[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 46 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. 
        Klobuchar, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Gardner, 
        Mr. Brown, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mr. Cardin):
  S. 839. A bill to extend Federal Pell Grant eligibility of certain 
short-term programs; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President. In today's economy, approximately 80 
percent of jobs require some form of postsecondary education or 
training beyond the high school level. The National Skills Coalition 
estimates that nearly half of all job openings between now and 2022 
will be middle skill jobs that require post high school training, but 
not a four-year degree. While the number of students pursing 
postsecondary education is growing, the supply of skilled workers still 
falls short of industry demand. According to the Bureau of Labor and 
Statistics 7.3 million U.S. jobs are currently vacant in part because 
of a shortage of qualified workers.
  Our Federal higher education policy must be modernized to meet the 
needs of students and employers. Under current law, Pell Grants--needs-
based grants for low-income and working students--can only be awarded 
to students attending programs that are over 600 clock hours or at 
least 15 weeks in length. These grants cannot be used to offset the 
cost of targeted, short-term training programs offered at community and 
technical colleges that help students obtain employer-recognized 
credentials. When it comes to higher education, Federal policies need 
to support the demands of the changing labor market by increasing 
access to career pathways that align with industry demand. According to 
the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 
shorter-term educational investments pay off--the average postsecondary 
certificate holder has 30 percent higher lifetime earnings than 
individuals with only a high school diploma.
  Today, I am pleased to introduce with my colleague, Senator Portman, 
the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students or JOBS Act. The 
JOBS Act would close the skills gap by extending Pell Grant eligibility 
to high-quality, short-term job training programs offered at community 
colleges and other public institutions, so workers can afford the 
instruction they need to be successful in today's job market. Under the 
legislation, Pell-eligible job training programs are defined as those 
providing at least 150 clock hours of instruction time over a minimum 
of 8 weeks. Eligible job training programs must also provide students 
with licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet the hiring 
requirements of multiple employers in the field for which the job 
training is offered.
  The JOBS Act also ensures that students enrolling in Pell-eligible 
short-term programs are earning high-quality postsecondary credentials 
by requiring that the credentials meet the standards of the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act, are recognized by industry or sector 
partnerships, and align with the skill needs of industries in States or 
local economies. Job training programs under this Act must also be 
evaluated by an accreditor and the State workforce board for quality 
and outcomes. The Virginia Community College System has identified 
approximately 50 programs that would benefit from the JOBS Act 
including in the fields of manufacturing, architecture/construction, 
energy, health care, information technology, transportation, and 
business management and administration.
  The JOBS Act is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that would help 
workers and employers succeed in today's economy. As Congress works to 
reauthorize the Higher Education Act, I am hopeful that my colleagues 
will join me in advocating for Pell Grants to be made available to 
individuals enrolling in high-quality, short-term training programs 
that lead to industry-recognized credentials and good paying jobs.

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