Training and Education for American Workers Act of 2000

Summary: Directs the Secretary of Labor to: (1) use 75 percent of such funds to award grants to provide such training for any skill shortage related to a specialty occupation, as defined under the Immigration and Nationality Act; and (2) transfer 25 percent of such funds to the Secretary of Education for a student loan forgiveness program for mathematics, science, and reading teachers.
Revises such training grant eligibility provisions. Requires certain eligible local, regional, or multi-State consortia to act in conjunction with, and with the active participation of, eligible local workforce investment boards. Requires 25 percent matching funds from grantees.
Gives priority for such training grants to programs or projects that train employed and unemployed workers in skills that are in shortage in the high technology, information technology, and biotechnology fields, including software and communications services, telecommunications, systems installation and integration, computers and communications hardware, health care technology, biotechnology, and biomedical research, manufacturing, and innovation services.
Requires grantees to make active efforts to recruit and train individuals traditionally underrepresented in information technology occupations, such as minorities, women, low-wage workers, workers residing in empowerment zones and enterprise communities, and individuals with a disability.
Establishes such student loan forgiveness program, for specified loans made under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), for new borrowers after October 1, 1998, who have been employed as full-time teachers of mathematics, science, or a related field, or have been full-time teachers responsible for providing reading instruction in any of grades kindergarten through third grade, for three consecutive complete school years.
Sets forth various qualifications which loan forgiveness applicants must demonstrate with respect to their being fully qualified teachers in: (1) public elementary or secondary schools; or (2) nonprofit private elementary or secondary schools or charter schools.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Training and Education for American 
Workers Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. USE OF H-1B NONIMMIGRANT PETITIONER FEES.

    Section 414(c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce 
Improvement Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2916 note) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(c) Demonstration Programs and Projects To Provide Technical 
Skills Training for Workers; Loan Forgiveness for Mathematics, Science, 
and Reading Teachers.--
            ``(1) Technical skills training for workers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Labor shall use 
                75 percent of the funds made available under section 
                286(s)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                U.S.C. 1356(s)(2)) to establish demonstration programs 
                or projects to provide technical skills training for 
                employed and unemployed workers for any skill shortage 
                related to a specialty occupation (as defined in 
                section 214(i)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality 
                Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(i)(1)).
                    ``(B) Grants.--The Secretary of Labor shall award 
                grants to carry out programs or projects described in 
                subparagraph (A) to--
                            ``(i) local workforce investment boards 
                        established under section 117 of the Workforce 
                        Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2832);
                            ``(ii) regional consortia of local boards 
                        described in clause (i); or
                            ``(iii) in conjunction with, and with the 
                        active participation of, local boards described 
                        in clause (i), consortia (which may be local, 
                        regional, or multistate consortia)--
                                    ``(I) a majority of whose members 
                                are a business or represent a business; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) whose membership may include 
                                representatives of State and local 
                                governments, community-based 
                                organizations (as defined in section 
                                101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 
                                1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801)), educational 
                                institutions, and labor organizations 
                                (for a local area, as defined in such 
                                section 101, in which employees are 
                                represented by labor organizations), 
                                nominated by local labor federations, 
                                or (for a local area, as so defined, in 
                                which no employees are represented by 
                                such organizations), other 
                                representatives of employees.
                    ``(C) Priority projects.--In awarding grants under 
                subparagraph (B), the Secretary of Labor shall give 
                priority to programs or projects that train employed 
                and unemployed workers in skills that are in shortage 
                in the high technology, information technology, and 
                biotechnology fields, including software and 
                communications services, telecommunications, systems 
                installation and integration, computers and 
                communications hardware, health care technology, 
                biotechnology, and biomedical research, manufacturing, 
                and innovation services.
                    ``(D) Grant application requirements.--An 
                application for a grant under this paragraph shall 
                include--
                            ``(i) specific goals for each program or 
                        project for which funds are sought, including 
                        targets for measurable increases in skill gains 
                        for those individuals being trained under the 
                        program or project; and
                            ``(ii) an agreement that the program or 
                        project shall be subject to evaluations by the 
                        Secretary of Labor to measure its 
                        effectiveness.
                    ``(E) Matching funds.--Each grantee receiving funds 
                under this paragraph shall demonstrate the manner by 
                which the grantee will provide matching resources (in 
                the form of cash, in-kind contributions, or both) equal 
                to at least 25 percent of the total grant amount 
                awarded.
                    ``(F) Target population.--Each grantee receiving 
                funds under this paragraph shall make efforts actively 
                to recruit and train individuals who traditionally are 
                underrepresented in information technology occupations, 
                such as minorities, women, low-wage workers, workers 
                residing in empowerment zones and enterprise 
                communities (as defined in section 1393(b) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986), and individuals with a 
                disability.
            ``(2) Loan forgiveness for mathematics, science, and 
        reading teachers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law, the Secretary of Labor shall transfer 
                to the Secretary of Education 25 percent of the funds 
                made available to the Secretary of Labor under section 
                286(s)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                U.S.C. 1356(s)(2)).
                    ``(B) Use of funds.--The Secretary of Education 
                shall use funds made available under subparagraph (A) 
                to carry out section 3 of the Training and Education 
                for American Workers Act of 2000.''.

