[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 137 (Monday, August 2, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5579-S5580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2160. Mr. WICKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2137 proposed by Mr. Schumer (for Ms. Sinema (for herself, 
Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
Tester, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the bill H.R. 
3684, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety 
programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place in division F, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. ___. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Improving Minority Participation And Careers in 
     Telecommunications Act'' or the ``IMPACT Act''.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
     means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
     and Information.
       (2) Covered grant.--The term ``covered grant'' means a 
     grant awarded under subsection (c).
       (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
     historically Black college or university, Tribal College or 
     University, or minority-serving institution, or a consortium 
     of such entities, that forms a partnership with 1 or more of 
     the following entities to carry out a training program:
       (A) A member of the telecommunications industry, such as a 
     company or industry association.
       (B) A labor or labor-management organization with 
     experience working in the telecommunications industry or a 
     similar industry.
       (C) The Telecommunications Industry Registered 
     Apprenticeship Program.
       (D) A nonprofit organization dedicated to helping 
     individuals gain employment in the telecommunications 
     industry.
       (E) A community or technical college with experience in 
     providing workforce development for individuals seeking 
     employment in the telecommunications industry or a similar 
     industry.
       (F) A Federal agency laboratory specializing in 
     telecommunications technology.
       (4) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Telecommunications 
     Workforce Training Grant Program Fund established under 
     subsection (d)(1).
       (5) Grant program.--The term ``Grant Program'' means the 
     Telecommunications Workforce Training Grant Program 
     established under subsection (c).
       (6) Historically black college or university.--The term 
     ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning 
     given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
       (7) Industry field activities.--The term ``industry field 
     activities'' means activities at active telecommunications, 
     cable, and broadband network worksites, such as towers, 
     construction sites, and network management hubs.
       (8) Industry partner.--The term ``industry partner'' means 
     an entity described in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of 
     paragraph (3) with which an eligible entity forms a 
     partnership to carry out a training program.
       (9) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
     serving institution'' means an institution described in 
     section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1067q(a)).
       (10) Training program.--The term ``training program'' means 
     a credit or non-credit program developed by an eligible 
     entity, in partnership with an industry partner, that--
       (A) is designed to educate and train students to 
     participate in the telecommunications workforce; and
       (B) includes a curriculum and apprenticeship or internship 
     opportunities that can also be paired with--
       (i) a degree program; or
       (ii) stacked credentialing toward a degree.
       (11) Tribal college or university.--The term ``Tribal 
     College or University'' has the meaning given the term in 
     section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3)).
       (c) Program.--The Assistant Secretary, acting through the 
     Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives established under 
     section 902(b)(1) of division N of the Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260), shall 
     establish a program, to be known as the ``Telecommunications 
     Workforce Training Grant Program'', under which the Assistant 
     Secretary awards grants to eligible entities to develop 
     training programs.
       (d) Fund.--
       (1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of 
     the United States a fund to be known as the 
     ``Telecommunications Workforce Training Grant Program Fund''.
       (2) Availability.--Amounts in the Fund shall be available 
     to the Assistant Secretary to carry out the Grant Program.
       (e) Application.--
       (1) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a covered 
     grant shall submit an application to the Assistant Secretary 
     at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
     as the Assistant Secretary may require.

[[Page S5580]]

       (2) Contents.--An eligible entity shall include in an 
     application under paragraph (1)--
       (A) a commitment from the industry partner of the eligible 
     entity to collaborate with the eligible entity to develop a 
     training program, including curricula and internships or 
     apprenticeships;
       (B) a description of how the eligible entity plans to use 
     the covered grant, including the type of training program the 
     eligible entity plans to develop;
       (C) a plan for recruitment of students and potential 
     students to participate in the training program;
       (D) a plan to increase female student participation in the 
     training program of the eligible entity; and
       (E) a description of potential jobs to be secured through 
     the training program, including jobs in the communities 
     surrounding the eligible entity.
