[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 2, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S509-S510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3216. Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Vitter, and Ms. Baldwin)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2953
proposed by Ms. Murkowski to the bill S. 2012, to provide for the
modernization of the energy policy of the United States, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Strike section 3602 and insert the following:
SEC. 3602. ENERGY WORKFORCE PILOT GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Grants for Job Training and Education Programs.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, and the
Secretary of Transportation, shall establish a pilot program
to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities
for job training and education programs that lead to an
industry-recognized credential.
(2) Implementation grants.--The Secretary may award grants,
to nonprofit organizations with a track record of at least 10
years of expertise in working with community colleges on
developing workforce development programs, to provide
assistance to the Secretary in implementing the requirements
of this section, including developing the grant program
described in paragraph (1).
(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (a)(1), an entity shall be a public organization
or a consortium of public organizations that--
(1) includes an advisory board with proportional
participation, as determined by the Secretary, of relevant
organizations, including representatives from--
(A) relevant energy industry organizations, including
public and private employers;
(B) labor organizations;
(C) postsecondary education organizations; and
(D) workforce development boards;
(2) demonstrates experience in implementing and operating
job training and education programs;
(3) demonstrates the ability to recruit individuals who
plan to work in the energy industries, and support those
individuals in the successful completion of relevant job
training and education programs; and
(4) provides students who complete the proposed job
training and education program with an industry-recognized
credential.
(c) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a grant
under subsection (1)(1) shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require, including a
description of the proposed program leading to the industry-
recognized credential.
(d) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive
grants under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall
prioritize an applicant that--
(1) provides the job training and education program
through--
(A) a community college or institution of higher education
that includes basic science and math education in the
curriculum of the community college or institution of higher
education; or
(B) an apprenticeship program registered with the
Department of Labor or a State;
(2) works with the Secretary of Defense or a veterans
organization to transition members of the Armed Forces and
veterans to careers in the energy sector;
(3) works with an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 450b));
(4) applies as a State or regional consortium, providing
the job training and education program through a community
college or institution of higher education described in
paragraph (1), to leverage best practices already available
in the State or region in which the community college or
institution of higher education is located;
(5) is a consortium that includes a State-supported entity;
(6) includes an apprenticeship program registered with the
Department of Labor or a State as part of the job training
and education program;
(7) provides support services and career coaching;
(8) provides introductory energy workforce development
activities;
(9) works with minority-serving institutions to provide job
training to increase the number of skilled minorities and
women in the energy sector;
(10) provides job training for displaced and unemployed
workers in the energy sector;
(11) establishes a community college or 2-year technical
college-based ``Center of Excellence'' for an energy and
maritime workforce technical training program, such as a
program of a community college located in a coastal area;
(12) is located in close proximity to marine or port
facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific
Ocean, or Great Lakes; or
(13) has established associations with--
(A) port authorities or other established seaport or inland
port facilities; and
(B) appropriate Federal agencies.
[[Page S510]]
(e) Additional Consideration.--In making grants under
subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall consider regional
diversity.
(f) Limitation on Applications.--An eligible entity may not
submit, either individually or as part of a joint
application, more than 1 application for a grant under
subsection (a)(1) during any 1 fiscal year.
(g) Limitations on Amount of Grant.--The amount of an
individual grant under subsection (a)(1) for any 1 year shall
not exceed $1,000,000.
(h) Cost Sharing.--
(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of a job
training and education program carried out using a grant
under subsection (a)(1) shall be not greater than 65 percent.
(2) Non-federal share.--
(A) In general.--Not less than 50 percent of the non-
Federal share of the cost of a job training and education
program carried out using a grant under subsection (a)(1)
shall be provided in cash.
(B) Limitation.--Not more than 50 percent of the non-
Federal contribution of the cost of a job training and
education program carried out using a grant under subsection
(a)(1) shall be in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant,
equipment, or services.
(i) Reduction of Duplication.--Prior to submitting an
application for a grant under subsection (a)(1), each
applicant shall consult with the appropriate Federal agencies
and coordinate the proposed activities of the applicant with
existing State and local programs.
(j) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide
technical assistance and capacity building to national and
State energy partnerships, including the entities described
in subsection (b)(1), to leverage the existing (as of the
date of the provision) job training and education programs of
the Department.
(k) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress and
make publicly available on the website of the Department an
annual report on the program established under this section,
including a description of--
(1) the entities receiving grants under subsection (a)(1);
(2) the activities carried out using the grants;
(3) best practices used to leverage the investment of the
Federal Government;
(4) the rate of employment for participants after
completing a job training and education program carried out
using such a grant; and
(5) an assessment of the results achieved by the program
established under this section.
(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020.
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