[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 99 (Monday, June 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4831-H4834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENERGY AND MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 338) to promote a 21st century energy and manufacturing
workforce.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 338
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ENERGY AND MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy (in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall prioritize education
and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs in
order to increase the number of skilled workers trained to
work in energy and manufacturing-related fields when
considering awards for existing grant programs, including
by--
(1) encouraging State education agencies and local
educational agencies to equip students with the skills,
mentorships, training, and technical expertise necessary to
fill the employment opportunities vital to managing and
operating the Nation's energy and manufacturing industries,
in collaboration with representatives from the energy and
manufacturing industries (including the oil, gas, coal,
nuclear, utility, pipeline, renewable, petrochemical,
manufacturing, and electrical construction sectors) to
identify the areas of highest need in each sector and the
skills necessary for a high-quality workforce in the
following sectors of energy and manufacturing:
(A) Energy efficiency industry, including work in energy
efficiency, conservation, weatherization, or retrofitting, or
as inspectors or auditors.
(B) Pipeline industry, including work in pipeline
construction and maintenance or work as engineers or
technical advisors.
(C) Utility industry, including work in the generation,
transmission, and distribution of electricity and natural
gas, such as utility technicians, operators, lineworkers,
engineers, scientists, and information technology
specialists.
(D) Nuclear industry, including work as scientists,
engineers, technicians, mathematicians, or security
personnel.
(E) Oil and gas industry, including work as scientists,
engineers, technicians, mathematicians, petrochemical
engineers, or geologists.
(F) Renewable industry, including work in the development,
manufacturing, and production of renewable energy sources
(such as solar, hydropower, wind, or geothermal energy).
(G) Coal industry, including work as coal miners,
engineers, developers and manufacturers of state-of-the-art
coal facilities, technology vendors, coal transportation
workers and operators, or mining equipment vendors.
(H) Manufacturing industry, including work as operations
technicians, operations and design in additive manufacturing,
3-D printing, advanced composites, and advanced aluminum and
other metal alloys, industrial energy efficiency management
systems, including power electronics, and other innovative
technologies.
(I) Chemical manufacturing industry, including work in
construction (such as welders, pipefitters, and tool and die
makers) or as instrument and electrical technicians,
machinists, chemical process operators, chemical engineers,
quality and safety professionals, and reliability engineers;
and
(2) strengthening and more fully engaging Department of
Energy programs and labs in carrying out the Department's
workforce development initiatives including the Minorities in
Energy Initiative.
(b) Prohibition.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to authorize the Secretary or any other officer or
employee of the Federal Government to incentivize, require,
or coerce a State, school district, or school to adopt
curricula aligned to the skills described in subsection (a).
(c) Priority.--The Secretary shall prioritize the education
and training of underrepresented groups in energy and
manufacturing-related jobs.
(d) Clearinghouse.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall establish a clearinghouse to--
(1) maintain and update information and resources on
training and workforce development programs for energy and
manufacturing-related jobs, including job training and
workforce development programs available to assist displaced
and unemployed energy and manufacturing workers transitioning
to new employment; and
(2) provide technical assistance for States, local
educational agencies, schools, community colleges,
universities (including minority-serving institutions),
workforce development programs, labor-management
organizations, and industry organizations that would like to
develop and implement energy and manufacturing-related
training programs.
(e) Collaboration.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary--
(1) shall collaborate with States, local educational
agencies, schools, community colleges, universities
(including minority-serving institutions), workforce-training
organizations, national laboratories, State energy offices,
workforce investment boards, and the energy and manufacturing
industries;
(2) shall encourage and foster collaboration, mentorships,
and partnerships among organizations (including industry,
States, local educational agencies, schools, community
colleges, workforce-development organizations, and colleges
and universities) that currently provide effective job
training programs in the energy and manufacturing fields and
entities (including States, local educational agencies,
schools, community colleges, workforce development programs,
and colleges and universities) that seek to establish these
types of programs in order to share best practices; and
(3) shall collaborate with the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of the Census, States,
and the energy and manufacturing industries to develop a
comprehensive and detailed understanding of the energy and
manufacturing workforce needs and opportunities by State and
by region.
(f) Outreach to Minority-Serving Institutions.--In carrying
out this section, the Secretary shall--
(1) give special consideration to increasing outreach to
minority-serving institutions and Historically Black Colleges
and Universities;
(2) make existing resources available through program
cross-cutting to minority-serving institutions with the
objective of increasing the number of skilled minorities and
women trained to go into the energy and manufacturing
sectors;
(3) encourage industry to improve the opportunities for
students of minority-serving institutions to participate in
industry internships and cooperative work/study programs; and
(4) partner with the Department of Energy laboratories to
increase underrepresented groups' participation in
internships, fellowships, traineeships, and employment at all
Department of Energy laboratories.
