2) eligible entities that include businesses with fewer 
     than 250 employees; or
       (3) eligible entities from a geographic region in the 
     United States that has been adversely impacted by the 
     movement of manufacturing operations or businesses to other 
     regions or countries, due to corporate restructuring, 
     technological advances, Federal law, international trade, or 
     another factor, as determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES.

       (a) Use of Grant Amounts.--Each eligible entity that 
     receives a grant under section 2 shall use the amount made 
     available through the grant to carry out a program that 
     provides--
       (1) workforce development activities to improve the job 
     skills of individuals who have, are seeking, or have been 
     dislocated from, employment with a business that is a member 
     of that eligible entity, or with a business that is in the 
     industry of a business that is a member of that eligible 
     entity;
       (2) business modernization activities; or
       (3) activities that are--
       (A) workforce investment activities (including such 
     activities carried out through one-stop delivery systems) 
     carried out under subtitle B of title I of the Workforce 
     Investment Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 2811 et seq.); or
       (B) activities described in section 25 of the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k).
       (b) Activities Included.--
       (1) Workforce development activities.--The workforce 
     development activities referred to in subsection (a)(1) may 
     include activities that--
       (A) develop skill standards and provide training, 
     including--
       (i) assessing the training and job skill needs of the 
     industry involved;
       (ii) developing a sequence of skill standards that are 
     benchmarked to advanced industry practices;
       (iii) developing curricula and training methods;
       (iv) purchasing, leasing, or receiving donations of 
     training equipment;
       (v) identifying and developing the skills of training 
     providers;
       (vi) developing apprenticeship programs; and
       (vii) developing training programs for dislocated workers;
       (B) assist workers in finding new employment; or
       (C) provide supportive services to workers who--
       (i) are participating in a program carried out by the 
     entity under this Act; and
       (ii) are unable to obtain the supportive services through 
     another program providing the services.
       (2) Business modernization activities.--The business 
     modernization activities referred to in subsection (a)(2) may 
     include activities that upgrade technical or organizational 
     capabilities in conjunction with improving the job skills of 
     workers in a business that is a member of that entity.

     SEC. 4. APPLICATION.

       To be eligible to receive a grant under section 2, an 
     entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
     time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
     Secretary may reasonably require.

     SEC. 5. SEED GRANTS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.

       (a) Seed Grants.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
     assistance and award financial assistance (not to exceed 
     $150,000 per award) on such terms and conditions as the 
     Secretary determines to be appropriate--
       (1) to businesses, nonprofit organizations representing 
     businesses, and labor organizations, for the purpose of 
     establishing an eligible entity; and
       (2) to entities described in paragraph (1) and established 
     eligible entities, for the purpose of preparing such 
     application materials as may be required under section 4.
       (b) Outreach and Promotional Activities.--The Secretary may 
     undertake such outreach and promotional activities as the 
     Secretary determines will best carry out the objectives of 
     this Act.
       (c) Limitations on Expenditures.--The Secretary may not use 
     more than 10 percent of the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated under section 8 to carry out this section.

     SEC. 6. LIMITATIONS ON FUNDING.

       (a) Requirement of Matching Funds.--The Secretary may not 
     award a grant under this Act to an eligible entity unless 
     such entity agrees that the entity will make available non-
     Federal contributions toward the costs of carrying out 
     activities funded by that grant in an amount that is not less 
     than $2 for each $1 of Federal funds made available through 
     the grant.
       (b) In-Kind Contributions.--The Secretary--
       (1) shall, in awarding grants under this Act, give priority 
     consideration to those entities whose members offer in-kind 
     contributions; and
       (2) may not consider any in-kind contribution in lieu of or 
     as any part of the contributions required under subsection 
     (a).
       (c) Senior Management Training and Development.--An 
     eligible entity may not use any amount made available through 
     a grant awarded under this Act for training and development 
     activities for senior management, unless that entity 
     certifies to the Secretary that expenditures for the 
     activities are--
       (1) an integral part of a comprehensive modernization plan; 
     or
       (2) dedicated to team building or employee involvement 
     programs.
       (d) Performance Measures.--Each eligible entity shall, in 
     carrying out the activities described in section 3, provide 
     for development of, and tracking of performance according to, 
     performance outcome measures.
       (e) Administrative Costs.--Each eligible entity may use not 
     more than 10 percent of the amount made available to that 
     entity through a grant awarded under this Act to pay for 
     administrative costs.
       (f) Maximum Amount of Grant.--No eligible entity may 
     receive--
       (1) a grant under this Act in an amount of more than 
     $1,000,000 for any fiscal year; or
       (2) grants under this Act in any amount for more than 3 
     fiscal years.
       (g) Support for Existing Operations.--
       (1) In general.--In making grants under this Act, the 
     Secretary may use a portion equal to not more than 50 percent 
     of the funds appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal 
     year, to support the existing training and modernization 
     operations of existing eligible entities.
       (2) Entities.--The Secretary may award a grant to an 
     existing eligible entity for existing training and 
     modernization operations only if the entity--
       (A) currently offers (as of the date of the award of the 
     grant) a combination of training, modernization, and business 
     assistance services; and
       (B) has demonstrated success in accomplishing the 
     objectives of activities described in section 3.
       (3) Application.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to support 
     for the expansion of training and modernization operations of 
     existing eligible entities.
       (4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       (A) Existing training and modernization activity.--The term 
     ``existing training and

[[Page S16008]]

     modernization activity'' means a training and modernization 
     activity carried out prior to the date of enactment of this 
     Act.
       (B) Existing eligible entity.--The term ``existing eligible 
     entity'' means an eligible entity that was established prior 
     to the date of enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 7. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE STUDY.

       (a) Study.--Beginning 3 years after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a study concerning the activities carried out 
     under this Act. In conducting the study, the Comptroller 
     General shall assess the effectiveness of the activities and 
     suggest improvements to the grant program established under 
     this Act, including recommending whether the program should 
     be administered by the Department of Labor or by another 
     agency or an alternative entity.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 3 years and 6 months after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
     United States shall prepare and submit to Congress a report 
     containing the results of the study.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act--
       (1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
       (2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
       (3) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
       (4) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.

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