[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7786-S7789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BROWN (for himself and Ms. Snowe):
  S. 3368. A bill to promote industry growth and competitiveness and to 
improve worker training, retention, and advancement, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, today, Senator Snowe of Maine and I are 
introducing a workforce development bill--the Strengthening Employment 
Clusters to Organize Regional Success, or SECTORS Act.
  Over the last 16 months, I have held 110 roundtable discussions in 
communities all over Ohio.
  One of the themes that have recurred in the roundtables--from workers 
and employers, business and labor, teachers and professors--is that we 
need to do a better job connecting workers with the middle and high 
skills needed for careers that are growing in Ohio.
  Today, Ohio has an unemployment rate above the national average. It 
was 6.3 percent in June.
  Between 2000 and 2007, Ohio experienced a 24.3 percent drop in 
manufacturing employment, shedding nearly 230,000 jobs. Overall 
employment dropped by nearly 3.6 percent in the same time period.
  That said, employers throughout the state talk about jobs gone 
begging, and not being able to fill middle and high skilled positions. 
There are open jobs in high-tech, healthcare, and even manufacturing 
that are going unfilled.
  A recent report by labor economists Harry Holzer and Robert Lerman 
found that substantial demand remains in today's labor market for 
skilled workers. This is particularly true for ``middle-skill'' jobs 
that require more than a high school degree but less than a 4-year 
college degree. These jobs make up nearly half of America's labor 
market and provide good compensation for workers.
  The approach Senator Snowe and I take in this bill is to organize 
training around industry clusters.
  Silicon Valley, the Research Triangle in North Carolina, Route 128 
around Boston--these are examples of clusters.
  But it is not just high tech jobs either.
  Think of tourism in Florida, or insurance in Connecticut, or food 
packaging in Pennsylvania. These are successful clusters that build 
around a skilled labor force.
  The Ohio Workforce Board has compiled great information about 
emerging industries and skills programs needed to see people fill these 
jobs.
  Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Chancellor Eric Fingerhut are giving 
workforce training a high priority.
  This bill complements those efforts, and builds on great examples of 
cluster partnerships around the country.
  The National Governors Association has been promoting this model, and 
it really will be the way we successfully train our workers and promote 
regional economic development.
  Nobody wants lack of training to be the constraint on Ohio's economic 
growth.
  So the SECTORS Act focuses on targeted training, with multiple 
stakeholders in the same industry. The bill right now requires four 
principal stakeholders to be part of a training program: industry, 
labor unions, workforce investment boards, and community colleges.
  We want to build in a process that makes a training program 
sustainable and not just a one-time infusion of money. With that in 
mind, Senator Snowe and I have written in our bill a matching funds 
requirement.
  The legislation builds in rigorous evaluation so lawmakers and 
policymakers know how tax dollars are being spent, something that has 
not been the cause under President Bush's Department of Labor's 
training initiatives.
  The Government Accountability Office found in May 2008 that the Labor 
Department's demand-driven workforce training programs have often been 
awarded through a non-competitive process, and have lacked 
accountability and evaluation so that Americans know how their tax 
dollars are being spent.
  We need to break clean from this approach. I plan to work with 
Senator Snowe and colleagues in both chambers to authorize an industry 
clusters skills training program that builds in accountability and 
sustainability, and helps workers and businesses thrive in Ohio, Maine, 
and throughout the country.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3368

       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 ``Strengthening Employment 
     Clusters to Organize Regional Success Act of 2008'' or the 
     ``SECTORS Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. INDUSTRY OR SECTOR PARTNERSHIP GRANT.

       Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 
     1998 (29 U.S.C. 2911 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
     section 174 the following:

