[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 91 (Thursday, May 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30343-30344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09995]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Notice of Intent To Renew the Advisory Committee on 
Apprenticeship (ACA) Charter

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Labor (Secretary) has determined that the 
renewal of the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA or Committee) 
is necessary and in the public interest. The Department of Labor (DOL) 
intends to renew the ACA charter with revisions which are not intended 
to change the Committee's purpose or original intent. The revisions 
update the charter to ensure its closer alignment with the Department's 
current apprenticeship priorities.

DATES: The renewed ACA charter will be filed after this notice 
publishes.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For any questions concerning the 
Charter renewal, please contact John Ladd, OA Administrator and ACA 
DFO, at [email protected], telephone (202) 693-
2796 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Registered Apprenticeship is a unique public 
private partnership that is highly dependent on the engagement and 
involvement of its stakeholders and partners for its ongoing 
operational effectiveness. Apart from the ACA, there is no single 
organization or group with the broad representation of labor, 
employers, and the public available to consider the complexities and 
relationship of apprenticeship activities to other training efforts or 
to provide advice on such matters to the Secretary. It is particularly 
important to have such perspectives as DOL considers the expansion of 
registered apprenticeship, fundamentally instilling a permanent culture 
of inclusion in our workforce. The ACA's insight and recommendations on 
the best ways to address critical apprenticeship issues to meet the 
emerging needs of industry,

[[Page 30344]]

labor, and the public is critical. For these reasons, the Secretary has 
determined that the renewal of a national advisory committee on 
apprenticeship is necessary and in the public interest.
    The current charter for the ACA will expire on May 19, 2023. The 
pending charter has been revised to ensure alignment with current DOL 
priorities in the following six sections: (1) Authority; (2) Objectives 
and Scope of Activities; (3) Description of Duties; (4) The Estimated 
Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years; (5) The Estimated Number and 
Frequency of Meetings; and (6) The Membership and Designation.

Summary of the Charter Changes

    1. Authority was updated to reflect the recent change in H.R. 5961, 
which changed the placement of FACA in Title 5 of the U.S. Code.
    2. The Objectives and Scope of Activities was updated to remove 
references to specific industry to broaden the ACA's focus, reflect 
evolving industrial priorities, and maximize the Department's ability 
to consider all industries.
    3. The Description of Duties was updated to remove the requirement 
for an interim report to allow the ACA members the entire length of the 
term to address more complex issues, complete their work and develop a 
final report and supplemental recommendations as needed.
    4. The Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years was updated 
to increase the estimated costs to be more reflective of the actual 
cost and the increase in staff and contractor resources needed for 
overall committee operation and travel. Further, the estimated 
operational costs range from $526,057.21-$471,057.21 and are contingent 
on the number of in-person meetings, and the number of ACA members 
requesting travel reimbursement. The increased costs also reflect the 
broader role ETA envisions for the ACA.
    5. The Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings was updated to 
provide clarity that in addition to the annual ACA meetings, there may 
be a need to convene additional meetings as determined by Secretarial 
priorities. ETA anticipates that many of these meetings will be outside 
of Washington, DC and will highlight specific issues that the ACA is 
addressing.
    6. The Membership and Designation was updated to remove the 
requirement for one apprentice to serve as a voting member to be more 
inclusive and align with current practice to invite apprentices from 
different industries to participate in all public meetings throughout 
the membership term.
    The ACA is being renewed in accordance with the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. 10. The ACA 
is charged with providing advice and recommendations to the Secretary 
on a variety of apprenticeship issues. The ACA's duties include 
assembling, reviewing, and assessing information relating to 
accelerating the expansion of apprenticeship. In providing advice and 
recommendations to the Secretary, the ACA will hold regular meetings 
with agendas that are prepared with guidance provided by the 
Department; engage with a variety of stakeholders, to include site and 
field visits, as appropriate; review and provide feedback on research, 
policies, best practices, and industry and employment trends; and 
consult with experts and practitioners for information and expertise 
pertinent to Committee duties and priorities as needed.
    The ACA will consist of a range of 27-30 voting members that 
represent labor, employers, and the public:
     Employers or Industry Associations
     Labor or Joint Labor-Management Organizations
     Members of the Public, that represent one of the 
following: State apprenticeship agencies/councils; State or local 
workforce development board; community-based organizations; career and 
technical education schools, or local educational agency; postsecondary 
education and training providers; apprenticeship intermediaries.
    The ACA will be solely advisory in nature, and will consider 
testimony, reports, comments, research, evidence, and existing 
practices as appropriate to develop recommendations for inclusion in 
its final reports to the Secretary.
    Members of the ACA serve without compensation, but will be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, to the 
extent permitted by law for persons serving intermittently in the 
Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), consistent with the 
availability of funds. Each ACA member will serve at the pleasure of 
the Secretary for a specified term. The Secretary may also appoint 
members to fill any ACA vacancies for the unexpired portions of the 
term.

Brent Parton,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2023-09995 Filed 5-10-23; 8:45 am]
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