       (f) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use a covered 
     grant, with respect to the training program of the eligible 
     entity, to--
       (1) hire faculty members to teach courses in the training 
     program;
       (2) train faculty members to prepare students for 
     employment in jobs related to the deployment of next-
     generation wired and wireless communications networks, 
     including 5G networks, hybrid fiber-coaxial networks, and 
     fiber infrastructure, particularly in--
       (A) broadband and wireless network engineering;
       (B) network deployment and maintenance;
       (C) industry field activities; and
       (D) cybersecurity;
       (3) design and develop curricula and other components 
     necessary for degrees, courses, or programs of study, 
     including certificate programs and credentialing programs, 
     that comprise the training program;
       (4) pay for costs associated with instruction under the 
     training program, including the costs of equipment, 
     telecommunications training towers, laboratory space, 
     classroom space, and instructional field activities;
       (5) fund scholarships, student internships, 
     apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities;
       (6) recruit students for the training program; and
       (7) support the enrollment in the training program of 
     individuals working in the telecommunications industry in 
     order to advance professionally in the industry.
       (g) Grant Awards.--
       (1) Deadline.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
     which amounts are appropriated to the Fund pursuant to 
     subsection (m), the Assistant Secretary shall award all 
     covered grants.
       (2) Minimum allocation to certain entities.--The Assistant 
     Secretary shall award not less than--
       (A) 30 percent of covered grant amounts to historically 
     Black colleges or universities; and
       (B) 30 percent of covered grant amounts to Tribal Colleges 
     or Universities.
       (3) Evaluation criteria.--As part of the final rules issued 
     under subsection (h), the Assistant Secretary shall develop 
     criteria for evaluating applications for covered grants.
       (4) Coordination.--The Assistant Secretary shall ensure 
     that grant amounts awarded under paragraph (2) are 
     coordinated with grant amounts provided under section 902 of 
     division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
     (Public Law 116-260).
       (5) Construction.--In awarding covered grants for training 
     or education relating to construction, the Assistant 
     Secretary may prioritize applicants that partner with--
       (A) apprenticeship programs;
       (B) pre-apprenticeship programs; or
       (C) public 2-year community or technical colleges that have 
     a written agreement with 1 or more apprenticeship programs.
       (h) Rules.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, after providing public notice and an 
     opportunity to comment, the Assistant Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of 
     Education, shall issue final rules governing the Grant 
     Program.
       (i) Term.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish the term 
     of a covered grant, which may not be less than 5 years.
       (j) Grantee Reports.--During the term of a covered grant 
     received by an eligible entity, the eligible entity shall 
     submit to the Assistant Secretary a semiannual report that, 
     with respect to the preceding 6-month period--
       (1) describes how the eligible entity used the covered 
     grant amounts;
       (2) describes the progress the eligible entity made in 
     developing and executing the training program of the eligible 
     entity;
       (3) describes the number of faculty and students 
     participating in the training program of the eligible entity;
       (4) describes the partnership with the industry partner of 
     the eligible entity, including--
       (A) the commitments and in-kind contributions made by the 
     industry partner; and
       (B) the role of the industry partner in curriculum 
     development, the degree program, and internships and 
     apprenticeships; and
       (5) includes data on internship, apprenticeship, and 
     employment opportunities and placements.
       (k) Oversight.--
       (1) Audits.--The Inspector General of the Department of 
     Commerce shall audit the Grant Program in order to--
       (A) ensure that eligible entities use covered grant amounts 
     in accordance with--
       (i) the requirements of this section; and
       (ii) the overall purpose of the Grant Program, as described 
     in subsection (c); and
       (B) prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in the operation of the 
     Grant Program.
       (2) Revocation of funds.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
     revoke a grant awarded to an eligible entity that is not in 
     compliance with the requirements of this section or the 
     overall purpose of the Grant Program, as described in 
     subsection (c).
       (l) Annual Report to Congress.--Each year, until all 
     covered grants have expired, the Assistant Secretary shall 
     submit to Congress a report that--
       (1) identifies each eligible entity that received a covered 
     grant and the amount of the covered grant;
       (2) describes the progress each eligible entity described 
     in paragraph (1) has made toward accomplishing the overall 
     purpose of the Grant Program, as described in subsection (c);
       (3) summarizes the job placement status or apprenticeship 
     opportunities of students who have participated in the 
     training program of the eligible entity; and
       (4) includes the findings of any audits conducted by the 
     Inspector General of the Department of Commerce under 
     subsection (k)(1) that were not included in the previous 
     report submitted under this subsection.
       (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Fund a total of $100,000,000 for fiscal years 2022 
     through 2027, to remain available until expended.
       (2) Administration.--The Assistant Secretary may use not 
     more than 2 percent of the amounts appropriated to the Fund 
     for the administration of the Grant Program.
                                 ______