     ``SEC. 174A. INDUSTRY OR SECTOR PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to create 
     designated capacity to promote industry or sector 
     partnerships that lead collaborative planning, resource 
     alignment, and training efforts across multiple firms for a 
     range of workers employed or potentially employed by a 
     targeted industry cluster, in order to encourage industry 
     growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training, 
     retention, and advancement in targeted industry clusters, 
     including by developing--
       ``(1) immediate strategies for regions and communities to 
     fulfill pressing skilled workforce needs;
       ``(2) long-term plans to grow targeted industry clusters 
     with better training and a more productive workforce;
       ``(3) core competencies and competitive advantages for 
     regions and communities undergoing structural economic 
     redevelopment; and
       ``(4) cross-firm skill standards, career ladders, job 
     redefinitions, employer practices, and shared training and 
     support capacities that facilitate the advancement of workers 
     at all skill levels.
       ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Career ladder.--The term `career ladder' means an 
     identified series of positions, work experiences, and 
     educational benchmarks or credentials that offer occupational 
     and financial advancement within a specified career field or 
     related fields over time.
       ``(2) Economic self-sufficiency.--The term `economic self-
     sufficiency' means, with respect to a worker, earning a wage 
     sufficient to support a family adequately, based on factors 
     such as--
       ``(A) family size;
       ``(B) the number and ages of children in the family;
       ``(C) the cost of living in the worker's community; and
       ``(D) other factors that may vary by region.
       ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(A) an industry or sector partnership; or
       ``(B) an eligible State agency.
       ``(4) Eligible state agency.--The term `eligible State 
     agency' means a State agency designated by the Governor of 
     the State for the purposes of the grant program under this 
     section.
       ``(5) High-priority occupation.--The term `high-priority 
     occupation' means an occupation that--
       ``(A) has a significant presence in an industry cluster;
       ``(B) is in demand by employers;
       ``(C) pays family-sustaining wages that enable workers to 
     achieve economic self-sufficiency, or can reasonably be 
     expected to lead to such wages;
       ``(D) has a documented career ladder; and
       ``(E) has a significant impact on a region's economic 
     development strategy.
       ``(6) High road employer.--The term `high road employer' 
     means an employer interested in advancing workers through 
     processes and investments in education, training, and 
     research and development.
       ``(7) Industry cluster.--The term `industry cluster' means 
     a concentration of interconnected businesses, suppliers, 
     service providers, and associated institutions in a 
     particular field that are linked by common workforce needs.
       ``(8) Industry or sector partnership.--The term `industry 
     or sector partnership' means a workforce collaborative that--

[[Page S7787]]

       ``(A) organizes key stakeholders in a targeted industry 
     cluster into a working group that focuses on the human 
     capital needs of a targeted industry cluster and that 
     includes, at the appropriate stage of development of the 
     partnership--
       ``(i) representatives of multiple firms or employers, 
     including workers, in a targeted industry cluster, including 
     small- and medium-sized employers when practicable;
       ``(ii) 1 or more representatives of State labor 
     organizations or central labor coalitions;
       ``(iii) 1 or more representatives of local boards;
       ``(iv) 1 or more representatives of postsecondary 
     educational institutions or other training providers; and
       ``(v) 1 or more representatives of State workforce agencies 
     or other entities providing employment services; and
       ``(B) may include representatives of--
       ``(i) State or local government;
       ``(ii) State or local economic development agencies;
       ``(iii) other State or local agencies;
       ``(iv) chambers of commerce;
       ``(v) nonprofit organizations;
       ``(vi) industry associations; and
       ``(vii) other organizations, as determined necessary by the 
     members comprising the industry or sector partnership.
       ``(9) Targeted industry cluster.--The term `targeted 
     industry cluster' means an industry cluster that has--
       ``(A) economic impact in a local or regional area;
       ``(B) immediate workforce development needs; and
       ``(C) documented career opportunities.
       ``(c) Grants Authorized.--
       ``(1) In general.--From amounts appropriated under 
     subsection (i), the Secretary shall award, on a competitive 
     basis, planning grants described in paragraph (3) and 
     implementation grants described in paragraph (4) to eligible 
     entities, to enable the eligible entities to plan and 
     implement, respectively, the eligible entities' strategic 
     objectives in accordance with subsection (f).
       ``(2) Maximum amount.--
       ``(A) Planning grants.--A planning grant awarded under 
     paragraph (3) shall not exceed $250,000.
       ``(B) Implementation grants.--An implementation grant 
     awarded under paragraph (4)(A) shall not exceed a total of 
     $2,500,000 for a 3-year period.
       ``(C) Renewal grants.--A renewal grant awarded under 
     paragraph (4)(C) shall not exceed a total of $1,500,000 for a 
     3-year period.
       ``(3) Planning grants.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award a planning grant 
     under this section to an eligible entity that--
       ``(i) is a newly formed industry or sector partnership; and
       ``(ii) has not received a grant under this section.
       ``(B) Duration.--A planning grant shall be for a duration 
     of 1 year.
       ``(4) Implementation grants.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award an 
     implementation grant under this section to--
       ``(i) an eligible entity that has already received a 
     planning grant under this section; or
       ``(ii) an eligible entity that is an established industry 
     or sector partnership.
       ``(B) Duration.--An implementation grant shall be for a 
     duration of not more than 3 years, and may be renewed in 
     accordance with subparagraph (C).
       ``(C) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew an implementation 
     grant for not more than 3 years. A renewal of such grant 
     shall be subject to the requirements of this section, except 
     that the Secretary shall--
       ``(i) prioritize renewals to eligible entities that can 
     demonstrate the long-term sustainability of an industry or 
     sector partnership funded under this section;
       ``(ii) as a condition of renewing the grant, and 
     notwithstanding subsection (d), decrease the amount of the 
     Federal share and increase the amount of the non-Federal 
     share required for the grant, which must include at least a 
     25 percent cash match from the State, the industry cluster, 
     or some combination thereof; and
       ``(iii) require assurances that the eligible entity will 
     leverage, each year, additional funding sources in accordance 
     with subparagraph (D)(ii) than the eligible entity provided 
     for the preceding year of the grant.
       ``(D) Federal and non-federal share.--
       ``(i) Federal share.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
     (C)(ii), the Federal share of an implementation grant under 
     this section shall be--

