[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 9 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S617-S619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. Stabenow):
  S. 268. A bill to provide funding for a Green Job Corps program, 
YouthBuild Build Green Grants, and Green-Collar Youth Opportunity 
Grants, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor and Pensions.
  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 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 268

       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 ``Green-Collar Youth Jobs, 
     Education, and Training Stimulus Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDING.

       Congress finds that there is a serious and growing need for 
     employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth 
     (including young adults), as demonstrated by statistics from 
     the Bureau of Labor Statistics stating that, in December 
     2008--
       (1) the unemployment rate increased to 7.2 percent, as 
     compared to 4.9 percent in December 2007;
       (2) the unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds rose to 
     20.8 percent, as compared to 16.9 percent in December 2007; 
     and
       (3) the unemployment rate for African-American 16- to 19-
     year-olds increased to 33.7 percent, as compared to 28 
     percent in December 2007.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to increase knowledge of the importance of building a 
     green economy;
       (2) to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy 
     usage;
       (3) to strengthen the protection of the environment;
       (4) to decrease carbon emissions; and
       (5) to increase the number of well-trained youth workers 
     who can obtain well-paying jobs in a range of green-collar 
     industries and other viable industries.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Green-collar industries.--In this section, the term 
     ``green-collar industries'' means industries throughout the 
     economy of the United States--
       (A) that promote energy efficiency, energy conservation, 
     and environmental protection, including promoting renewable 
     energy and clean technology;
       (B) that offer jobs with substantial pay and benefits; and
       (C) that are industries in which there is likely to be 
     continued demand for workers.
       (2) Local board, low-income individual, secretary.--The 
     terms ``local board'', ``low-income individual'', and 
     ``Secretary'' have the meanings given the terms in section 
     101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801).
       (3) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term 
     ``registered apprenticeship program'' means an industry 
     skills training program at the postsecondary level that 
     combines technical and theoretical training through 
     structured on-the-job learning with related instruction (in a 
     classroom or through distance learning) while an individual 
     is employed, working under the direction of qualified 
     personnel or a mentor, and earning incremental wage increases 
     aligned to enhanced job proficiency, resulting in the 
     acquisition of a nationally recognized and portable 
     certificate, under a plan approved by the Office of 
     Apprenticeship or a State agency recognized by the Department 
     of Labor.

     SEC. 5. GREEN JOB CORPS PROGRAM.

       (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
       (1) to encourage youth participating in the Job Corps to 
     become informed energy- and environmentally-conscious 
     consumers;

[[Page S618]]

       (2) to enable the youth to acquire and expand skills 
     related to green-collar industries; and
       (3) to address Job Corps construction needs and energy 
     costs and to make Job Corps centers more energy efficient, 
     including retrofitting facilities and restoring campuses.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``enrollee'', 
     ``graduate'', and ``Job Corps Center'' have the meanings 
     given the terms in section 142 of the Workforce Investment 
     Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2882).
       (c) General Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     reserve not more than $500,000,000 of the funds appropriated 
     under this Act to provide work experiences and training 
     described in subsection (d) in green-collar industries. The 
     Secretary shall provide the work experiences and training, in 
     conjunction with activities described in section 148 of the 
     Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2888), under 
     subtitle C of title I of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2881 et seq.) 
     (except that subsections (c) and (d) of section 159 of such 
     Act (29 U.S.C. 2899) shall not apply to such experiences and 
     training).
       (d) Use of Funds.--
       (1) Skill development program activities.--The Secretary 
     shall expand Job Corps skill development program activities 
     by updating occupational training programs (including making 
     changes in curriculum and equipment), including development 
     of necessary academic skills in green-collar industries 
     (including construction, facilities maintenance, and advanced 
     manufacturing).
       (2) Paid work opportunities.--As part of Job Corps career 
     training, the Secretary shall provide paid work 
     opportunities, in green-collar industries, primarily located 
     at Job Corps centers, in order to address Job Corps 
     construction needs and make those centers more energy 
     efficient, including retrofitting facilities and restoring 
     campuses. In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall 
     give priority to projects that help conserve, develop, or 
     manage public natural resources or public recreational areas, 
     or support the public interest.
       (3) Consumer and leadership activities.--As part of the Job 
     Corps life skills program, the Secretary shall offer consumer 
     and leadership activities, to create a corps of intelligent 
     and informed energy- and environmentally-conscious consumers, 
     including activities that educate Job Corps members about how 
     they can contribute to minimize the effects of climate change 
     and become future leaders in their local communities who 
     preserve and strengthen energy- and environmentally-conscious 
     practices.
       (e) Report to Congress.--
       (1) Indicator.--For purposes of the Green Job Corps program 
     carried out under this section, the indicators of performance 
     shall be--
       (A) entry of graduates who participated in work experiences 
     described in subsection (d)(2) into unsubsidized employment 
     in a green-collar industry;
       (B) average wages received by such graduates upon entry 
     into such employment; and
       (C) number of such graduates who obtain an occupational or 
     education-related credential.
       (2) Assessment.--The Secretary shall prepare an assessment 
     of the Green Job Corps program that--
       (A) describes the use of funds made available under this 
     section to carry out the program and the progress achieved 
     through that program; and
       (B) provides information on the performance of the program 
     on the indicators of performance.
       (3) Report.--The Secretary shall include the assessment 
     described in paragraph (2) in the corresponding annual report 
     described in subsection (c) of section 159 of such Act (29 
     U.S.C. 2899), in lieu of submitting any of the information 
     described in subsection (c) or (d) of that section 159 with 
     respect to the Green Job Corps program.

