Rural Employment in Telecommunications Industry Act of 1998

Summary: Rural Employment in Telecommunications Industry Act of 1998 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a program to promote rural employment in the telecommunications industry through grants to States for telecommunications employment and training projects.  Requires such projects to train eligible individuals for new telecommunications industry jobs in low-income rural areas pursuant to arrangements with employers participating in the project.  Includes as eligible individuals:  (1) a resident of a low-income rural area; (2) a low-income individual; (3) a dislocated worker from the oil and natural gas exploration and development industry; (4) an out-of-school youth; (5) a disabled individual; (6) an individual receiving assistance under the State temporary assistance for needy families program (part A of title IV (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) of the Social Security Act); (7) a veteran; (8) a displaced homemaker; (9) an older individual; (10) a homeless individual; (11) an individual eligible to participate in certain activities carried out under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998; (12) a long-term unemployed individual or individual with multiple barriers to employment; and (13) an individual who has been assessed and determined to need intensive services. 
Allows the Secretary to make grants to no more than three States. Outlines application requirements, including submission of a State plan containing certain information and assurances.  Provides a priority for the determination of grant awards. 
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Employment in 
Telecommunications Industry Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Dislocated worker; low-income individual.--The terms 
        ``dislocated worker'' and ``low-income individual'' have the 
        meanings given the terms in section 101 of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801).
            (2) Low-income rural area.--The term ``low-income rural 
        area'' means a county that--
                    (A) has a 1996 population of not less than 60,000 
                and not more than 105,000 persons;
                    (B) contains a municipality with a 1996 population 
                of not less than 35,000 and not more than 50,000 
                persons;
                    (C) has a land area of not less than 5,500 and not 
                more than 6,100 square miles;
                    (D) has a population density of not less than 10 
                and not more than 20 persons per square mile;
                    (E) has a 1996 per capita income that is--
                            (i) not less than $16,000 and not more than 
                        $16,500; and
                            (ii) not less than 86 and not more than 88 
                        percent of the statewide per capita income for 
                        the State in which the county is located; or
                    (F) is a county no part of which is--
                            (i) within an area designated as a standard 
                        metropolitan statistical area by the Director 
                        of the Office of Management and Budget; or
                            (ii) within an area designated as a 
                        metropolitan statistical area by the Director 
                        of the Office of Management and Budget; or
                    (G)(i) is experiencing a significant contraction in 
                the oil and natural gas exploration and development 
                industry;
                    (ii) experienced a plant closing within 1 year 
                before the date of enactment of this Act that 
                significantly impacted the county; or
                    (iii) is in close proximity to an Indian 
                reservation, as determined by the Bureau of Indian 
                Affairs.
            (3) Intensive services.--The term ``intensive services'' 
        means services described in section 134(d)(3) of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2864(d)(3)).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means 1 of the several 
        States.

SEC. 3. RURAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program to promote 
rural employment in the telecommunications industry. In carrying out 
the program, the Secretary shall make grants to States for projects 
described in subsection (b).
    (b) Use of Funds.--A State that receives a grant under subsection 
(a) shall use the funds made available through the grant to carry out a 
State telecommunications employment and training project. In carrying 
out the project, the State shall--
            (1) train eligible individuals for new telecommunications 
        industry jobs that will be located in low-income rural areas 
        pursuant to arrangements with employers participating in the 
        project, including ensuring that individuals receive--
                    (A) intensive services;
                    (B) customized training and appropriate remedial 
                training described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 
                4; and
                    (C) appropriate supportive services; and
            (2) arrange for the employment of the individuals in the 
        telecommunications industry jobs.
    (c) Eligible Participants.--To be eligible to participate in a 
project described in subsection (a), an individual shall be--
            (1) a resident of a low-income rural area;
            (2)(A) a low-income individual;
            (B) a dislocated worker from the oil and natural gas 
        exploration and development industry;
            (C) an out-of-school youth;
            (D) an individual with a disability, as defined in section 
        101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998;
            (E) an individual who is receiving, or who has received 
        within the past year, assistance under the State temporary 
        assistance for needy families program established under part A 
        of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
        or other public assistance;
            (F) a veteran, as defined in section 101 of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998;
            (G) a displaced homemaker, as defined in section 101 of the 
        Workforce Investment Act of 1998;
            (H) an older individual, as defined in section 101 of the 
        Workforce Investment Act of 1998;
            (I) a homeless individual;
            (J) an individual eligible to participate in activities 
        carried out under section 166 of the Workforce Investment Act 
        of 1998;
            (K) an individual eligible to participate in employment and 
        training activities under section 134 of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998;
            (L) a long-term unemployed individual; or
            (M) an individual with multiple barriers to employment; and
            (3) an individual who has been assessed by the entity 
        carrying out the project and determined to need intensive 
        services.
    (d) Limitation.--The Secretary shall make the grants to not more 
than 3 States.