       ``(I) 90 percent of the costs of the activities described 
     in subsection (g), in the first year of the grant;
       ``(II) 80 percent of such costs in the second year of the 
     grant; and
       ``(III) 70 percent of such costs in the third year of the 
     grant.

       ``(ii) Non-federal.--The non-Federal share of an 
     implementation grant under this section may be in cash or in-
     kind, and may come from State, local, philanthropic, private, 
     or other sources.
       ``(5) Fiscal agent.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant 
     under this section that is an industry or sector partnership 
     shall designate an entity in the partnership as the fiscal 
     agent for purposes of this grant.
       ``(6) Use of grant funds during grant periods.--An eligible 
     entity receiving grant funds under a planning grant, 
     implementation grant, or a renewal grant under this section 
     shall expend grant funds or obligate grant funds to be 
     expended by the last day of the grant period.
       ``(d) Application Process.--
       ``(1) Identification of a targeted industry cluster.--In 
     order to qualify for a grant under this section, an eligible 
     entity shall identify a targeted industry cluster that could 
     benefit from such grant by--
       ``(A) working with businesses, industry associations and 
     organizations, labor organizations, State boards, local 
     boards, economic development agencies, and other 
     organizations that the eligible entity determines necessary, 
     to identify an appropriate targeted industry cluster based on 
     criteria that include, at a minimum--
       ``(i) data showing the competitiveness of the industry 
     cluster;
       ``(ii) the importance of the industry cluster to the 
     economic development of the area served by the eligible 
     entity;
       ``(iii) the identification of supply and distribution 
     chains within the industry cluster; and
       ``(iv) research studies on industry clusters; and
       ``(B) working with appropriate employment agencies, 
     workforce investment boards, economic development agencies, 
     community organizations, and other organizations that the 
     eligible entity determines necessary to ensure that the 
     targeted industry cluster identified under subparagraph (A) 
     should be targeted for investment, based primarily on the 
     following criteria:
       ``(i) Demonstrated demand for job growth potential.
       ``(ii) Competitiveness.
       ``(iii) Employment base.
       ``(iv) Wages and benefits.
       ``(v) Demonstrated importance of the targeted industry 
     cluster to the area's economy.
       ``(vi) Workforce development needs.
       ``(2) Application.--An eligible entity desiring to receive 
     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. An application 
     submitted under this paragraph shall contain, at a minimum, 
     the following:
       ``(A) A description of the eligible entity, evidence of the 
     eligible entity's capacity to carry out activities in support 
     of the strategic objectives identified in the application 
     under subparagraph (D), and, if the eligible entity is an 
     industry or sector partnership, a description of the expected 
     participation and responsibilities of each of the mandatory 
     partners described in subsection (b)(8)(A).
       ``(B) A description of the targeted industry cluster for 
     which the eligible entity intends to carry out activities 
     through a grant under this section, and a description of how 
     such targeted industry cluster was identified in accordance 
     with paragraph (1).
       ``(C) A description of the workers that will be targeted or 
     recruited by the partnership, including an analysis of the 
     existing labor market, a description of potential barriers to 
     employment for targeted workers, and a description of 
     strategies that will be employed to help workers overcome 
     such barriers.
       ``(D) A description of the strategic objectives that the 
     eligible entity intends to carry out for the targeted 
     industry cluster, which objectives shall include--
       ``(i) recruiting key stakeholders in the targeted industry 
     cluster, such as businesses and employers, labor 
     organizations, industry associations, local boards, State 
     boards, and education and training providers, and regularly 
     convening the stakeholders in a collaborative structure that 
     supports the sharing of information, ideas, and challenges 
     common to the targeted industry cluster;
       ``(ii) identifying the training needs of multiple 
     businesses, especially skill gaps critical to competitiveness 
     and innovation to the targeted industry cluster;
       ``(iii) facilitating economies of scale by aggregating 
     training and education needs of multiple employers;
       ``(iv) helping postsecondary educational institutions and 
     training institutions align curricula and programs to 
     industry demand, particularly for higher skill, high-priority 
     occupations validated by the industry;
       ``(v) ensuring that the State agency that administers the 
     Wagner-Peyser Act program shall inform recipients of 
     unemployment insurance and trade adjustment assistance under 
     chapter 2 or 6 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
     U.S.C. 2271 et seq., 2401 et seq.) of the job and training 
     opportunities that may result from the implementation of this 
     grant;
       ``(vi) informing and collaborating with organizations such 
     as youth councils, business-education partnerships, 
     apprenticeship programs, secondary schools, and postsecondary 
     educational institutions, and with parents and career 
     counselors, for the purpose of addressing the challenges of 
     connecting disadvantaged adults as defined in section 
     132(b)(1)(B)(v) and disadvantaged youth as defined in section 
     127(b) to careers;
       ``(vii) helping companies identify, and work together to 
     address, common organizational and human resource challenges, 
     such as--