     SEC. 6. YOUTHBUILD BUILD GREEN GRANTS.

       (a) General Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     reserve $300,000,000 of the funds appropriated under this Act 
     to provide to eligible youth education, work experiences 
     (including service), and training, in green-collar 
     industries, especially concerning the weatherization and 
     energy retrofitting of homes of low-income individuals. The 
     Secretary shall provide the services described in this 
     subsection in conjunction with activities described in 
     section 173A(c) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 
     U.S.C. 2918a(c)), under the YouthBuild program set forth in 
     section 173A of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2918a) (except that 
     paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subsection (c), and 
     subsection (d), of such section shall not apply to such 
     services).
       (b) Grants.--The Secretary is authorized to award from the 
     reserved funds, on a competitive basis, YouthBuild Build 
     Green grants to entities that are recipients of YouthBuild 
     grants under section 173A of such Act.
       (c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     this section, an entity shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require.
       (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
     Secretary shall give priority to entities who--
       (1) demonstrate the ability to leverage additional 
     resources, which may include materials, personnel, and 
     supplies, from other public and private sources; and
       (2) demonstrate the ability to build a foundation of 
     public-private partnerships in a green-collar industry, 
     related to construction, for future projects carried out by 
     the entities.
       (e) Eligible Youth.--To be eligible to participate in the 
     program carried out under this section, a youth shall meet 
     the requirements of section 173A(e)(1) of the Workforce 
     Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918a(e)(1)).
       (f) Use of Funds.--
       (1) Skills development and training.--An entity that 
     receives a grant under this section shall use not less than 
     90 percent of the funds made available through the grant to 
     provide to participants in the program carried out under this 
     section a combination of classroom education and job skills 
     development, through onsite training and work experiences 
     (including construction or rehabilitation of facilities) in a 
     construction trade that makes efficient use of green 
     technologies. Such education and skills development shall be 
     designed to prepare the participants for jobs in green-collar 
     industries in their communities and States.
       (2) Supervision and training.--The entity may use not more 
     than 10 percent of the grant funds for supervision and 
     training costs related to the activities described in 
     paragraph (1).
       (g) Report to Congress.--
       (1) Indicators.--For purposes of the program carried out 
     under this section, the indicators of performance shall be--
       (A) entry of individuals who completed their participation 
     in the program and who participated in activities described 
     in subsection (f)(1) into registered apprenticeship programs 
     in a construction trade in a green-collar industry or a 
     related trade; and
       (B) entry of such individuals, who participated in such 
     activities, into unsubsidized employment in a green-collar 
     industry.
       (2) Assessment.--The Secretary shall prepare an assessment 
     of the program that--
       (A) describes the use of funds made available under this 
     section to carry out the program and the progress achieved 
     through that program; and
       (B) provides information on the performance of the program 
     on the indicators of performance.
       (3) Report.--The Secretary shall annually submit to 
     Congress a report containing the assessment described in 
     paragraph (2).