SEC. 4. APPLICATION AND STATE PLAN.

    (a) Contents.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, a 
State shall submit an application to the Secretary of Labor at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require, including a State plan that includes--
            (1) information demonstrating how the project will train 
        and employ eligible individuals, including individuals 
        described in subparagraphs (C) through (M) of section 3(c)(2);
            (2) an assurance that the project will include a customized 
        training program for the customer service and supervisory 
        competencies needed in the telecommunications industry jobs to 
        be located in the low-income rural areas served;
            (3) an assurance that the project will include appropriate 
        remedial training in such areas as reading, writing, math, and 
        English as a second language for eligible individuals who the 
        entity carrying out the project assesses and determines need 
        such training;
            (4) includes information describing linkages, including 
        linkages relating to providing supportive services for 
        participants in and graduates of the project, between--
                    (A) the entity carrying out the project; and
                    (B) one-stop operators (as defined in section 101 
                of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998), one-stop 
                partners (as defined in section 101 of the Workforce 
                Investment Act of 1998), State workforce investment 
                boards established under section 111 of such Act, and 
                local workforce investment boards established under 
                section 117 of such Act;
            (5) information identifying certification criteria for 
        individuals who successfully complete the training;
            (6) an assurance that employers participating in the 
        project will make available contributions to the costs of 
        assessing and training participants in the project including 
        those participants who are not eligible individuals described 
        in subparagraph (c) for the new telecommunications jobs in an 
        amount equal to not less than $1 for every $1 of Federal funds 
        provided under the grant;
            (7)(A) an assurance that the project will include an 
        appropriate performance assessment program that will measure--
                    (i) the rate of completion of the training by 
                participants in the training;
                    (ii) the percentage of the participants who obtain 
                unsubsidized employment;
                    (iii) the wages of the participants at placement in 
                the employment; and
                    (iv) the percentage of the participants retained in 
                the employment after 6 months of employment; and
            (B) an assurance that the entity carrying out the project 
        will annually submit to the Secretary the results of the 
        performance assessment program; and
            (8)(A) information explaining how the activities carried 
        out through the project are linked to State economic 
        development activities; and
            (B) information describing commitments from private sector 
        employers to locate new telecommunications jobs and facilities 
        within the low-income rural areas to be served, including 
        commitments to provide any needed upgrade in the 
        telecommunications infrastructure.
    (b) Acceptance of Applications.--The Secretary shall accept 
applications submitted under subsection (a) not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Evaluation of Applications.--The Secretary shall evaluate, and 
approve or reject, each application submitted under subsection (a) that 
meets the criteria described in subsections (a) and (b) not later than 
60 days after submission of the application.
    (d) Priority.--In determining which States receive grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary will give priority to a State submitting 
a State plan describing a project that--
            (1) will serve an area of high unemployment;
            (2) will serve an area with a significant bilingual 
        population;
            (3) will serve an area with a significant minority 
        population, including Native Americans;
            (4) will serve an area with a high percentage of youth who 
        have failed to complete secondary school;
            (5) will serve an area significantly impacted by the 
        contraction of the oil and natural gas exploration and 
        development industry;
            (6) will serve an area significantly impacted by recent 
        plant closings; or
            (7) is designed to create 1,000 or more new jobs within 2 
        years of the commencement of the training.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act for fiscal years 1999 through 2003.