       ``(I) recruiting new workers;
       ``(II) implementing effective workplace practices;
       ``(III) retaining dislocated and incumbent workers;

[[Page S7788]]

       ``(IV) implementing a high-performance work organization;
       ``(V) recruiting and retaining women in nontraditional 
     occupations;
       ``(VI) adopting new technologies; and
       ``(VII) fostering experiential and contextualized on-the-
     job learning;

       ``(viii) developing and strengthening career ladders within 
     and across companies (in cooperation with labor organizations 
     if the labor organizations represent employees engaged in 
     similar work in the industry cluster), in order to enable 
     dislocated, incumbent and entry-level workers to improve 
     skills and advance to higher-wage jobs;
       ``(ix) improving job quality through improving wages, 
     benefits, and working conditions;
       ``(x) helping partner companies in industry or sector 
     partnerships to attract potential employees from a diverse 
     job seeker base, including individuals with barriers to 
     employment (such as job seekers who are economically 
     disadvantaged, youth, older workers, and individuals who have 
     completed a term of imprisonment), by identifying such 
     barriers through analysis of the existing labor market and 
     implementing strategies to help such workers overcome such 
     barriers; and
       ``(xi) strengthening connections among businesses in the 
     targeted industry cluster, leading to cooperation beyond 
     workforce issues that will improve competitiveness and job 
     quality, such as joint purchasing, market research, or 
     centers for technology and innovation.
       ``(E) A description of the manner in which the eligible 
     entity intends to make sustainable progress toward the 
     strategic objectives described in subparagraph (D).
       ``(F) Performance measures, with quantifiable benchmarks, 
     for measuring progress toward the strategic objectives. Such 
     measures shall consider, at a minimum, the benefits provided 
     by the grant activities funded under this section for--
       ``(i) workers employed in the targeted industry cluster, 
     disaggregated by gender and race, including--

       ``(I) the number of workers receiving portable industry-
     recognized credentials;
       ``(II) the number of workers with increased wages, the 
     percentage of workers with increased wages, and the average 
     wage increase; and
       ``(III) for dislocated or nonincumbent workers, the number 
     of workers placed in sector-related jobs; and

