[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 96 (Monday, June 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3719-S3720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2771. Mr. DURBIN (for Ms. Duckworth) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2282 proposed by Mr. Inhofe 
(for himself and Mr. McCain) to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2019 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:

       At the end of subtitle B of title III, add the following:

     SEC. 3__. DOE MANUFACTURING TRADES EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Energy.
       (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
     entity described in subsection (c).
       (3) Eligible program of education.--The term ``eligible 
     program of education'' means a program of education described 
     in subsection (d).
       (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
       (5) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the DOE 
     Manufacturing Trades Education Grant Program established 
     under subsection (b)(1).
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.
       (b) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, the Director 
     of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the heads 
     of such other relevant Federal agencies as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate, may establish a grant program, to be 
     known as the ``DOE Manufacturing Trades Education Grant 
     Program'', under which the Secretary shall make grants on a 
     competitive basis to eligible entities to carry out eligible 
     programs of education that provide recognized postsecondary 
     credentials to enhance existing programs of, or the 
     establishment of new programs at, the Department in 
     manufacturing trades education to further the missions of the 
     national security laboratories of the Department and National 
     Nuclear Security Administration production sites.
       (2) Grant period.--The term of a grant made under the 
     Program shall be 5 years.
       (3) Coordination required.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     the Program is coordinated with other programs of the 
     Department that are associated with advanced manufacturing 
     activities that carry out the missions of the national 
     security laboratories of the Department and National Nuclear 
     Security Administration production sites.
       (c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     under the Program, an entity shall be--
       (1) a manufacturing trades industry organization;
       (2) a nonprofit organization;
       (3) an institution of higher education;
       (4) a workforce intermediary; or
       (5) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in 
     paragraphs (1) through (4).
       (d) Eligible Programs of Education.--An eligible entity 
     receiving a grant under the Program shall use the grant to 
     carry out a consolidated and integrated multidisciplinary 
     program of education that--
       (1) provides postsecondary credentials;
       (2) is a technical skills-based training program; and
       (3) emphasizes--
       (A) multidisciplinary instruction that--
       (i) encompasses the total manufacturing engineering 
     enterprise; and
       (ii) may include--

       (I) manufacturing trades education and training through 
     classroom activities, laboratory, or employer site 
     activities, on the job training activities, participation in 
     employer site projects, sponsored pre-apprenticeship or 
     apprenticeship programs, cooperative work-study programs, and 
     interactions with other industrial facilities, consortia, or 
     such other activities and organizations in the United States 
     and foreign countries as the Secretary considers appropriate;
       (II) subject matter expert development programs;
       (III) recruitment of experienced and licensed professionals 
     that are highly qualified in relevant manufacturing trades to 
     teach or develop manufacturing trade courses and program 
     content;
       (IV) presentation of seminars, workshops, and training for 
     the development of specific manufacturing trades skills;

[[Page S3720]]

       (V) activities involving interaction between students and 
     industry, including programs for visiting experts from 
     industry or other sites or industry and personnel exchanges 
     between the national security laboratories of the Department 
     and National Nuclear Security Administration production 
     sites;
       (VI) development of new, or updating and modification of 
     existing, manufacturing trades curriculum, course offerings, 
     and education programs;
       (VII) establishment of programs in manufacturing workforce 
     training that are specific to the unique skills and 
     requirements needed at the national security laboratories of 
     the Department and National Nuclear Security Administration 
     production sites;
       (VIII) establishment of joint manufacturing trades 
     education programs with defense laboratories, depots, the 
     national security laboratories of the Department, and 
     National Nuclear Security Administration production sites; 
     and
       (IX) expansion of manufacturing trades training and 
     education programs and outreach for members of the Armed 
     Forces, dependents and children of members of the Armed 
     Forces, veterans, and employees of the Department of Defense, 
     the national security laboratories of the Department, and 
     National Nuclear Security Administration production sites;

       (B) opportunities for students to obtain work experience in 
     manufacturing through such activities as apprenticeship and 
     preapprenticeship programs, internships, summer job 
     placements, or cooperative work-study programs; and
       (C) faculty and student engagement with industry that is 
     directly related to, and supportive of, the education of 
     students in the manufacturing trades because of--
       (i) the increased understanding of the students of 
     manufacturing challenges and potential solutions; and
       (ii) the enhanced quality and effectiveness of the 
     instruction that result from that increased understanding.
       (e) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
       (1) Applications.--If the Secretary establishes the 
     Program, the Secretary shall solicit applications for grants.
       (2) Merit competition.--The Secretary shall evaluate 
     applications received under paragraph (1) on the basis of 
     merit pursuant to competitive procedures prescribed by the 
     Secretary.
       (3) Criteria.--The Secretary shall select for grants under 
     the Program eligible entities that demonstrate in the 
     application of the eligible entity how the eligible program 
     of education to be carried out using the grant will, at a 
     minimum--
       (A) provide students access to registered apprenticeship or 
     preapprenticeship programs for improving trades education in 
     manufacturing technology;
       (B) contain innovative approaches for improving trades 
     education in manufacturing technology;
       (C) demonstrate a strong commitment to applying the 
     resources necessary to achieve the objectives of the eligible 
     program of education;
       (D) provide for effective engagement with industry or 
     government organizations that--
       (i) supports the instruction to be provided in the eligible 
     program of education; and
       (ii) is likely to improve manufacturing capability and 
     technology;
       (E) demonstrates a significant level of involvement of 
     United States industry in the proposed instructional and 
     research activities;
       (F) is likely to attract regional students that will likely 
     have long careers at the national security laboratories of 
     the Department and National Nuclear Security Administration 
     production sites;
       (G) promote careers in manufacturing trades at the national 
     security laboratories of the Department and National Nuclear 
     Security Administration production sites;
       (H) involve fully qualified personnel and employer site 
     subject matter experts who are experienced in manufacturing 
     engineering education and technology;
       (I) not later than 3 years after the date on which the 
     grant is made, attract non-Federal funding and other support 
     to sustain the eligible program of education;
       (J) achieve a significant level of participation by women, 
     members of minority groups, young adults ages 17 to 29, and 
     individuals with disabilities through active recruitment; and
       (K) train students in advanced manufacturing trades and in 
     relevant emerging technologies and production processes.
       (4) Geographical distribution of grants.--In making grants 
     under the Program, the Secretary, to the maximum extent 
     practicable, shall avoid a geographical concentration of 
     grants.
                                 ______