II 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2449 

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish the 21st Century Energy 

Workforce Advisory Board, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2018 

Ms. CANTWELL (for herself and Ms. HIRONO) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish the 21st 

Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board, 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 ‘‘21st Century Energy 

5 Workforce Act of 2018’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the 

2 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board es3 tablished under section 3(a). 

4 (2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 

5 means the Department of Energy. 

6 (3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 

7 has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 

8 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 

9 Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

10 (4) MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION.—The 

11 term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an insti12 tution of higher education eligible to receive funds 

13 under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 

14 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 

15 (5) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Na16 tional Laboratory’’ has the meaning given the term 

17 in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 

18 U.S.C. 15801). 

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

20 the Secretary of Energy. 

21 SEC. 3. 21ST CENTURY ENERGY WORKFORCE ADVISORY 

22 BOARD. 

23 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

24 a board, to be known as the ‘‘21st Century Energy WorkVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Feb 22, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2449.IS S2449

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1 force Advisory Board’’, to develop a strategy for the sup2 port and development of a skilled energy workforce that— 

3 (1) meets the current and future industry and 

4 labor needs of the energy sector; 

5 (2) provides opportunities for students to be6 come qualified for placement in traditional energy 

7 sector and clean energy sector jobs; 

8 (3) aligns apprenticeship programs and work9 force development programs to provide industry-rec10 ognized certifications and credentials; 

11 (4) encourages leaders in the education system 

12 of the United States to equip students with the 

13 skills, mentorships, training, and technical expertise 

14 necessary to fill the employment opportunities vital 

15 to managing and operating the energy- and manu16 facturing-related industries of the United States; 

17 (5) appropriately supports other Federal agen18 cies; 

19 (6) strengthens and more fully engages work20 force training programs of the Department and the 

21 National Laboratories in carrying out the Minorities 

22 in Energy Initiative of the Department and other 

23 Department workforce priorities; 

24 (7) supports the design and replication of exist25 ing model energy curricula, particularly in new and 


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1 emerging technologies, that leads to industry-wide 

2 credentials; 

3 (8) develops plans to support and retrain dis4 placed and unemployed energy sector workers; and 

5 (9) makes a Department priority to provide 

6 education and job training to underrepresented 

7 groups, including ethnic minorities, Indian tribes, 

8 women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvan9 taged individuals. 

10 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall be com12 posed of 9 members, with the initial members of the 

13 Board to be appointed by the Secretary not later 

14 than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. 

15 (2) NOMINATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after 

16 the date of enactment of this Act, the President’s 

17 Council of Advisors on Science and Technology shall 

18 nominate for appointment to the Board under para19 graph (1) not fewer than 18 individuals who meet 

20 the qualifications described in paragraph (3). 

21 (3) QUALIFICATIONS.—Each individual nomi22 nated for appointment to the Board under para23 graph (1) shall— 

24 (A) be eminent in the field of economics or 

25 workforce development; 


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1 (B) have expertise in relevant traditional 

2 energy industries or clean energy industries; 

3 (C) have expertise in secondary or postsec4 ondary education; 

5 (D) have expertise in energy workforce de6 velopment or apprentice programs of States or 

7 units of local government; 

8 (E) have expertise in relevant organized 

9 labor organizations; or 

10 (F) have expertise in bringing underrep11 resented groups, including ethnic minorities, 

12 women, veterans, and socioeconomically dis13 advantaged individuals, into the workforce. 

14 (4) REPRESENTATION.—The membership of the 

15 Board shall be representative of the broad range of 

16 the energy industry, labor organizations, workforce 

17 development, education, minority participation, cy18 bersecurity, and economics disciplines related to ac19 tivities carried out under this section. 

20 (5) LIMITATION.—No individual shall be nomi21 nated for appointment to the Board who is an em22 ployee of an entity applying for a grant under sec23 tion 4. 

