I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7145 

To encourage employer participation in apprenticeship programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2022 

Mrs. TRAHAN (for herself, Mr. MORELLE, and Mr. CROW) introduced the 

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

A BILL 

To encourage employer participation in apprenticeship 

programs. 

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 ‘‘Apprenticeship Sup5 port for Small Employers and Teams Act’’ or the 

6 ‘‘ASSET Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND CO8 OPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. 

9 The Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship of 

10 the Department of Labor shall award grants, contracts, 


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1 or cooperative agreements to eligible entities on a competi2 tive basis for the following purposes: 

3 (1) ENCOURAGING EMPLOYER PARTICIPA4 TION.—To encourage employer participation in ap5 prenticeship programs— 

6 (A) that target individuals with barriers to 

7 employment in youth apprenticeship, pre-ap8 prenticeship, or apprenticeship programs, 

9 prioritizing nontraditional apprenticeship popu10 lations such as women, minorities, long-term 

11 unemployed, individuals with a disability, indi12 viduals with substance abuse issues, veterans, 

13 military spouses, individuals experiencing home14 lessness, individuals impacted by the criminal or 

15 juvenile justice system, and foster and former 

16 foster youth; 

17 (B) that are in high-need social service-re18 lated industries, sectors, or occupations, such as 

19 direct care workers and early childhood edu20 cators; 

21 (C) that target individuals currently or re22 cently incarcerated; or 

23 (D) among small- and medium-sized em24 ployers. 


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1 (2) IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTOR OR OCCUPA2 TION GRANTS FOR SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSI3 NESSES.—An eligible entity that receives funds 

4 under this section shall use such funds to encourage 

5 participation of small- and medium-sized businesses 

6 in apprenticeship programs, which may include— 

7 (A) providing financial assistance to em8 ployers to support costs related to the pro9 grams, such as training incumbent workers as 

10 mentors or employees supervising the on-the-job 

11 learning; 

12 (B) supporting the cost of related instruc13 tion or wages for program participants during 

14 related instruction; 

15 (C) providing technical assistance to small16 and medium-sized businesses on the program 

17 registration process and leveraging other avail18 able funds to support carrying out such pro19 grams; or 

20 (D) establishing or expanding partnerships 

21 to support program development or expansion, 

22 including establishing or expanding industry or 

23 sector partnerships to ensure inclusion of small24 and medium-sized businesses. 


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1 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.—The term 

4 ‘‘apprenticeship program’’ means an apprenticeship 

5 registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (com6 monly known as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 

7 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 

8 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti9 ty’’ means— 

10 (A) a program sponsor; 

11 (B) a State workforce development board 

12 or State workforce agency, or a local workforce 

13 development board or local workforce develop14 ment agency; 

15 (C) an education and training provider, or 

16 a consortium thereof; 

17 (D) a State apprenticeship agency; 

18 (E) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organiza19 tion; 

20 (F) an industry or sector partnership, a 

21 group of employers, a trade association, or a 

22 professional association that sponsors an ap23 prenticeship program; 

24 (G) a Governor; 

25 (H) a labor organization or joint labor 

26 management organization; or 


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1 (I) a qualified intermediary. 

Æ 


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