I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5388 

To establish an interagency aerospace revitalization task force to develop 

a national strategy for aerospace workforce cultivation, training, and 

recruitment. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2004 

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

Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To establish an interagency aerospace revitalization task 

force to develop a national strategy for aerospace workforce cultivation, training, and recruitment. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) The aerospace industry generates nearly 15 

6 percent of the gross domestic product of the United 

7 States, supports approximately 11,000,000 jobs in 

8 the United States, and leads the United States econ9 omy in net exports. 
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1 (2) The aerospace industry contributes directly 

2 to the economic and national security of the United 

3 States through military, space, air transport, and in4 formation technology applications. 

5 (3) A skilled and educated workforce represents 

6 the most valuable asset of the United States econ7 omy. 

8 (4) Total employment in the aerospace industry 

9 stands at its lowest point in 50 years. 

10 (5) 27 percent of the aerospace manufacturing 

11 workforce will become eligible for retirement by 

12 2008. 

13 (6) Students in the United States rank near the 

14 bottom of the leading industrialized countries of the 

15 world in mathematics and science test performance. 

16 (7) To ensure the security of high-skilled jobs 

17 and the global competitiveness of the domestic aero18 space industry, the United States requires coordi19 nated Federal Government policies to sustain and 

20 expand the science, mathematics, engineering, and 

21 manufacturing workforce. 

22 SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY AEROSPACE REVITALIZATION TASK 

23 FORCE. 

24 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a task 

25 force to be known as the ‘‘Interagency Aerospace Revital-
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1 ization Task Force’’ (in this section referred to as the 

2 ‘‘Task Force’’). 

3 (b) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall develop a na4 tional strategy for aerospace workforce development, in5 cluding strategies for— 

6 (1) maximizing cooperation among departments 

7 and agencies of the Federal Government and the use 

8 of resources of the Federal Government in fulfilling 

9 demand for a skilled workforce across all vocational 

10 classifications; 

11 (2) developing integrated Federal Government 

12 policies to promote and monitor public and private 

13 sector programs for science, engineering, technology, 

14 mathematics, and skilled trades education and train15 ing; and 

16 (3) establishing partnerships with industry, or17 ganized labor, academia, and State and local govern18 ments to— 

19 (A) collect and disseminate information on 

20 occupational requirements and projected em21 ployment openings; and 

22 (B) coordinate appropriate agency re23 sources, including grants, loans, and scholar24 ships, for the advancement of workforce edu25 cation, training, and certification programs. 
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1 (c) MEMBERSHIP.— 

2 (1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Task 

3 Force shall be composed of 9 members who shall be 

4 appointed as follows: 

5 (A) One member shall be the Assistant 

6 Secretary of Labor for Employment and Train7 ing. 

8 (B) One member shall be a representative 

9 of the Department of Commerce and shall be 

10 appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. 

11 (C) One member shall be a representative 

12 of the Department of Defense and shall be ap13 pointed by the Secretary of Defense. 

14 (D) One member shall be a representative 

15 of the Department of Education and shall be 

16 appointed by the Secretary of Education. 

17 (E) One member shall be a representative 

18 of the Department of Transportation and shall 

19 be appointed by the Secretary of Transpor20 tation. 

21 (F) One member shall be a representative 

22 of the Department of Energy and shall be ap23 pointed by the Secretary of Energy. 

24 (G) One member shall be a representative 

25 of the National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
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1 istration (NASA) and shall be appointed by the 

2 Administrator of NASA. 

3 (H) One member shall be a representative 

4 of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and 

5 shall be appointed by the Director of the NSF. 

6 (I) One member shall be appointed by the 

7 President. 

8 (2) CHAIRPERSON.—The Assistant Secretary of 

9 Labor for Employment and Training shall serve as 

10 the chairperson of the Task Force. 

11 (3) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—Each 

12 member shall be appointed to the Task Force not 

13 later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 

14 of this Act. 

15 (4) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Task Force 

16 shall be filled in the manner in which the original 

17 appointment was made. 

18 (5) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION.—Mem19 bers of the Task Force may not receive pay, allow20 ances, or benefits by reason of their service on the 

21 Task Force. 

22 (d) MEETINGS.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force shall meet 

24 at the call of the Chairperson. 
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1 (2) FREQUENCY.—The Task Force shall meet 

2 not less than two times each year. 

3 (3) QUORUM.—5 members of the Task Force 

4 shall constitute a quorum. 

5 (e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than one year 

6 after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 

7 thereafter for four years, the Task Force shall submit to 

8 Congress, and make available to the public, a report con9 taining the findings, recommendations, policies, and initia10 tives developed pursuant to the duties of the Task Force 

11 under subsection (b). 

12 (f) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 

13 on the date of the submission of the final report under 

14 subsection (e). 

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