I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8776 

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 18, 2020 

Mr. SMITH of Washington (for himself and Mr. LANGEVIN) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

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 2020’’. 


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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)— 


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1 (i) aligned with the industry stand2 ards of a registered apprenticeship pro3 gram; and 

4 (ii) that does not displace an employee 

5 where such training takes place. 

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

7 under this Act, an eligible applicant shall submit an appli8 cation to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 

9 containing such information as the Secretary may require. 

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

11 (1) establish primary indicators of performance 

12 with respect to individuals enrolled in a pre-appren13 ticeship program, which shall include— 

14 (A) the percentage of such individuals who 

15 are enrolled in a registered apprenticeship pro16 gram within 6 months after completing a pre17 apprenticeship; 

18 (B) the percentage of such individuals who 

19 are enrolled in a registered apprenticeship pro20 gram within 12 months after completing a pre21 apprenticeship; 

22 (C) the median earnings of such individ23 uals who are enrolled in a registered apprentice24 ship program within 6 months after completing 

25 a pre-apprenticeship; and 


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1 (D) the percentage of such individuals who 

2 obtain a recognized postsecondary credential or 

3 a secondary school diploma (or the recognized 

4 equivalent of such diploma) while enrolled in a 

5 pre-apprenticeship or within one year after 

6 completing a pre-apprenticeship; and 

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

8 to— 

9 (A) the primary indicators of performance 

10 under paragraph (1); 

11 (B) the number of stipends provided 

12 through grants funds under this Act; and 

13 (C) the amount of each such stipend. 

14 (e) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—Each grantee shall 

15 prioritize the provision of stipends to individuals enrolled 

16 in a pre-apprenticeship program who are also individuals 

17 with a barrier to employment. 

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

19 that a stipend awarded pursuant to this section is used 

20 only to reimburse for— 

21 (1) necessary transportation costs with respect 

22 to a pre-apprenticeship program, including vehicle 

23 mileage and public transportation costs; 

24 (2) lost hourly wages of an individual enrolled 

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


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1 participation in such program causes a reduction of 

2 hours at the place of employment of such individual; 

3 and 

4 (3) financial costs of an individual enrolled in 

5 a pre-apprenticeship program with respect to obtain6 ing industry-based certifications during the period of 

7 enrollment in such program. 

8 (g) REPORT.— 

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

10 year after receiving a grant under this Act, and an11 nually thereafter, each grantee shall submit to the 

12 Secretary a report that includes the data collected 

13 pursuant to subsection (d)(2). 

14 (2) REPORT TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT15 TEES.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 

16 enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 

17 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Edu18 cation and Labor of the House of Representatives 

19 and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 

20 and Pensions of the Senate a report on the progress 

21 and outcomes with respect to each grant awarded 

22 under this Act. 

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

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

25 applicant’’ means an entity that currently operates 


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1 or sponsors a pre-apprenticeship program, including 

2 a joint labor-management partnership, an industry 

3 partnership, a local educational agency, a secondary 

4 school, an area career and technical education 

5 school, a State board, a local board, or a commu6 nity-based organization. 

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

8 eligible applicant that receives a grant under this 

9 Act. 

10 (3) INDIVIDUAL WITH A BARRIER TO EMPLOY11 MENT.—The term ‘‘individual with a barrier to em12 ployment’’ has the meaning given the term under 

13 section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor14 tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

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

16 agreement’’ means an agreement between an eligible 

17 applicant and one or more sponsors of a registered 

18 apprenticeship program that includes the following: 

19 (A) Enables individuals who successfully 

20 complete a pre-apprenticeship program— 

21 (i) to enter into a registered appren22 ticeship program (dependent on availability 

23 and whether such individual meets the 

24 qualifications of such program); and 


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1 (ii) to earn credit toward a registered 

2 apprenticeship program. 

3 (B) Provides for a sponsor to review and 

4 approve the training referred to in subsection 

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

6 (5) RECOGNIZED POSTSECONDARY CREDEN7 TIAL.—The term ‘‘recognized postsecondary creden8 tial’’ has the meaning given the term under section 

9 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

10 (29 U.S.C. 3102). 

11 (6) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.— 

12 The term ‘‘registered apprenticeship program’’ 

13 means an apprenticeship program that— 

14 (A) is registered with the Department of 

15 Labor pursuant to the Act of August 16, 1937 

16 (commonly known as the ‘‘National Apprentice17 ship Act’’; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), or is recog18 nized by the Department of Labor as a State 

19 apprenticeship agency; and 

20 (B) complies with the requirements of sub21 part A of part 29 and subpart A of part 30 of 

22 title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (or suc23 cessor regulations). 

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

25 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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