(g) Outreach to Dislocated Energy and Manufacturing
Workers.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall--
(1) give special consideration to increasing outreach to
employers and job trainers preparing dislocated energy and
manufacturing workers for in-demand sectors or occupations;
[[Page H4832]]
(2) make existing resources available through program
cross-cutting to institutions serving dislocated energy and
manufacturing workers with the objective of training
individuals to re-enter in-demand sectors or occupations;
(3) encourage the energy and manufacturing industries to
improve opportunities for dislocated energy and manufacturing
workers to participate in career pathways; and
(4) work closely with the energy and manufacturing
industries to identify energy and manufacturing operations,
such as coal-fired power plants and coal mines, scheduled for
closure and to provide early intervention assistance to
workers employed at such energy and manufacturing operations
by--
(A) partnering with State and local workforce development
boards;
(B) giving special consideration to employers and job
trainers preparing such workers for in-demand sectors or
occupations;
(C) making existing resources available through program
cross-cutting to institutions serving such workers with the
objective of training them to re-enter in-demand sectors or
occupations; and
(D) encouraging the energy and manufacturing industries to
improve opportunities for such workers to participate in
career pathways.
(h) Enrollment in Workforce Development Programs.--In
carrying out this section, the Secretary shall work with
industry and community-based workforce organizations to help
identify candidates, including from underrepresented
communities such as minorities, women, and veterans, to
enroll in workforce development programs for energy and
manufacturing-related jobs.
(i) Prohibition.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed as authorizing the creation of a new workforce
development program.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Career pathways; dislocated worker; in-demand sectors
or occupations; local workforce development board; state
workforce development board.--The terms ``career pathways'',
``dislocated worker'', ``in-demand sectors or occupations'',
``local workforce development board'', and ``State workforce
development board'' have the meanings given the terms
``career pathways'', ``dislocated worker'', ``in-demand
sectors or occupations'', ``local board'', and ``State
board'', respectively, in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(2) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an institution of higher
education with a designation of one of the following:
(A) Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C.
1101a(a)(5)).
(B) Tribal College or University (as defined in 20 U.S.C.
1059c(b)).
(C) Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native Hawaiian-
serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)).
(D) Predominantly Black Institution (as defined in 20
U.S.C. 1059e(b)).
(E) Native American-serving nontribal institution (as
defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059f(b)).
(F) Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-
serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059g(b)).
SEC. 2. REPORT.
Five years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall publish a comprehensive report to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on
Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives
and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the
outlook for energy and manufacturing sectors nationally. The
report shall also include a comprehensive summary of energy
and manufacturing job creation as a result of the enactment
of this Act. The report shall include performance data
regarding the number of program participants served, the
percentage of participants in competitive integrated
employment two quarters and four quarters after program
completion, the median income of program participants two
quarters and four quarters after program completion, and the
percentage of program participants receiving industry-
recognized credentials.
SEC. 3. USE OF EXISTING FUNDS.
No additional funds are authorized to carry out the
requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried
out using amounts otherwise authorized.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Upton) and the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
GENERAL LEAVE
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include any extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased that we are considering this
legislation, H.R. 338, a bill to promote a 21st century energy and
manufacturing workforce, introduced by my friend and great colleague,
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush), and the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Hudson).
This bipartisan bill takes steps to help make training for energy
manufacturing jobs available to women and minorities as well as
veterans.
By way of background, the bill was unanimously approved by the House
last Congress by a voice vote. It was also included in the energy bill
conference negotiations. But, unfortunately, even though the bill
received overwhelming support in both the House and the Senate, it
didn't make it to the President's desk before time ran out.
The U.S. has undergone an energy renaissance, driven by newly
discovered resources, technological innovation, and a skilled
workforce. Millions and millions of new jobs had been created, and many
more are opening up, but we have got to continue to invest in our
workers in order to maintain global leadership and maximize the
economic potential of our energy abundance.
This bill, H.R. 338, takes important steps in the right direction by
requiring that the Department of Energy modernize and improve
coordination among the numerous workforce development programs and
activities that expand the Department's programs, offices, labs, and
technology centers.
This bipartisan bill places an emphasis on maximizing the
Department's existing resources and increasing the diversity of our
energy and manufacturing workforce by increasing opportunities for
women, minorities, and veterans.
