I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1817 

To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a renewable energy transition 

grant program and to establish a National Employment Corps, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2021 

Mr. DESAULNIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a renewable 

energy transition grant program and to establish a National Employment Corps, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Protecting Workers 

5 for a Clean Future Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The fossil fuel and fossil fuel-dependent in9 dustries have been major drivers of employment and 


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1 economic growth in regions throughout California. 

2 Yet, despite the success of these industries, many 

3 local residents are unemployed or live in poverty. In 

4 addition, nearby communities often suffer from pol5 lution, poor air and water quality, and other health 

6 hazards. The goal of community transition grants is 

7 to develop a vision for a future economy based on 

8 equity, sustainability, and shared prosperity. A re9 gional approach requires bringing together a diverse 

10 set of stakeholders that represent the whole commu11 nity. This coalition must be capable of developing 

12 and implementing strategies to support workers and 

13 communities that will be affected by the transition 

14 away from fossil fuels. To be effective, coalitions 

15 should work closely with high road employers and in16 dustry leaders to identify in-demand skills and work17 force strategies that promote emerging and expand18 ing sectors of the regional economy. 

19 (2) These strategies should provide pathways 

20 for impacted workers to transition to other sustain21 able jobs and careers. They should also include the 

22 frontline communities who have historically been ex23 cluded from the economic benefits of the fossil fuel 

24 industry, while bearing the greatest costs of pollu25 tion and ecological damage. 


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1 (3) Partnerships should include organizations 

2 representing workers and communities impacted by 

3 the fossil fuel industry and the transition to a car4 bon-constrained economy. Workers, residents, and 

5 community leaders have inherent knowledge of re6 gional dynamics, issues, and needs, and should func7 tion at the center of developing regional solutions. 

8 (4) In addition, coalitions should be diverse and 

9 represent a wide range of regional interests and 

10 stakeholders, including organizations representing 

11 labor, environmental justice, industry, economic de12 velopment, local tribal and municipal government, 

13 and educational institutions. 

14 (5) As the United States and global economies 

15 shift from fossil fuels to more sustainable sources of 

16 energy, the fossil fuel workforce cannot be left be17 hind. They must be part of the conversation and 

18 have a role in shaping the transition. 

19 SEC. 3. RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION GRANT PRO20 GRAM. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Labor, in con22 sultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall establish a 

23 grant program for local governments for the purpose of 

24 developing a plan to transition workers from employment 


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1 in fossil fuel industries to employment in sustainable in2 dustries. 

3 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary of Labor may 

4 award grants under subsection (a) to a local or Tribal gov5 ernment that— 

6 (1) establishes industry or sector partnerships 

7 (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation 

8 and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)); 

9 (2) is in a locality that the Secretary of Energy 

10 determines to have a percentage of traditional en11 ergy sector jobs that is average or above average rel12 ative to the United States; and 

13 (3) certifies that such local or Tribal govern14 ment will develop the transition plan described in 

15 subsection (a) in consultation with relevant State 

16 and other experts, including experts in energy labor, 

17 green economy policies, and energy policy, and with 

18 relevant State officials, if applicable. 

19 (c) DETERMINATION OF PERCENTAGE OF TRADI20 TIONAL ENERGY SECTOR JOBS.—In making the deter21 mination under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary of Labor 

22 shall take into consideration information from the report 

23 entitled ‘‘U.S. Energy and Employment Report’’ issued by 

24 the Secretary in January, 2017. 


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1 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds under subsection (a) 

2 may be used for the following purposes: 

3 (1) To develop a transition plan described in 

4 subsection (a). 

5 (2) To support an existing apprenticeship pro6 gram for apprenticeable occupation or, if in a non7 traditional industry, to develop an apprenticeship 

8 program. 

9 (3) To train individuals who are new to the 

10 workforce for jobs in sustainable industries, includ11 ing but not limited to, manufacturing, autonomous 

12 vehicles, electric vehicles, renewable energy, 

13 CERCLA remediation, and may include a partner14 ship or agreements with employers to provide jobs 

15 for trainees. 

16 (e) TRANSITION PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—A transi17 tion plan funded under subsection (a)— 

18 (1) shall include assistance for accessing all ex19 isting applicable Federal and State aid for displaced 

20 workers, including unemployment insurance, job 

21 transition training, and community services for the 

22 affected community as well as trade adjustment as23 sistance and other programs, if applicable; and 

24 (2) may also include assistance to supplement 

25 existing Federal and State aid, including funds for 


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1 bridges to retirement for older workers, wage insur2 ance for workers who find employment in lower wage 

3 jobs, and funding for significant career change train4 ing for workers who wish to change careers, includ5 ing case management and career path counseling. 