24 (c) ADVISORY BOARD REVIEW AND RECOMMENDA25 TIONS.— 


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1 (1) DETERMINATION BY BOARD.—In developing 

2 the strategy required under subsection (a), the 

3 Board shall— 

4 (A) determine whether there are opportuni5 ties to more effectively and efficiently use the 

6 capabilities of the Department in the develop7 ment of a skilled energy workforce; 

8 (B) identify ways in which the Department 

9 could work with other relevant Federal agen10 cies, States, units of local government, edu11 cational institutions, labor, and industry in the 

12 development of a skilled energy workforce; 

13 (C) identify ways in which the Department 

14 and National Laboratories can— 

15 (i) increase outreach to minority-serv16 ing institutions; and 

17 (ii) make resources available to in18 crease the number of skilled minorities and 

19 women trained to go into the energy- and 

20 manufacturing-related sectors; 

21 (D) identify ways in which the Department 

22 and National Laboratories can— 

23 (i) increase outreach to displaced and 

24 unemployed energy sector workers; and 


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1 (ii) make resources available to pro2 vide training to displaced and unemployed 

3 energy sector workers to reenter the en4 ergy workforce; and 

5 (E) identify the energy sectors in greatest 

6 need of workforce training and develop guide7 lines for the skills necessary to develop a work8 force trained to work in those energy sectors. 

9 (2) REQUIRED ANALYSIS.—In developing the 

10 strategy required under subsection (a), the Board 

11 shall analyze the effectiveness of— 

12 (A) existing Department-directed support; 

13 and 

14 (B) developing energy workforce training 

15 programs. 

16 (3) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

17 date on which the Board is established under this 

18 section, and each year thereafter, the Board shall 

19 submit to the Secretary and Congress, and make 

20 public, a report containing, with respect to the strat21 egy required under subsection (a)— 

22 (A) the findings of the Board; and 

23 (B) model energy curricula. 

24 (d) REPORT BY SECRETARY.—Not later than 18 

25 months after the date on which the Board is established 


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1 under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Com2 mittee on Appropriations and the Committee on Energy 

3 and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 

4 on Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and 

5 Commerce of the House of Representatives a report 

6 that— 

7 (1) describes whether the Secretary approves or 

8 disapproves the recommendations of the Board 

9 under subsection (c)(3); and 

10 (2) provides an implementation plan for rec11 ommendations approved by the Board under para12 graph (1). 

13 (e) CLEARINGHOUSE.—Based on the recommenda14 tions of the Board under subsection (c)(3), the Secretary 

15 shall establish a clearinghouse— 

16 (1) to maintain and update information and re17 sources on training and workforce development pro18 grams for energy- and manufacturing-related jobs; 

19 and 

20 (2) to act as a resource, and provide guidance, 

21 for secondary schools, institutions of higher edu22 cation (including community colleges and minority23 serving institutions), workforce development organi24 zations, labor management organizations, and indus25 try organizations that would like to develop and imVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Feb 22, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2449.IS S2449

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1 plement energy- and manufacturing-related training 

2 programs. 

3 (f) OUTREACH TO MINORITY-SERVING INSTITU4 TIONS.—In developing the strategy under subsection (a), 

5 the Board shall— 

6 (1) give special consideration to increasing out7 reach to minority-serving institutions, including— 

8 (A) part B institutions (as defined in sec9 tion 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

10 (20 U.S.C. 1061)); 

11 (B) Predominantly Black institutions (as 

12 defined in section 371(c) of the Higher Edu13 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c))); 

14 (C) Hispanic-serving institutions (as de15 fined in section 502(a) of the Higher Education 

16 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a))); and 

17 (D) Tribal Colleges or Universities (as de18 fined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education 

19 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))); 

20 (2) make resources available to minority-serving 

21 institutions with the objective of increasing the num22 ber of skilled minorities and women trained to go 

23 into the energy and manufacturing sectors; and 

24 (3) encourage industry to improve the opportu25 nities for students of minority-serving institutions to 


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1 participate in industry internships and cooperative 

2 work-study programs. 

3 (g) SUNSET.—The Board shall remain in effect until 

4 September 30, 2022. 

5 SEC. 4. ENERGY WORKFORCE PILOT GRANT PROGRAM. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

7 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consulta8 tion with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of 

9 Education, shall establish a pilot program to award grants 

10 on a competitive basis to eligible entities for job training 

11 programs that lead to an industry-recognized credential. 

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

13 under this section, an entity shall be a public or nonprofit 

14 organization or a consortium of public or nonprofit organi15 zations that— 

16 (1) includes an advisory board of proportional 

17 participation, as determined by the Secretary, of rel18 evant organizations, including— 

19 (A) relevant energy industry organizations, 

20 including public and private employers; 

21 (B) labor organizations; 

22 (C) postsecondary education organizations; 

23 and 

24 (D) workforce development boards; 


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1 (2) demonstrates experience in implementing 

2 and operating job training and education programs; 

3 (3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and sup4 port individuals who plan to work in the energy in5 dustry in the successful completion of relevant job 

6 training and education programs; and 

7 (4) provides students who complete the job 

8 training and education program with an industry9 recognized credential. 