It also improves reemployment opportunities for out-of-work and
dislocated workers, which, for example, would provide welcome relief to
workers discouraged by sharp downturns in the coal industry.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation before us today is a good government
bill that is going to increase benefits for American workers. I would
encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1630
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased we are considering this
bill sponsored by my friend and colleague, the ranking member of the
Energy Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Rush.
I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Rush).
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I must begin by commending Chairman Walden;
Chairman Upton; Ranking Member Pallone; our friend and colleague from
the great State of Colorado, Congresswoman DeGette; and the committee
staff and all for working with my office to bring the 21st century
workforce legislation to the House floor today.
I must also publicly acknowledge the leadership of my colleague Mr.
Hudson of North Carolina and his staff, who played an instrumental and
very important role in helping us to get to this point.
Mr. Speaker, the 21st century workforce bill represents hope and
represents opportunity for many of our fellow citizens who feel as
though they have been locked out of the American Dream. Mr. Speaker,
this workforce bill also provides an example of how Congress should
function and work on behalf of the American people.
This legislation enjoys the overwhelming support of Members of
Congress who represent various constituencies from diverse regions of
our Nation and who come with different and varying political
persuasions. However, Mr. Speaker, we were able to put aside our
political differences, our regional differences, and our cultural
differences and focus our efforts on bringing forth a jobs bill that
would benefit all communities and help lift up the American economy for
all its people.
Mr. Speaker, this bill directs the Secretary of Energy to prioritize
the training of underrepresented groups, including minorities, women,
and veterans, as well as displaced and unemployed energy and
manufacturing workers. This bill directs the Secretary of Energy to
take into full recognition the hurt and the pain of the White middle
class, of the White working class,
[[Page H4833]]
the African-American, the Black working class, and the Brown working
class in order to increase the number of skilled candidates trained to
work in the related fields that were brought to bear by the energy
renaissance in our Nation.
This bill will strengthen and more fully engage Department of Energy
programs and national laboratories in order to carry out the
Department's workforce development initiatives. This legislation will
help to develop a skilled labor force trained to work in a wide array
of sectors, including renewables, energy efficiency, oil and gas, coal,
nuclear, utility, pipeline, and alternative fuels, as well as energy-
intensive and advanced manufacturing industries.
Mr. Speaker, as we know, the energy and manufacturing industries are
two of the most critical and fastest growing sectors both domestically
as well as internationally. The potential of these two industries can
help bolster the American economy and are also vital to the growing
number of people seeking middle class status--not just a change of
lifestyle, but seeking more money. They are satisfied with their
lifestyle; they just need more income.
It is important, Mr. Speaker, that we equip our citizens with the
skills needed to meet this growing demand so that we can tap into these
tremendous opportunities, and this bill, Mr. Speaker, will help us
accomplish that goal.
Mr. Speaker, this 21st century workforce legislation addresses an
issue that is neither partisan nor bipartisan, but, rather, it is
nonpartisan. It is a nonpartisan issue that benefits communities,
benefits industry, and benefits the overall American economy.
This bill brings together government agencies, including the national
labs, the energy and manufacturing industries, unions, schools,
community colleges and universities, among others, and promotes
cooperation and collaboration to ensure that we are tapping into a
wealth of underutilized talent and are training and preparing workers
for the energy and manufacturing jobs of the present and also of the
future.
Mr. Speaker, one of the challenges that many of my constituents--and
constituents all across the land--have brought to my attention pertains
to individuals participating in training programs that, in many cases,
don't even lead to finding a job.
With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, this bill will help industry,
schools, and community-based workforce organizations to identify
candidates for enrollment into training and apprenticeship programs.
The objective will be to ensure that the skills learned are immediately
transferable to good-paying jobs and good-paying careers within the
energy and manufacturing sectors regionally, nationally, and, indeed,
internationally.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is important because it matches up the needs
of industry with a willing and able workforce and, in the process,
helps start new cycles of hope and opportunity for groups who have, in
many cases, been overlooked and underserved: the White working class,
the Black working class, and the Brown working class.
This legislation can help to open new pathways to jobs, careers, and
entrepreneurial opportunities for women, minorities, our veterans, and
all the different working classes that comprise the American workforce
while also helping to move our overall economy forward.
Mr. Speaker, at a time when African-American and Latino unemployment
rates are too high, when coal miners throughout the Rust Belt and
beyond are finding themselves without work, when too many female heads
of household cannot find adequate employment to take care of their
families, and when veterans returning from defending our country still
cannot find a job, it is a travesty--Mr. Speaker, a travesty--that
eager employers still cannot locate the trained workers that they so
desperately need.