SEC. 3. LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND READING 
              TEACHERS.

    (a) Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Education (in this 
        section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a 
        program of assuming the obligation to repay, pursuant to 
        subsection (c), a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part 
        B of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 or part D of 
        such title (excluding loans made under sections 428B and 428C 
        of such Act or comparable loans made under part D of such 
        title) for any new borrower after October 1, 1998, who--
                    (A) has been employed, for 3 consecutive complete 
                school years, as--
                            (i) a full-time teacher of mathematics, 
                        science, or a related field; or
                            (ii) a full-time teacher responsible for 
                        providing reading instruction in any of grades 
                        kindergarten through 3d grade;
                    (B) satisfies the requirements of subsection (d); 
                and
                    (C) is not in default on a loan for which the 
                borrower seeks forgiveness.
            (2) Award basis; priority.--
                    (A) Award basis.--Subject to subparagraph (B), loan 
                repayment under this section shall be on a first-come, 
                first-serve basis and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (B) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in 
                providing loan repayment under this section for a 
                fiscal year to student borrowers who received loan 
                repayment under this section for the preceding fiscal 
                year.
            (3) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to prescribe 
        such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the 
        provisions of this section.
    (b) Loan Repayment.--
            (1) Eligible amount.--The amount the Secretary may repay on 
        behalf of any individual under this section shall not exceed--
                    (A) the sum of the principal amounts outstanding 
                (not to exceed $3,000) of the individual's qualifying 
                loans at the end of 3 consecutive complete school years 
                of service described in subsection (a)(1)(A);
                    (B) an additional portion of such sum (not to 
                exceed $1,000) at the end of each of the next 2 
                consecutive complete school years of such service; and
                    (C) a total of not more than $5,000.
            (2) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
        construed to authorize the refunding of any repayment of a loan 
        made under part B or D of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
        of 1965.
            (3) Interest.--If a portion of a loan is repaid by the 
        Secretary under this section for any year, the proportionate 
        amount of interest on such loan which accrues for such year 
        shall be repaid by the Secretary.
    (c) Repayment to Eligible Lenders.--The Secretary shall pay to each 
eligible lender or holder for each fiscal year an amount equal to the 
aggregate amount of loans which are subject to repayment pursuant to 
this section for such year.
    (d) Application for Repayment.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible individual desiring loan 
        repayment under this section shall submit a complete and 
        accurate application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            (2) Conditions.--
                    (A) Years of service.--An eligible individual may 
                apply for loan repayment under this section after 
                completing the required number of years of qualifying 
                employment.
                    (B) Fully qualified teachers in public elementary 
                or secondary schools.--An application for loan 
                repayment under this section shall include such 
                information as is necessary to demonstrate that the 
                applicant--
                            (i) if teaching in a public elementary, 
                        middle, or secondary school (other than as a 
                        teacher in a public charter school), has 
                        obtained State certification as a teacher 
                        (including certification obtained through 
                        alternative routes to certification) or 
passed the State teacher licensing exam and holds a license to teach in 
such State; and
                            (ii) if teaching in--
                                    (I) a public elementary school, 
                                holds a bachelor's degree and 
                                demonstrates knowledge and teaching 
                                skills in reading, writing, 
                                mathematics, science, and other areas 
                                of the elementary school curriculum; or
                                    (II) a public middle or secondary 
                                school, holds a bachelor's degree and 
                                demonstrates a high level of competency 
                                in all subject areas in which he or she 
                                teaches through--
                                            (aa) a high level of 
                                        performance on a rigorous State 
                                        or local academic subject areas 
                                        test; or
                                            (bb) completion of an 
                                        academic major in each of the 
                                        subject areas in which he or 
                                        she provides instruction.
                    (C) Teachers in nonprofit private elementary or 
                secondary schools or charter schools.--In the case of 
                an applicant who is teaching in a nonprofit private 
                elementary or secondary school, or in a charter school, 
                an application for loan repayment under this section 
                shall include such information as is necessary to 
                demonstrate that the applicant has knowledge and 
                teaching skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, 
                as certified by the chief administrative officer of the 
                school.
    (e) Treatment of Consolidation Loans.--A loan amount for a 
consolidation loan made under section 428C of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965, or a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan made under part D of 
title IV of such Act, may be a qualified loan amount for the purpose of 
this section only to the extent that such loan amount was used by a 
borrower who otherwise meets the requirements of this section to 
repay--
            (1) a loan made under section 428 or 428H of such Act; or
            (2) a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, or a Federal Direct 
        Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, made under part D of title IV of 
        such Act.
    (f) Funds for Program.--The Secretary shall carry out this section 
with funds made available under section 414(c)(2) of the American 
Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2916 
note).

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take effect on 
October 1, 2000.