II

Calendar No. 557

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 1344

[Report No. 107–248]

To provide training and technical assistance to Native Americans who are

interested in commercial vehicle driving careers.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

AUGUST 2, 2001

Mr. CAMPBELL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

AUGUST 28, 2002

Reported under authority of the order of the Senate of July 29, 2002, by Mr.

INOUYE, with an amendment

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

A BILL

To provide training and technical assistance to Native Americans who are interested in commercial vehicle driving

careers.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Native American Com5 mercial Driving Training and Technical Assistance Act’’.
2

•S 1344 RS

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find3 ings:

4 (1) Despite the availability of abundant natural

5 resources on Indian lands and a rich cultural legacy

6 that accords great value to self-determination, self7 reliance, and independence, Native Americans suffer

8 higher rates of unemployment, poverty, poor health,

9 substandard housing, and associated social ills than

10 those of any other group in the United States.

11 (2) The United States has an obligation to as12 sist Indian tribes with the creation of appropriate

13 economic and political conditions.

14 (3) The economic success and material well15 being of Native American communities depends on

16 the combined efforts of the Federal Government,

17 tribal governments, the private sector, and individ18 uals.

19 (4) Two tribally controlled community colleges,

20 D–Q University in the State of California and Fort

21 Peck Community College in the State of Montana,

22 currently offer commercial vehicle driving programs.

23 (5) The American Trucking Association reports

24 that at least until the year 2005, the trucking indus25 try will need to hire 403,000 truck drivers each year

26 to fill empty positions.
3

•S 1344 RS

1 (6) According to the Federal Government Occu2 pational Handbook the commercial driving industry

3 is expected to increase about as fast as the average

4 for all occupations through the year 2008 as the

5 economy grows and the amount of freight carried by

6 trucks increases.

7 (7) A career in commercial vehicle driving of8 fers a competitive salary, employment benefits, job

9 security, and a profession.

10 (b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act—

11 (1) to foster and promote job creation and eco12 nomic opportunities for Native Americans; and

13 (2) to provide education, technical, and training

14 assistance to Native Americans who are interested in

15 a commercial vehicle driving career.

16 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

17 In this Act:

18 (1) COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING.—The term

19 ‘‘commercial vehicle driving’’ means the driving of a

20 vehicle which is a tractor-trailer truck.

21 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

22 the Secretary of Labor.
4

•S 1344 RS

1 SEC. 4. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING TRAINING PRO2 GRAM.

3 (a) GRANTS.—The Secretary may award 4 grants, on

4 a competitive basis, to eligible entities to support pro5 grams providing training and certificates leading to the

6 professional development of individuals with respect to

7 commercial vehicle driving.

8 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant

9 under subsection (a), an entity shall—

10 (1) be a tribally-controlled community college or

11 university (as defined in section 2 of the Tribally12 Controlled Community College or University Assist13 ance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801)); and

14 (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an ap15 plication at such time, in such manner, and con16 taining such information as the Secretary may re17 quire.

18 (c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under subsection

19 (a), the Secretary shall give priority to—

20 (1) grant applications that propose training

21 that exceeds the United States Department of

22 Transportation’s Proposed Minimum Standards for

23 Training Tractor-Trailer Drivers; and

24 (2) grant applications that propose training

25 that exceeds the entry level truck driver certification
5

•S 1344 RS

1 standards set by the Professional Truck Driver In2 stitute.

3 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

4 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be

5 necessary to carry out the Act.

6 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

7 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Native American Com8 mercial Driving Training and Technical Assistance Act’’.

9 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

10 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

11 (1) despite the availability of abundant natural

12 resources on land under the jurisdiction of Indian

13 tribes and the existence of a rich cultural legacy that

14 accords great value to self-determination, self-reliance,

15 and independence, Native Americans suffer higher

16 rates of unemployment, poverty, poor health, sub17 standard housing, and associated social problems

18 than any other group in the United States;

19 (2) the United States has an obligation to assist

20 Native American communities in the establishment of

21 appropriate economic and political conditions;

22 (3) the economic success and material well-being

23 of Indian communities depend on the combined efforts

24 of the Federal Government, tribal governments, the

25 private sector, and individuals;
6

•S 1344 RS

1 (4) commercial vehicle driving programs are

2 currently offered at several tribal colleges and univer3 sities;

4 (5) the American Trucking Association reports

5 that at least until 2005, the trucking industry will

6 need to hire 403,000 truck drivers each year to fill va7 cant positions;

8 (6) according to the Federal Government Occu9 pational Handbook, the commercial vehicle driving

10 industry is expected to expand at the average rate of

11 expansion for all occupations through the year 2008

12 because of economic growth and an increase in the

13 quantity of freight carried by trucks; and

14 (7) a career in commercial vehicle driving offers

15 a competitive salary, employment benefits, job secu16 rity, and a profession.

17 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—

18 (1) to foster and promote job creation and eco19 nomic opportunities for Native Americans; and

20 (2) to provide education, technical, and training

21 assistance to Native Americans who are interested in

22 commercial vehicle driving careers.

23 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

24 In this Act:
7

•S 1344 RS

1 (1) COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING.—The term

2 ‘‘commercial vehicle driving’’ means the driving of—

3 (A) a vehicle that is a tractor-trailer truck;

4 or

5 (B) any other vehicle (such as a bus or a

6 vehicle used for the purpose of construction) the

7 driving of which requires a commercial license.

8 (2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has

9 the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian

10 Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25

11 U.S.C. 450b).

12 (3) NATIVE AMERICAN.—The term ‘‘Native

13 American’’ means an individual who is a member

14 of—

15 (A) an Indian tribe; or

16 (B) any people or culture that is indigenous

17 to the United States, as determined by the Sec18 retary.

19 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

20 the Secretary of Labor.

21 SEC. 4. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING TRAINING PRO22 GRAM.

23 (a) GRANTS.—The Secretary may provide grants, on

24 a competitive basis, to entities described in subsection (b)

25 to support programs providing training and certificates
8

•S 1344 RS

1 leading to the licensing of Native Americans with respect

2 to commercial vehicle driving.

3 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant

4 under subsection (a), an entity shall—

5 (1) be a tribal college or university (as defined

6 in section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act (20

7 U.S.C. 1059(b)(3)); and

8 (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an ap9 plication at such time, in such manner, and con10 taining such information as the Secretary may re11 quire.

12 (c) PRIORITY.—In providing grants under subsection

13 (a), the Secretary shall give priority to grant applications

14 that—

15 (1) propose training that exceeds proposed min16 imum standards for training tractor-trailer drivers of

17 the Department of Transportation;

18 (2) propose training that exceeds the entry level

19 truck driver certification standards set by the Profes20 sional Truck Driver Institute; and

21 (3) propose an education partnership with a pri22 vate trucking firm, trucking association, or similar

23 entity in order to ensure the effectiveness of the grant

24 program under this section.
9

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1 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are

2 authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary

3 to carry out this Act.
Calendar No. 557

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 1344

[Report No. 107–248]

A BILL

To provide training and technical assistance to Native Americans who are interested in commercial

vehicle driving careers.

AUGUST 28, 2002

Reported with an amendment