       ``(ii) firms and industries in the targeted industry 
     cluster, including--

       ``(I) the creation or updating of an industry plan to meet 
     current and future workforce demand;
       ``(II) the creation or updating of published industry-wide 
     skill standards or career pathways;
       ``(III) the creation or updating of portable, industry-
     recognized credentials, or where there is not such a 
     credential, the creation or updating of a training curriculum 
     that can lead to the development of such a credential;
       ``(IV) in the case of an eligible entity that is an 
     industry or sector partnership, the number of firms, and the 
     percentage of the local industry, participating in the 
     industry or sector partnership; and
       ``(V) the number of firms, and the percentage of the local 
     industry, receiving workers or services through the grant 
     funded under this section.

       ``(G) A timeline for achieving progress toward the 
     strategic objectives.
       ``(H) In the case of an eligible entity desiring an 
     implementation grant under this section, an assurance that 
     the eligible entity will leverage other funding sources, in 
     addition to the amount required for the non-Federal share 
     under subsection (d), to provide training or supportive 
     services to workers under the grant program. Such additional 
     funding sources may include--
       ``(i) funding under this title used for such training and 
     supportive services;
       ``(ii) funding under the Adult Education and Family 
     Literacy Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 9201 et seq.);
       ``(iii) funding under chapter 2 or 6 of title II of the 
     Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.);
       ``(iv) economic development funding;
       ``(v) employer contributions to training initiatives; or
       ``(vi) providing employees with employee release time for 
     such training or supportive services.
       ``(e) Award Basis.--
       ``(1) Geographic distribution.--The Secretary shall award 
     grants under this section in a manner to ensure geographic 
     diversity.
       ``(2) Priorities.--In awarding grants under this section, 
     the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
       ``(A) work with high road employers within a targeted 
     industry cluster to retain and expand employment in high 
     wage, high growth areas;
       ``(B) focus on helping workers move toward economic self-
     sufficiency and ensuring the workers have access to adequate 
     supportive services;
       ``(C) address the needs of firms with limited human 
     resources or in-house training capacity, including small- and 
     medium-sized firms; and
       ``(D) coordinate with entities carrying out State and local 
     workforce investment, economic development, and education 
     activities.
       ``(f) Activities.--
       ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
     under this section shall carry out the activities necessary 
     to meet the strategic objectives described in the entity's 
     application in a manner that--
       ``(A) integrates services and funding sources in a way that 
     enhances the effectiveness of the activities; and
       ``(B) uses grant funds awarded under this section 
     efficiently.
       ``(2) Administrative costs.--An eligible entity may retain 
     a portion of a grant awarded under this section for a fiscal 
     year to carry out the administration of this section in an 
     amount not to exceed 10 percent of the grant amount.
       ``(g) Evaluation and Progress Reports.--
       ``(1) Annual activity report and evaluation.--Not later 
     than 1 year after receiving a grant under this section, and 
     annually thereafter, an eligible entity shall--
       ``(A) report to the Secretary, and to the Governor of the 
     State that the eligible entity serves, on the activities 
     funded pursuant to a grant under this section; and
       ``(B) evaluate the progress the eligible entity has made 
     toward the strategic objectives identified in the application 
     under subsection (d)(2)(D), and measure the progress using 
     the performance measures identified in the application under 
     subsection (d)(2)(F).
       ``(2) Report to the secretary.--An eligible entity 
     receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the 
     Secretary a report containing the results of the evaluation 
     described in subparagraph (B) at such time and in such manner 
     as the Secretary may require.
       ``(h) Administration by the Secretary.--
       ``(1) Administrative costs.--The Secretary may retain not 
     more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to 
     the authorization of appropriations under subsection (j) for 
     each fiscal year to administer this section.
       ``(2) Technical assistance and oversight.--The Secretary 
     shall provide technical assistance and oversight to assist 
     the eligible State and local agencies or eligible entities in 
     applying for and administering grants awarded under this 
     section. The Secretary shall also provide technical 
     assistance to eligible entities in the form of conferences 
     and through the collection and dissemination of information 
     on best practices developed by eligible partnerships. The 
     Secretary may award a grant or contract to 1 or more national 
     or State organizations to provide technical assistance to 
     foster the planning, formation, and implementation of 
     industry cluster partnerships.
       ``(3) Performance measures.--The Secretary shall issue a 
     range of performance measures, with quantifiable benchmarks, 
     and methodologies that eligible entities may use to evaluate 
     the effectiveness of each type of activity in making progress 
     toward the strategic objectives described in subsection 
     (d)(2)(D). Such measures shall consider the benefits of the 
     industry or sector partnership and its activities for 
     workers, firms, industries, and communities.
       ``(4) Dissemination of information.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(A) coordinate the annual review of each eligible entity 
     receiving a grant under this section and produce an overview 
     report that, at a minimum, includes--
       ``(i) the critical learning of each industry or sector 
     partnership, such as--

