[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 26, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4318-S4319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 325. Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Mr. Udall) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2810, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:


[[Page S4319]]


  

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, add the following:

     SEC. ___. AIR FORCE PILOT PROGRAM ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING 
                   AND CERTIFICATION OF SECONDARY AND POST-
                   SECONDARY STUDENTS AS AIRCRAFT TECHNICIANS.

       (a) Pilot Program Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Air Force shall carry 
     out a pilot program to assess the feasability and 
     advisability of--
       (A) providing education and training to secondary and post-
     secondary students in the skills and qualifications required 
     to lead to certification as an aircraft technician for the 
     Air Force with skills levels 3-5; and
       (B) certifying individuals who successfully complete 
     education and training under the pilot program as aircraft 
     technicians for the Air Force at the applicable skill level.
       (2) Designation.--The pilot program carried out pursuant to 
     this section may be known as the ``Air Force Dual Credit 
     Maintainers Program'' (in this section, referred to as the 
     ``pilot program'').
       (b) Eligible Participants.--Individuals eligible to 
     participate in the pilot program are individuals in secondary 
     or post-secondary school who--
       (1) have education, skills, or both appropriate for further 
     education and training leading to certification as an 
     aircraft technician of the Air Force; and
       (2) seek to pursue education and training under the pilot 
     program in order to become certified as aircraft technicians 
     of the Air Force.
       (c) Secondary Schools and Institutions of Higher 
     Education.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
     program through secondary schools and institutions of higher 
     education selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot 
     program.
       (2) Locations.--The secondary schools and institutions of 
     higher education selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, to 
     the extent practicable, be located in the vicinity of 
     installations of the Air Force at which there is, or is 
     anticipated to be, a shortfall in aircraft technicians with 
     skill levels 3-5.
       (3) Coordination.--The pilot program may be carried out at 
     a secondary school only with the approval of the local 
     educational agency concerned. The pilot program may be 
     carried out at an institution of higher education only with 
     the approval of the board of trustees or other appropriate 
     leadership of the institution.
       (4) Grants.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
     Secretary may award a grant to any secondary school or 
     institution of higher education participating in the pilot 
     program for purposes of providing education and training 
     under the pilot program.
       (d) Curriculum and Associated Equipment.--In carrying out 
     the pilot program, the Secretary shall support curriculum 
     development by secondary and post-secondary educational 
     institutions, and any associated training equipment, to be 
     used in providing education and training under the pilot 
     program.
       (e) Employment as Air Force Aircraft Technicians.--As part 
     of the pilot program, the Secretary may employ, and may 
     afford an emphasis on employment, in the Department of the 
     Air Force as aircraft technicians of the Air Force any 
     individuals who obtain certification under the pilot program 
     as aircraft technicians of the Air Force.
       (f) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out 
     the pilot program shall expire on the date that is five years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act. Expiration of 
     the authority to carry out the pilot program shall not be 
     construed to require the termination of any education or 
     training, or the provision of any certifications, for 
     individuals participating in education or training under the 
     pilot program on the date of the expiration of authority to 
     carry out the pilot program
       (g) Funding.--
       (1) In general.--The amount authorized to be appropriated 
     for fiscal year 2018 for the Department of Defense by this 
     division is hereby increased by $5,000,000, with the amount 
     of the increase to be available for the pilot program, 
     including for the award of grants pursuant to subsection 
     (c)(4) and for support of the development of curriculum and 
     training equipment pursuant to subsection (d)
       (2) Offset.--The amount authorized to be appropriated for 
     fiscal year 2018 by section 301 is hereby reduced by 
     $5,000,000, with the amount of the reduction to be applied 
     against amounts available for operation and maintenance, 
     Defense-wide, for SAG 4GTV Office of the Inspector General.
                                 ______