A bill to establish regional skills alliances, and for other purposes.

Summary: Regional Skills Alliances Act of 2001 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to make matching grants to improve the job skills necessary for employment in specific industries.Makes eligible for such grants regional consortia that: (1) must have representatives from not fewer than five businesses or a lesser number that employ at least 30 percent of workers in that industry in the region (or a nonprofit organization that represents such businesses); (2) may have representatives from labor organizations, State and local governments, and educational institutions; and (3) are established to serve one or more particular industries in a particular region. Gives grant priority to eligible entities that consist of a majority of representatives from small businesses.Requires the Secretary to provide matching grants to States to assist businesses, organizations, and agencies in planning to form regional consortia under this Act.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Regional Skills Alliances Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

            (1) Many small businesses lack the financial capacity to 
        support the training of high-skilled workers.
            (2) Many high-tech companies concerned about worker 
        training consider recruiting employees from overseas because a 
        shortage of information technology workers remains a 
        significant problem.
            (3) Too many highly educated workers in underserved 
        communities do not have the specialized skills needed to meet 
        the needs of local businesses.
            (4) Regional skills alliances bring businesses and 4-year 
        colleges and universities and community colleges together to 
        help develop and implement effective programs to make sure 
        workers have the training needed to compete in the modern 
        workplace.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Labor.

                         TITLE I--SKILL GRANTS

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Commerce, shall award grants to eligible entities described in 
subsection (b) to assist such entities to improve the job skills 
necessary for employment in specific industries.
    (b) Eligible Entities Described.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity described in this 
        subsection is a consortium that--
                    (A) shall consist of representatives from not less 
                than 5 businesses, or a lesser number of businesses if 
                such lesser number of businesses employs at least 30 
                percent of the employees in the industry involved in 
                the region (or a non-profit organization that 
                represents such businesses);
                    (B) may consist of representatives from--
                            (i) labor organizations;
                            (ii) State and local government; and
                            (iii) educational institutions;
                    (C) is established to serve one or more particular 
                industries; and
                    (D) is established to serve a particular geographic 
                region.
            (2) Majority of representatives.--A majority of the 
        representatives comprising the consortium shall be 
        representatives described in paragraph (1)(A).
    (c) Priority for Small Businesses.--In providing grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity 
if a majority of representatives forming the entity represent small-
business concerns (as defined in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act 
(15 U.S.C. 632(a)).
    (d) Maximum Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant awarded to an 
eligible entity under subsection (a) may not exceed $1,000,000 for any 
fiscal year.

SEC. 102. USE OF AMOUNTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may not award a grant under section 
101 to an eligible entity unless such entity agrees to use amounts 
received from such grant to improve the job skills necessary for 
employment by businesses in the industry with respect to which such 
entity was established.
    (b) Conduct of Program.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program described in 
        subsection (a), the eligible entity may provide for--
                    (A) an assessment of training and job skill needs 
                for the industry;
                    (B) the development of a sequence of skill 
                standards that are benchmarked to advanced industry 
                practices;
                    (C) the development of curriculum and training 
                methods, including, where appropriate, e-learning or 
                technology-based training;
                    (D) the purchase, lease, or receipt of donations of 
                training equipment;
                    (E) the identification of training providers and 
                the development of partnerships between the industry 
                and educational institutions, including community 
                colleges;
                    (F) the development of apprenticeship programs;
                    (G) the development of training programs for 
                workers, including dislocated workers;
                    (H) the development of training plans for 
                businesses; and
                    (I) the development of the membership of the 
                entity.
            (2) Additional requirement.--In carrying out the program 
        described in subsection (a), the eligible entity shall provide 
        for the development and tracking of performance outcome 
        measures for the program and the training providers involved in 
        the program.
    (c) Administrative Costs.--The eligible entity may use not more 
than 10 percent of the amount of a grant to pay for administrative 
costs associated with the program described in subsection (a).

SEC. 103. REQUIREMENT OF MATCHING FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may not award a grant under section 
101 to an eligible entity unless such entity agrees that the entity 
will make available non-Federal contributions toward the costs of 
carrying out activities under the grant in an amount that is not less 
than $2 for each $1 of Federal funds provided under the grant, of 
which--
            (1) $1 shall be provided by the businesses participating in 
        the entity; and
            (2) $1 shall be provided by the State or local government 
        involved.
    (b) Other Contributions.--
            (1) Equipment.--Equipment donations to facilities that are 
        not owned or operated by the members of the eligible entity 
        involved and that are shared by such members may be included in 
        determining compliance with subsection (a).
            (2) Limitation.--An eligible entity may not include in-kind 
        contributions in complying with the requirement of subsection 
        (a). The Secretary may consider such donations in ranking 
        applications.

SEC. 104. LIMIT ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

    The Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of the amounts made 
available to carry out this title to pay the Federal administrative 
costs associated with awarding grants under this title.

SEC. 105. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004, and such 
sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.

                       TITLE II--PLANNING GRANTS

SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Commerce, shall award grants to States to enable such States to 
assist businesses, organizations, and agencies described in section 
101(b) in conducting planning to form consortia described in such 
section.
    (b) Maximum Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant awarded to a 
State under subsection (a) may not exceed $500,000 for any fiscal year.

SEC. 202. APPLICATION.

    The Secretary may not award a grant under section 201 to a State 
unless such State submits to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
reasonably require.

SEC. 203. REQUIREMENT OF MATCHING FUNDS.

    The Secretary may not award a grant under section 201 to a State 
unless such State agrees that it will make available non-Federal 
contributions toward the costs of carrying out activities under this 
title in an amount that is not less than $1 for each $1 of Federal 
funds provided under the grant.

SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.