10 (c) APPLICATIONS.—Eligible entities desiring a grant 

11 under this section shall submit to the Secretary an appli12 cation at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

13 information as the Secretary may require. 

14 (d) PRIORITY.—In selecting eligible entities to receive 

15 grants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize ap16 plicants that— 

17 (1) house the job training and education pro18 grams in— 

19 (A) a community college or other institu20 tion of higher education that includes basic 

21 science and math education in the curriculum 

22 of the community college or other institution of 

23 higher education; or 

24 (B) an apprenticeship program registered 

25 with the Department of Labor or a State (as 


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1 defined in section 202 of the Energy Conserva2 tion and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6802)) (re3 ferred to in this section as a ‘‘State’’); 

4 (2) work with the Secretary of Defense and the 

5 Secretary of Veterans Affairs or veteran service or6 ganizations recognized by the Secretary of Veterans 

7 Affairs under section 5902 of title 38, United States 

8 Code, to transition members of the Armed Forces 

9 and veterans to careers in the energy sector; 

10 (3) work with— 

11 (A) Indian tribes; 

12 (B) tribal organizations (as defined in sec13 tion 3765 of title 38, United States Code); and 

14 (C) Native American veterans (as defined 

15 in section 3765 of title 38, United States 

16 Code), including veterans who are a Descendant 

17 of a Native (as defined in section 3 of the Alas18 ka Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 

19 1602)); 

20 (4) apply as a State or regional consortia to le21 verage best practices already available in the State 

22 or region in which the community college or other 

23 institution of higher education is located; 

24 (5) have a State-supported entity included in 

25 the consortium applying for the grant; 


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1 (6) include an apprenticeship program reg2 istered with the Department of Labor or a State as 

3 part of the job training and education program; 

4 (7) provide support services and career coach5 ing; 

6 (8) provide introductory energy workforce devel7 opment training; 

8 (9) work with minority-serving institutions to 

9 provide job training to increase the number of 

10 skilled minorities and women in the energy sector; or 

11 (10) provide job training for displaced and un12 employed workers in the energy sector. 

13 (e) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.—In making 

14 grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider re15 gional diversity. 

16 (f) LIMITATION ON APPLICATIONS.—An eligible enti17 ty may not submit, either individually or as part of a joint 

18 application, more than 1 application for a grant under this 

19 section during any 1 fiscal year. 

20 (g) LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The 

21 amount of an individual grant for any 1 fiscal year shall 

22 not exceed $2,000,000. 

23 (h) COST SHARING.— 

24 (1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 

25 the cost of a job training and education program 


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1 carried out using a grant under this section shall be 

2 not greater than 65 percent. 

3 (2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.— 

4 (A) IN GENERAL.—The non-Federal share 

5 of the cost of a job training and education pro6 gram carried out using a grant under this sec7 tion shall consist of not less than 50 percent 

8 cash. 

9 (B) LIMITATION.—Not greater than 50 

10 percent of the non-Federal contribution of the 

11 total cost of a job training and education pro12 gram carried out using a grant under this sec13 tion may be in the form of in-kind contributions 

14 of goods or services fairly valued. 

15 (i) REDUCTION OF DUPLICATION.—Prior to submit16 ting an application for a grant under this section, each 

17 applicant shall consult with the appropriate agencies of 

18 the Federal Government and coordinate the proposed ac19 tivities of the applicant with existing State and local pro20 grams. 

21 (j) DIRECT ASSISTANCE.—In awarding grants under 

22 this section, the Secretary shall provide direct assistance 

23 (including technical expertise, wraparound services, career 

24 coaching, mentorships, internships, and partnerships) to 

25 entities that receive a grant under this section. 


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1 (k) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 

2 provide technical assistance and capacity building to na3 tional and State energy partnerships, including the enti4 ties described in subsection (b)(1), to leverage the existing 

5 job training and education programs of the Department. 

6 (l) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to Congress 

7 and make publicly available on the website of the Depart8 ment an annual report on the program established under 

9 this section, including a description of— 

10 (1) the entities receiving grants; 

11 (2) the activities carried out using the grants; 

12 (3) best practices used to leverage the invest13 ment of the Federal Government; 

14 (4) the rate of employment for participants 

15 after completing a job training and education pro16 gram carried out using a grant; and 

17 (5) an assessment of the results achieved by the 

18 program. 

19 (m) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

20 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

21 $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022. 

Æ 


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