This is common sense, Mr. Speaker, and this is a commonsense jobs
bill that will help match up trained and qualified candidates with
good-paying jobs and careers that will help lift up communities,
strengthen the energy and manufacturing industries, and bolster the
entire American economy as a whole.
With its focus not only on underserved communities such as
minorities, women, and veterans, but also displaced and unemployed coal
miners and other out-of-work energy workers, I can assure you, Mr.
Speaker, that when this legislation ultimately becomes law, it will go
a long way in helping not only communities that look like the one I
represent on the south side of Chicago, but look like communities all
across the Nation, including communities in West Virginia, Kentucky,
Indiana, and New Mexico--all across this country, every community and
every district throughout this Nation.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson).
Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to
support H.R. 338, a bipartisan jobs bill to promote a 21st century
energy and manufacturing workforce.
By and large, we all share the same goals of creating more jobs and
building a healthy economy; but, as we have seen too often in
Washington, progress can get caught up in partisan gridlock. I am
focused on cutting through the partisanship and the noise and finding
commonsense solutions to the problems our country faces. H.R. 338 is a
prime example of that.
Much like the bipartisan Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
that I was honored to help get signed into law several years ago, H.R.
338 strengthens job training programs--specifically in the energy and
manufacturing industries--to invest in our workforce. This legislation
will help connect individuals with job training programs while also
making current programs more efficient, and it takes important steps to
increase opportunities for women, veterans, and minorities.
As I have traveled across my district, I have seen firsthand just how
effective local, high-skilled job training programs can be:
In Kannapolis, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has partnered with
A.L. Brown High School on a welding program that will open doors for so
many students;
At both Stanly Community College and Sandhills Community College, the
advanced manufacturing programs are the critical training grounds for
high-skilled manufacturing workers;
At Fayetteville Tech, veterans get the support and the skills they
need to find meaningful employment outside of the Armed Forces.
I want to thank Chairman Upton, Chairman Walden, and Ranking Member
Pallone for their support. I want to thank Ranking Member Bobby Rush
for his leadership and for working with me in a bipartisan manner for a
cause that is important to all of us, that is, to help people get back
to work.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and to
continue to stay focused on America's priorities: jobs and the economy.
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Colorado has an economy
strongly based in the energy industry. Of course, my district, which is
primarily an urban district, has many, many workers who could be
working in this industry, so I want to commend both of these gentlemen
for sponsoring this legislation.
It is a good bill. We need to get it across the finish line.
Hopefully, because we are doing it early in this Congress, we can get
that done. Please vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to say I have watched these two gentlemen,
Mr. Rush and Mr. Hudson, work together, something that our committee
does a lot on lots of different issues, from oversight to energy, to
healthcare, to telecommunications.
Mr. Rush has had an outstanding career. The gentleman's district is
close to mine. He and I have been in each other's districts quite a bit
over the last number of years. This bill is a legacy to Mr. Rush. The
gentleman has cared with real passion about energy jobs and making sure
that we have the expertise and the technical training knowing that we
want to compete with the rest of the world. I commend the gentleman
again for working with Mr. Hudson--a brilliant star on our side of the
aisle--to get this bill done.
We look forward to the President's signing it into law, and we are
looking
[[Page H4834]]
forward to having the Senate move similar bipartisan legislation so we
can get the job done. That is what it is all about.
So I want to thank the gentleman for his tireless commitment to
getting this issue done.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill again.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R.
338, to Promote a 21st Century Energy and Manufacturing Workforce
Future Act.
For years, many of the industries I represent have complained of
workforce shortages.
In East Houston and Harris County, if we were able to recruit every
union electrician in the country, we would still have a shortage.
The same is probably true for pipefitters, welders, etc.
The economy in our part of the country is rapidly expanding thanks to
the development of the Eagleford shale and the Permian Basin.
We must ensure that this economic prosperity is shared across all of
our community.
In Texas, workforce diversity has to be a reality.
I am pleased that Representative Rush has crafted this legislation
and I am proud to be an original co-sponsor.
I am also proud to support workforce development opportunities for
Hispanics, African-Americans, and women in the energy field.
The industry needs skilled workers and we need to create opportunity
for everyone, including many of those I represent in and around the
area.
The bill will encourage the Department of Energy to conduct outreach
to these communities to ensure they have access to the knowledge,
skills and abilities required to fill high paying jobs in the energy
field.
Thanks to efforts by ExxonMobil and the Texas Gulf Coast Community
College Consortium, we are already addressing the workforce needs of
our industries but more needs to be done and this bill will help us
achieve these goals.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 338.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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