     SEC. 7. GREEN-COLLAR YOUTH OPPORTUNITY GRANTS.

       (a) Definition.--The term ``community college'' means a 2-
     year institution of higher education, as defined in section 
     101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
       (b) General Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to 
     reserve $200,000,000 of the funds appropriated under this Act 
     for work experiences and training in green-collar industries 
     for eligible youth. The Secretary shall provide the work 
     experiences and training in conjunction with activities 
     described in section 169(b) of the Workforce Investment Act 
     of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2914(b)), under the Youth Opportunity 
     Grants program described in section 169 of that Act (29 
     U.S.C. 2914) (except that subsections (a)(3), (b)(2), (d), 
     (e)(2), (f), and (g) of such section shall not apply to such 
     work experiences and training).
       (c) Grants.--The Secretary is authorized to award from the 
     reserved funds, on a competitive basis, Green-Collar Youth 
     Opportunity Grants to eligible organizations.
       (d) Eligible Organizations.--
       (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     this section, an organization shall be a local board 
     described in section 169(c) of the Workforce Investment Act 
     of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2914(c)) an entity described in section 
     169(d) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2914(d)), or an entity acting 
     of behalf of an eligible strategic partnership.
       (2) Eligible strategic partnership.--
       (A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, an 
     eligible strategic partnership shall be composed of at least 
     1 representative of a local board serving a community, and of 
     each of the 8 types of organizations described in 
     subparagraph (B).
       (B) Types of organizations.--The types of organizations 
     referred to in subparagraph (A) are businesses, unions, 
     labor-management partnerships, schools (including community 
     colleges), public agencies including law enforcement, 
     nonprofit community organizations, economic development 
     entities, and philanthropic organizations, that are actively 
     engaged in providing learning, mentoring, and work 
     opportunities to eligible youth.
       (3) Fiscal and administrative agent.--The strategic 
     partnership shall designate an entity, which shall be a 
     member of the partnership, as the strategic partnership's 
     fiscal and administrative entity for the implementation of 
     activities under the grant.
       (e) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     this section, an organization shall submit an application to 
     the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
     such information as the Secretary may require.
       (f) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the 
     Secretary shall give priority to organizations located in 
     communities described in subsection (c) or (d)(2) of section 
     169 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2914).
       (g) Eligible Youth.--To be eligible to participate in a 
     program carried out under this section, a youth shall--
       (1) be not less than age 14 and not more than age 24;
       (2) reside in a community described in subsection (c) or 
     (d)(2) of section 169 of such Act; and
       (3) have multiple barriers to education and career success, 
     as specified by the Secretary.

[[Page S619]]

       (h) Use of Funds.--An organization that receives a grant 
     under this section may use the funds made available through 
     the grant to provide programs of work experiences and 
     training in green-collar industries that include education 
     and paid work experiences. The work experiences shall involve 
     retrofitting buildings (including facilities of small 
     businesses) to achieve energy savings, or enhancing, 
     creating, or preserving public space, within the communities 
     served. In providing the programs, the organization may 
     provide any of the activities described in subsection (b)(1) 
     of that section 169.
       (i) Report to Congress.--
       (1) Indicators.--For purposes of the program carried out 
     under this section, the indicators of performance shall be--
       (A) acquisition of a high school diploma or its generally 
     recognized equivalent by individuals who completed their 
     participation in the program and who participated in training 
     described in subsection (b);
       (B) entry of such individuals, who participated in work 
     experiences described in subsection (b), into postsecondary 
     education linked to the green economy, including registered 
     apprenticeship programs in a green-collar industry; and
       (C) entry of such individuals, who participated in work 
     experiences described in subsection (b), into unsubsidized 
     employment in a green-collar industry.
       (2) Assessment.--The Secretary shall prepare an assessment 
     of the program that--
       (A) describes the use of funds made available under this 
     section to carry out the program and the progress achieved 
     through that program; and
       (B) provides information on the performance of the program, 
     including on the indicators of performance.
       (3) Report.--The Secretary shall annually submit to 
     Congress a report containing the assessment described in 
     paragraph (2).

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for 
     activities described in this Act $1,000,000,000, which shall 
     be available for the period of January 1, 2009 through 
     December 31, 2010.
                                 ______