[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 78 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3196-S3197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1432. Mr. FRANKEN (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1221 proposed by Mr.
Hatch to the bill H.R. 1314, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to provide for a right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse
determinations of tax-exempt status of certain organizations; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO CAREER FUND.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Community College to Career Fund Act''.
(b) Community College to Career Fund.--Title I of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``Subtitle F--Community College to Career Fund
``SEC. 199. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS
PROGRAM.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--From funds appropriated under
section 199A, the Secretary of Labor (in coordination with
the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Commerce)
shall award competitive grants to eligible entities described
in subsection (b) for the purpose of developing, offering,
improving, and providing educational or career training
programs for workers.
``(b) Eligible Entity.--
``(1) Partnerships with employers or an employer or
industry partnership.--
``(A) General definition.--For purposes of this section, an
`eligible entity' means any of the entities described in
subparagraph (B) (or a consortium of any of such entities) in
partnership with employers or an employer or industry
partnership representing multiple employers.
``(B) Description of entities.--The entities described in
this subparagraph are--
``(i) a community college;
``(ii) a 4-year public institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) that offers 2-year degrees, and that
will use funds provided under this section for activities at
the certificate and associate degree levels;
``(iii) a Tribal College or University (as defined in
section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059c(b))); or
``(iv) a private or nonprofit, 2-year institution of higher
education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) in the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of
Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
``(2) Additional partners.--
``(A) Authorization of additional partners.--In addition to
partnering with employers or an employer or industry
partnership representing multiple employers as described in
paragraph (1)(A), an entity described in paragraph (1) may
include in the partnership described in paragraph (1) 1 or
more of the organizations described in subparagraph (B). Each
eligible entity that includes 1 or more such organizations
shall collaborate with the State or local board in the area
served by the eligible entity.
``(B) Organizations.--The organizations described in this
subparagraph are as follows:
``(i) A provider of adult education (as defined in section
203) or an institution of higher education (as defined in
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001)).
``(ii) A community-based organization.
``(iii) A joint labor-management partnership.
``(iv) A State or local board.
``(v) Any other organization that the Secretaries consider
appropriate.
``(c) Educational or Career Training Program.--For purposes
of this section, the Governor of the State in which at least
1 of the entities described in subsection (b)(1)(B) of an
eligible entity is located shall establish criteria for an
educational or career training program leading to a
recognized postsecondary credential for which an eligible
entity submits a grant proposal under subsection (d).
``(d) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant
under this section shall submit an application containing a
grant proposal, for an educational or career training program
leading to a recognized postsecondary credential, to the
Secretaries at such time and containing such information as
the Secretaries determine is required, including a detailed
description of--
``(1) the extent to which the educational or career
training program described in the grant proposal fits within
an overall strategic plan consisting of--
``(A) the State plan described in section 102 or 103, for
the State involved;
``(B) the local plan described in section 108, for each
local area that comprises a significant portion of the area
to be served by the eligible entity; and
``(C) a strategic plan developed by the eligible entity;
``(2) the extent to which the program will meet the needs
of employers in the area for skilled workers in in-demand
industry sectors and occupations;
``(3) the extent to which the program will meet the
educational or career training needs of workers in the area;
``(4) the specific educational or career training program
and how the program meets the criteria established under
subsection (e), including the manner in which the grant will
be used to develop, offer, improve, and provide the
educational or career training program;
``(5) any previous experience of the eligible entity in
providing educational or career training programs, the
absence of which shall not automatically disqualify an
eligible institution from receiving a grant under this
section; and
``(6) how the program leading to the credential meets the
criteria described in subsection (c).
``(e) Criteria for Award.--
``(1) In general.--Grants under this section shall be
awarded based on criteria established by the Secretaries,
that include the following:
``(A) A determination of the merits of the grant proposal
submitted by the eligible entity involved to develop, offer,
improve, and provide an educational or career training
program to be made available to workers.
``(B) An assessment of the likely employment opportunities
available in the area to individuals who complete an
educational or career training program that the eligible
entity proposes to develop, offer, improve, and provide.
``(C) An assessment of prior demand for training programs
by individuals eligible for training and served by the
eligible entity, as well as availability and capacity of
existing (as of the date of the assessment) training
[[Page S3197]]
programs to meet future demand for training programs.