       ``(I) the training that was most effective;
       ``(II) the human resource challenges that were most common;
       ``(III) how technology is changing the targeted industry 
     cluster; and
       ``(IV) the changes that may impact the targeted industry 
     cluster over the next 5 years; and

       ``(ii) a description of what eligible entities serving 
     similar targeted industry clusters consider exemplary 
     practices, such as--

       ``(I) how to work effectively with postsecondary 
     educational institutions;
       ``(II) the use of internships;
       ``(III) coordinating with apprenticeships and cooperative 
     education programs;
       ``(IV) how to work effectively with schools providing 
     vocational education;
       ``(V) how to work effectively with adult populations, 
     including--

       ``(aa) dislocated workers;
       ``(bb) women in nontraditional occupations; and
       ``(cc) individuals with barriers to employment, such as job 
     seekers who--
       ``(AA) are economically disadvantaged;
       ``(BB) have limited English proficiency;
       ``(CC) require remedial education;
       ``(DD) are older workers;
       ``(EE) are individuals who have completed a sentence for a 
     criminal offense; and
       ``(FF) have other barriers to employment;

       ``(VI) employer practices that are most effective;
       ``(VII) the types of training that are most effective; and
       ``(VIII) other areas where industry or sector partnerships 
     can assist each other;

       ``(B) make resource materials, including all reports 
     published and all data collected under this section, 
     available on the Internet; and
       ``(C) conduct conferences and seminars to--
       ``(i) disseminate information on best practices developed 
     by eligible entities receiving a grant under this section; 
     and
       ``(ii) provide information to the communities of eligible 
     entities.
       ``(5) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit a report 
     to Congress on the industry or sector partnership

[[Page S7789]]

     grant program established by this section. The report shall 
     include a description of--
       ``(A) the eligible entities receiving funding;
       ``(B) the activities carried out by the eligible entities;
       ``(C) how the eligible entities were selected to receive 
     funding under this section; and
       ``(D) an assessment of the results achieved by the grant 
     program including findings from the annual reviews described 
     in paragraph (4)(A).
       ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for 
     fiscal year 2009 and for each succeeding fiscal year.
       ``(2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
     authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) for the 
     fiscal year shall remain available until the end of the 
     second fiscal year following the fiscal year in which such 
     amounts were first appropriated.''.

     SEC. 3. FEDERAL AGENCY COORDINATION.

