I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6439 

To direct the Secretary of Labor to make grants to eligible applicants to 

provide stipends to individuals enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2023 

Mr. SMITH of Washington introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Labor to make grants to eligible 

applicants to provide stipends to individuals enrolled in 

a pre-apprenticeship program, 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 ‘‘Pre-Apprenticeship 

5 Wrap-around Support Services Fund Act of 2023’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GRANTS TO PROVIDE STIPENDS TO INDIVIDUALS 

2 ENROLLED IN A PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PRO3 GRAM. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Labor may 

5 make grants to eligible applicants to provide stipends to 

6 individuals enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program in ac7 cordance with the requirements under this Act. 

8 (b) PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM DEFINED.— 

9 For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘pre-apprenticeship 

10 program’’ means a program, initiative, or set of strategies 

11 that— 

12 (1) is designed to prepare individuals to enroll 

13 in a registered apprenticeship program, including 

14 preparing individuals with the skills and com15 petencies necessary to succeed in such program; 

16 (2) is carried out by an eligible applicant that 

17 has entered into a formal agreement with one or 

18 more sponsors of a registered apprenticeship pro19 gram; and 

20 (3) includes— 

21 (A) theoretical education (including the use 

22 of curricula); and 

23 (B) training (including hands-on train24 ing)— 

25 (i) aligned with industry standards of 

26 a registered apprenticeship program; and 


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1 (ii) that does not displace an employee 

2 where such training takes place. 

3 (c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

4 under this Act, an eligible applicant shall submit an appli5 cation to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 

6 containing such information as the Secretary may require. 

7 (d) GRANT REQUIREMENT.—Each grantee shall— 

8 (1) establish primary indicators of performance 

9 with respect to individuals enrolled in a pre-appren10 ticeship program, which shall include— 

11 (A) the percentage of such individuals who 

12 are enrolled in a registered apprenticeship pro13 gram within 12 months after completing a pre14 apprenticeship program; 

15 (B) the percentage of such individuals who 

16 are employed in the industry of the pre-appren17 ticeship program in which such individual was 

18 enrolled within 12 months after completing the 

19 pre-apprenticeship program; 

20 (C) the median earnings of such individ21 uals who are enrolled in a registered apprentice22 ship program within 12 months after com23 pleting a pre-apprenticeship program; and 

24 (D) the percentage of such individuals who 

25 obtain a recognized postsecondary credential or 


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1 a secondary school diploma (or the recognized 

2 equivalent of such diploma) while enrolled in a 

3 pre-apprenticeship or within one year after 

4 completing a pre-apprenticeship program; and 

5 (2) on an annual basis, collect data with respect 

6 to— 

7 (A) the primary indicators of performance 

8 under paragraph (1); 

9 (B) the number of stipends provided 

10 through grants funds under this Act; and 

11 (C) the amount of each such stipend. 

12 (e) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—Each grantee shall 

13 prioritize the provision of stipends to individuals enrolled 

14 in a pre-apprenticeship program who are also individuals 

15 with a barrier to employment. 

16 (f) USE OF STIPEND.—Each grantee shall ensure 

17 that a stipend awarded pursuant to this section is used 

18 only to reimburse for— 

19 (1) necessary transportation costs with respect 

20 to a pre-apprenticeship program, including vehicle 

21 mileage and public transportation costs; 

22 (2) lost hourly wages of an individual enrolled 

23 in a pre-apprenticeship program, in the case that 

24 participation in such program causes a reduction of 


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1 hours at the place of employment of such individual; 

2 and 

3 (3) financial costs of an individual enrolled in 

4 a pre-apprenticeship program with respect to obtain5 ing industry-based certifications during the period of 

6 enrollment in such program. 

7 (g) REPORT.— 

8 (1) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 1 

9 year after receiving a grant under this Act, and an10 nually thereafter, each grantee shall submit to the 

11 Secretary a report that includes the data collected 

12 pursuant to subsection (d)(2). 

13 (2) REPORT TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT14 TEES.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 

15 enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 

16 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Edu17 cation and Labor of the House of Representatives 

18 and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 

19 and Pensions of the Senate a report on the progress 

20 and outcomes with respect to each grant awarded 

21 under this Act. 

22 (h) ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

23 (1) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT.—The term ‘‘eligible 

24 applicant’’ means an entity that currently operates 

25 or sponsors a pre-apprenticeship program, including 


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1 a joint labor-management partnership, an industry 

2 partnership, a local educational agency, a secondary 

3 school, an area career and technical education 

4 school, a State board, a local board, or a commu5 nity-based organization. 

6 (2) GRANTEE.—The term ‘‘grantee’’ means an 

7 eligible applicant that receives a grant under this 

8 Act. 

9 (3) INDIVIDUAL WITH A BARRIER TO EMPLOY10 MENT.—The term ‘‘individual with a barrier to em11 ployment’’ has the meaning given the term under 

12 section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor13 tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

14 (4) FORMAL AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘formal 

15 agreement’’ means an agreement between an eligible 

16 applicant and one or more sponsors of a registered 

17 apprenticeship program that includes the following: 

18 (A) Enables individuals who successfully 

19 complete a pre-apprenticeship program— 

20 (i) to enter into a registered appren21 ticeship program (dependent on availability 

22 and whether such individual meets the 

23 qualifications of such program); and 

24 (ii) to earn credit toward a registered 

25 apprenticeship program. 


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1 (B) Provides for a sponsor to review and 

2 approve the training referred to in subsection 

3 (b)(3), on an annual basis. 

4 (5) RECOGNIZED POSTSECONDARY CREDEN5 TIAL.—The term ‘‘recognized postsecondary creden6 tial’’ has the meaning given the term under section 

7 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

8 (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

9 (6) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.— 

10 The term ‘‘registered apprenticeship program’’ 

11 means an apprenticeship program that— 

12 (A) is registered with the Department of 

13 Labor pursuant to the Act of August 16, 1937 

14 (commonly known as the ‘‘National Apprentice15 ship Act’’; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), or is recog16 nized by the Department of Labor as a State 

17 apprenticeship agency; and 

18 (B) complies with the requirements of sub19 part A of part 29 and subpart A of part 30 of 

20 title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (or suc21 cessor regulations). 

22 (7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

23 the Secretary of Labor. 


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1 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

2 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

3 necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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