6 (f) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be ap7 propriated such sums as necessary to carry out this sec8 tion. 

9 SEC. 4. NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT CORPS. 

10 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

11 the Department of Labor a National Employment Corps. 

12 (b) JOB GUARANTEE GRANTS.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—If local government or Tribe 

14 described in section 3(b) executes a plan under sec15 tion 2 in good faith, but all workers described in sec16 tion 3(a) are not successfully transitioned, the Sec17 retary of Labor, acting through the National Em18 ployment Corps, shall establish a program (herein19 after referred to as the ‘‘program’’) to provide 

20 grants to local and Tribal governments to provide di21 rect employment projects for the purpose of guaran22 teeing a job and job training to any eligible worker 

23 not successfully transitioned under such plan. 


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1 (2) USE OF FUNDS.—The grants under para2 graph (1) shall cover wage, benefits, and material 

3 expenses of eligible workers. 

4 (3) ELIGIBLE WORKER.—In this section, the 

5 term ‘‘eligible worker’’ means any individual who 

6 loses a job or reasonably anticipates losing a job due 

7 to a transition from traditional energy sources to 

8 sustainable energy sources. 

9 (c) COORDINATION OF FEDERAL EFFORTS.—The 

10 Corps shall work with Federal agencies to identify areas 

11 of needed investment in the United States economy, in12 cluding infrastructure, energy efficiency, retrofitting, elder 

13 care, child care, job training, education, and health serv14 ices. 

15 (d) FEDERAL COMPONENT.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—If projects funded under the 

17 program under subsection (b) are inadequate to 

18 maintain full employment in the locality or Tribe, 

19 the Secretary shall intervene in the locality or Tribe 

20 to provide adequate employment opportunities to 

21 guarantee employment to workers described in such 

22 subsection. 

23 (2) ADDITIONAL SERVICES.—The Corps shall 

24 also offer the following services to eligible workers: 

25 (A) Supportive services. 


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1 (B) Wrap-around services, including: 

2 (i) Transportation. 

3 (ii) Childcare. 

4 (iii) Job preparation services. 

5 (iv) Counseling. 

6 (C) Adult edcation and literacy activities. 

7 (D) Activities to assist justice-involved in8 dividuals. 

9 (3) WEBSITE AND DATABASE.—To assist with 

10 an individual’s move from the job guarantee to other 

11 employment opportunities under a National Employ12 ment Corps, the Secretary shall establish a website 

13 and database listing individuals employed under the 

14 program as available for, and seeking, employment. 

15 Individuals shall be allowed up to one day (8 hours) 

16 per employed month to seek alternative employment 

17 and for professional development. 

18 (e) COORDINATION OF LOCAL EFFORTS.—Any local 

19 or Tribal government that receives a grant shall develop 

20 employment proposals in coordination with community 

21 leaders, labor organizations, and local residents to ensure 

22 the proposals will serve the needs of the constituents and 

23 available pool of labor. The employment proposals may not 

24 be used to employ individuals who will replace or speed 


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1 the displacement of existing employees or individuals who 

2 would otherwise perform similar work. 

3 (f) EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS.— 

4 (1) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS.— Partici5 pants shall be included in an established bargaining 

6 unit and covered by any applicable collective bar7 gaining agreement upon the establishment of such 

8 agreement. 

9 (2) WAGES UNDER THE PROGRAM.—Wage vari10 ation shall be built into the program, as determined 

11 by the Secretary of Labor, to account for workers’ 

12 previous experience, education, and region of resi13 dence, as well as the prospect of promotion within 

14 the National Employment Corps. 

15 (3) WEBSITE.—To manage projects past, 

16 present, and future, the National Employment Corps 

17 shall create a website where all projects will be list18 ed. 

19 (4) MINIMUM WAGE.—Any individual employed 

20 using funds under this section shall be paid wages 

21 at a rate that is not less than $15.00 per hour and 

22 that are comparable wages in the region, plus bene23 fits, and indexed for inflation. 

24 (g) APPRENTICESHIP DEFINED.—In this section, the 

25 term ‘‘apprenticeship’’ means an apprenticeship program 


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1 registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly 

2 known as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’) (50 Stat. 

3 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), including any 

4 requirement, standard, or rule promulgated under such 

5 Act, as such requirement, standard, or rule was in effect 

6 on December 30, 2019. 

Æ 


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