[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 3, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1398. Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Crapo, and Mr.
Durbin) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the
bill S. 2657, to support innovation in advanced geothermal research and
development, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle C of title II, add the following:
SEC. 23__. ENERGY-READY VETS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title XI of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
(42 U.S.C. 16411 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 1107. ENERGY-READY VETS PROGRAM.
``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to ensure
that veterans have the credentials and training necessary to
secure careers in the energy industry.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Active military, naval, or air service.--The term
`active military, naval, or air service' has the meaning
given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States
Code.
``(2) Eligible participant.--The term `eligible
participant' means a veteran who--
``(A) was discharged or released from service in the active
military, naval, or air service during the most recent 1-year
period; or
``(B)(i) was discharged or released from service in the
active military, naval, or air service during the 2-year
period immediately preceding the most recent 1-year period;
and
``(ii) receives the approval of the Secretary to
participate in the program.
``(3) Program.--The term `program' means the Energy-Ready
Vets Program established under subsection (c)(1).
``(4) Uniformed services.--The term `uniformed services'
has the meaning given such term in section 10(a) of title 10,
United States Code.
``(5) Veteran.--The term `veteran' has the meaning given
such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
``(c) Establishment; Implementation.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a
program, to be known as the `Energy-Ready Vets Program', to
prepare eligible participants for careers in the energy
industry.
``(2) Implementation.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
program is implemented by an administrator, to be appointed
by the Secretary from among individuals with experience
relating to military service.
``(d) Administration of Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in partnership with the
Secretary of Defense, shall carry out the program through the
SkillBridge program of the Department of Defense, under which
the Secretary shall provide standardized training courses,
based, to the maximum extent practicable, on existing
industry-recognized certification and training programs, to
prepare eligible participants in the program for careers in
the energy industry, including--
``(A) in the solar energy industry, careers--
``(i) as solar photovoltaic system installers;
``(ii) as solar technicians;
``(iii) as system inspectors; and
``(iv) in other areas relating to the solar energy
industry;
``(B) in the wind energy industry, careers--
``(i) in wind energy operations;
``(ii) in wind energy development;
``(iii) in wind energy manufacturing;
``(iv) as wind energy technicians;
``(v) in the support of all parts of the wind energy supply
chain; and
``(vi) in other areas relating to the wind energy industry;
``(C) in the cybersecurity sector of the energy industry,
careers in--
``(i) cybersecurity preparedness;
``(ii) cyber incident response and recovery;
``(iii) grid modernization, security, and maintenance;
``(iv) resilience planning; and
``(v) other areas relating to the cybersecurity sector of
the energy industry;
``(D) careers in other low-carbon emissions sectors or
zero-emissions sectors of the energy industry identified by
the Secretary; and
``(E) careers in sectors that plan, develop, construct,
maintain, and expand energy industry infrastructure.
``(2) Program requirements.--
``(A) In general.--In carrying out the program, the
Secretary shall ensure that the courses described in
paragraph (1)--
``(i) provide--
``(I) job training;
``(II) employment skills training, including providing
comprehensive wraparound support services to eligible
participants that--
``(aa) enhance the training experience and promote the
professional development of eligible participants; and
``(bb) help eligible participants transition into the
workforce; and
``(III) opportunities for internships of not longer than
180 days; and
``(ii) are carried out primarily through--
``(I) internships; or
``(II) applied, work-based training.
``(B) Exam requirement.--As a requirement for completing a
course described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
require each eligible participant in the course to earn an
applicable industry-recognized entry-level certificate or
other credential.
``(e) Recognition of Entities.--The Secretary and the
administrator of the program appointed under subsection
(c)(2), working jointly, shall establish and carry out a
program to recognize commercial entities that hire eligible
participants who receive certifications or other credentials
under the program, based on the proportion that--
``(1) the number of such eligible participants hired by the
commercial entity; bears to
``(2) the number of such eligible participants hired by all
commercial entities.
``(f) Establishment of Industry-Recognized Certification
and Training Programs.--For purposes of subsection (d), if an
appropriate industry-recognized certification and training
program does not exist, the Secretary shall establish a grant
program to assist the industry in developing such an
industry-recognized certification and training program.
``(g) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which the program is established, and annually thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing
the activities carried out under, and accomplishments of, the
program, including--
``(1) the number of veterans enrolled in the program;
``(2) the regional distribution of those veterans;
``(3) the cost of certification under the program;
``(4) the rate of job placement;
``(5) the rate of job retention; and
``(6) the average salaries of veterans who were enrolled in
the program.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58; 119 Stat. 601)
is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
1106 the following:
``Sec. 1107. Energy-Ready Vets Program.''.
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