[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.
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