``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretaries shall give priority to eligible entities that--
``(A) include a partnership, with employers or an employer
or industry partnership, that--
``(i) pays a portion of the costs of educational or career
training programs; or
``(ii) agrees to hire individuals who have attained a
recognized postsecondary credential resulting from the
educational or career training program of the eligible
entity;
``(B) enter into a partnership with a labor organization or
labor-management training program to provide, through the
program, technical expertise for occupationally specific
education necessary for a recognized postsecondary credential
leading to a skilled occupation in an in-demand industry
sector;
``(C) are focused on serving individuals with barriers to
employment, low-income, non-traditional students, students
who are dislocated workers, students who are veterans, or
students who are long-term unemployed;
``(D) include any eligible entities serving areas with high
unemployment rates;
``(E) are eligible entities that include an institution of
higher education eligible for assistance under title III or V
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.;
20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.); and
``(F) include a partnership, with employers or an employer
or industry partnership, that increases domestic production
of goods.
``(f) Use of Funds.--Grant funds awarded under this section
shall be used for one or more of the following:
``(1) The development, offering, improvement, and provision
of educational or career training programs, that provide
relevant job training for skilled occupations, that lead to
recognized postsecondary credentials, that will meet the
needs of employers in in-demand industry sectors, and that
may include registered apprenticeship programs, on-the-job
training programs, and programs that support employers in
upgrading the skills of their workforce.
``(2) The development and implementation of policies and
programs to expand opportunities for students to earn a
recognized postsecondary credential, including a degree, in
in-demand industry sectors and occupations, including by--
``(A) facilitating the transfer of academic credits between
institutions of higher education, including the transfer of
academic credits for courses in the same field of study;
``(B) expanding articulation agreements and policies that
guarantee transfers between such institutions, including
through common course numbering and use of a general core
curriculum; and
``(C) developing or enhancing student support services
programs.
``(3) The creation of career pathway programs that provide
a sequence of education and occupational training that leads
to a recognized postsecondary credential, including a degree,
including programs that--
``(A) blend basic skills and occupational training;
``(B) facilitate means of transitioning participants from
non-credit occupational, basic skills, or developmental
coursework to for-credit coursework within and across
institutions;
``(C) build or enhance linkages, including the development
of dual enrollment programs and early college high schools,
between secondary education or adult education programs
(including programs established under the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et
seq.) and title II of this Act);
``(D) are innovative programs designed to increase the
provision of training for students, including students who
are members of the National Guard or Reserves, to enter
skilled occupations in in-demand industry sectors; and
``(E) support paid internships that will allow students to
simultaneously earn credit for work-based learning and gain
relevant employment experience in an in-demand industry
sector or occupation, which shall include opportunities that
transition individuals into employment.
``(4) The development and implementation of--
``(A) a Pay-for-Performance program that leads to a
recognized postsecondary credential, for which an eligible
entity agrees to be reimbursed under the grant primarily on
the basis of achievement of specified performance outcomes
and criteria agreed to by the Secretary; or
``(B) a Pay-for-Success program that leads to a recognized
postsecondary credential, for which an eligible entity--
``(i) enters into a partnership with an investor, such as a
philanthropic organization that provides funding for a
specific project to address a clear and measurable
educational or career training need in the area to be served
under the grant; and
``(ii) agrees to be reimbursed under the grant only if the
project achieves specified performance outcomes and criteria
agreed to by the Secretary.
``SEC. 199A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary to carry out the program
established by section 199.
``(b) Administrative Cost.--Not more than 5 percent of the
amounts made available under subsection (a) may be used by
the Secretaries to administer the program described in that
subsection, including providing technical assistance and
carrying out evaluations for the program described in that
subsection.
``(c) Period of Availability.--The funds appropriated
pursuant to subsection (a) for a fiscal year shall be
available for Federal obligation for that fiscal year and the
succeeding 2 fiscal years.
``SEC. 199B. DEFINITION.
``For purposes of this subtitle, the term `community
college' has the meaning given the term `junior or community
college' in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)).''.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended by
inserting after the items relating to subtitle E of title I
the following:
``Subtitle F--Community College to Career Fund
``Sec. 199. Community college and industry partnerships program.
``Sec. 199A. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 199B. Definition.''.
(d) Effective Date.--This section, including the amendments
made by this section, take effect as if included in the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
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