       (a) Interagency Cooperation.--The head of each Federal 
     department or agency whose funding, regulations, or other 
     policies impact workers shall cooperate with the Secretary of 
     Labor to--
       (1) maintain up-to-date information on jobs, wages, 
     benefits, skills, and careers of workers impacted by the 
     actions of such agency or department;
       (2) develop and implement policies that would improve the 
     jobs and careers of workers impacted by the actions of such 
     agency or department; and
       (3) report the department or agency's job creation and 
     economic development strategies to the Secretary.
       (b) Alignment.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     the Secretary and the heads of other Federal departments or 
     agencies shall work together to align existing education and 
     training programs with the demonstrated needs of industry or 
     sector partnerships, as defined in section 174A(b) of the 
     Workforce Investment Act. These collaborative efforts shall 
     include the following:
       (1) Department of commerce.--The Secretary of Commerce 
     shall advise the Secretary of Labor of the Department of 
     Commerce's workforce and economic development strategies, 
     programs, and initiatives.
       (2) Justice department.--The Attorney General shall--
       (A) align federally funded programs offering training for 
     inmates with industry clusters (as defined in section 174A(b) 
     of the Workforce Investment Act) and high-priority 
     occupations, and annually review these training programs to 
     assure that the training programs prepare individuals for 
     high-priority occupations; and
       (B) align federally funded reentry programs to take 
     advantage of information and career opportunities provided by 
     industry and sector partnerships.
       (3) Department of education.--The Secretary of Education 
     shall--
       (A) develop and support career ladders for high-priority 
     occupations critical to targeted industry clusters served by 
     a grant under section 174A of the Workforce Investment Act;
       (B) develop and support innovative programs to address 
     literacy (including English as a second language) and 
     numeracy shortcomings, especially in those occupations 
     critical to such targeted industry clusters;
       (C) develop and support programs and strategies to reduce 
     barriers to adult education;
       (D) develop and support career education initiatives in 
     middle and high schools; and
       (E) support initiatives to develop industry-recognized 
     credentials and new credit-bearing programs in public and 
     private postsecondary educational institutions, especially in 
     occupations critical to such targeted industry clusters.
       (4) Department of health and human services.--The Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services shall--
       (A) develop and support innovative programs that connect 
     qualified individuals receiving assistance under the State 
     temporary assistance for needy families program funded under 
     part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 
     et seq.) with employment opportunities in the targeted 
     industry clusters served by a grant under section 174A of the 
     Workforce Investment Act;
       (B) develop and support strategies to prepare individuals 
     receiving assistance under the State temporary assistance for 
     needy families programs funded under part A of title IV of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) for success 
     in postsecondary education and training programs; and
       (C) develop and support career education initiatives that 
     provide such individuals with information to guide the 
     clients' education and training plans.

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today, with Senator Sherrod Brown, 
to introduce the Selecting Employment Clusters to Organize Regional 
Success, SECTORS, Act. This legislation would amend the Workforce 
Investment Act of 1998 and establish a new industry or sector 
partnership grant program administered by the Department of Labor.
  As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Task Force on Manufacturing, one 
of my key goals is to ensure that manufacturers are able to find a 
capable workforce. Unfortunately, many manufacturers across the country 
have raised significant concerns about whether the next generation of 
workers is being trained to meet the needs of an increasingly high-tech 
workplace. It is critical that we ensure that our Nation has a 
sufficient workforce to meet the needs of the U.S. manufacturing 
sector.
  This legislation provides grants to help industry clusters--which are 
interrelated group of businesses, service providers, and associated 
institutions--establish and expand industry partnerships. Existing 
partnerships, which are similar to those created by this bill, have 
long been recognized as key strategic elements within some of the most 
successful economic development initiatives throughout the country. 
Unfortunately, current Federal policy does not provide sufficient 
support for these critical ventures.
  In my home State of Maine, the number of manufacturing jobs has 
dropped dramatically over the past decade. Between 1998 and 2008, 
manufacturing employment in Maine went from 81,000 to 59,000, a 27 
percent decrease! A key reason manufacturing job losses have 
dramatically affected Maine is that the average manufacturing salary is 
$10,000 more than the average annual State wage. The statistics for the 
whole of New England are no better. From January 1998 through December 
2006, the region witnessed a decline of roughly 25 percent of its 
manufacturing workforce.
  For those who have lost manufacturing jobs, it is vital to help 
improve their skills, preparing them for available U.S. jobs. This 
legislation provides a crucial link between establishing worker 
training programs and fostering new employment opportunities for those 
who have been affected by the manufacturing industry's decline. By 
promoting this innovative partnership we will take a crucial step 
toward rejuvenating our economy.
  Groups, such as the National Governors Association, the Aspen 
Institute, and the National Network of Sector Partners have promoted 
and documented the success of sector partnerships. Throughout the 
country, sector partnerships are being used to promote the long-term 
competitiveness of industries and advancing employment opportunities. 
For example, the State of Maine has recently created the North Star 
Alliance Initiative. The alliance has brought together Maine's boat 
builders, the University of Maine's Advanced Engineered Wood Composites 
Centers, Maine's marine and composite trade association, economic 
development groups, and investment organizations for the purpose of 
advancing workforce training.
  Out Nation's capacity to innovate is a key reason why our economy 
continues to grow and remains the envy of the world. Ideas by 
innovative Americans in the private and public sector have paid 
enormous dividends, improving the lives of millions throughout the 
world. We must continue to encourage all avenues for advancing this 
vital sector if America is to compete at the forefront of innovation.

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