Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2023

Subjects: Labor and Employment


<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3211 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3211

   To direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a competitive grant 
    program to support community colleges and career and technical 
  education centers in developing immersive technology education and 
  training programs for workforce development, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 11, 2023

   Ms. Blunt Rochester (for herself, Mr. Walberg, Mr. Soto, and Mr. 
  Garbarino) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a competitive grant 
    program to support community colleges and career and technical 
  education centers in developing immersive technology education and 
  training programs for workforce development, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Immersive Technology for the 
American Workforce Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Rural communities have unique workforce considerations 
        and challenges.
            (2) Almost 25 percent of Americans live in rural 
        communities, and while urban areas have experienced job and 
        population growth, rural communities face static or declining 
        populations and job decline.
            (3) Rural communities were hit harder and recovered more 
        slowly than urban centers during the 2007-2008 recession and 
        have experienced more economic depression and decline in 
        college enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
            (4) Rural communities historically have lower rates of 
        postsecondary education, which is a barrier to traditional 
        employment in industries like agriculture and manufacturing.
            (5) The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report 
        estimates that by 2025 over half of all employees will require 
        ``significant'' reskilling creating a significant demand for 
        workforce development and training programs.
            (6) Immersive technologies are proving effective in helping 
        rural communities tackle these challenges.
            (7) Technologically mediated training can include extended 
        reality (XR) tools (such as augmented reality, virtual reality, 
        mixed reality, and high-tech simulations), which are 
        increasingly valued as resources to train workers in industries 
        ranging from manufacturing to health care, agriculture to 
        construction, and clean energy to public safety.
            (8) Use of immersive technology permits on-site training 
        and continued education, promotes efficiency, aids recruiting 
        as well as retention, improves communication and collaboration, 
        and increases safety.
            (9) Immersive technologies allow workers to train directly 
        under the supervision and tutelage of more experienced experts 
        who are located outside of the local community.
            (10) These technologies help workers remain well equipped 
        for the demands of the modern economy. As the need for 
        reskilling increases, so will the need for technologies which 
        support American workers rather than replace them.
            (11) Building in accessibility features in immersive 
        technology for usability by individuals with disabilities, 
        including disabled veterans, allows inclusive immersive 
        technology to benefit more workers.
            (12) Community colleges, area career and technical 
        education centers, and other training providers are uniquely 
        positioned to support rural communities in skills development 
        and workforce training.
            (13) People without a postsecondary credential are 4 times 
        more likely to have a job that can be lost to automation than 
        those who have one, increasing their need to learn new skills 
        in order to remain competitive and employable.
            (14) Community colleges provide education at a lower cost, 
        with most graduates incurring no student debt.
            (15) In addition to providing lower cost workforce 
        development training and skills education applicable across a 
        range of roles and occupations, community colleges serve as 
        large regional employers and critical community hubs.
            (16) Offering grants to community colleges and area career 
        and technical education centers in rural areas to develop and 
        provide immersive technology training programs will help rural 
        communities or significantly serve rural areas in the short 
        term and position them for success in the longer term.
            (17) Despite their proven value, community colleges and 
        area career and technical education schools bear significant 
        funding limitations and shortages.
            (18) Providing immersive technology training programs 
        through community colleges can help rural communities retain 
        local talent, whether by providing qualification for new local 
        jobs or for remote employment opportunities with companies 
        headquartered in urban centers that are struggling to fill 
        jobs.
            (19) Ensuring the accessibility of immersive technology 
        training tools can expand opportunities for people with 
        disabilities to learn and work from wherever they reside. Given 
        that some people with disabilities choose remote options to 
        meet their access needs, it is critical to make immersive 
        technology training tools accessible to everyone.
            (20) Immersive technology training partnership with 
        community colleges and area career and technical education 
        schools also complements recent Federal funding for broadband 
        connection and physical infrastructure, the two other biggest 
        hurdles facing rural students and workers seeking reskilling or 
        upskilling.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION WORKFORCE 
              TRAINING PROGRAMS AND CAREER PATHWAYS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
enactment of this section, from the amounts appropriated to carry out 
this section, the Secretary of Labor shall award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out immersive 
technology education and workforce training programs or career pathways 
that use immersive technology.
    (b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this 
section shall use such grant for at least one of the following:
            (1) To develop and implement or improve an immersive 
        technology education and workforce training program, or a 
        related policy, program, or other activity that uses immersive 
        technology that--
                    (A) facilitates the transfer of academic credits 
                (including for courses in the same field or program of 
                study) between covered community colleges and other 
                institutions of higher education, including other 
                covered community colleges; and
                    (B) develops or enhances supportive services for 
                students enrolled in such a program or activity.
            (2) The creation or alignment of a career pathway that 
        provides a sequence of education and occupational training that 
        leads to a recognized postsecondary credential, including a 
        program or activity that--
                    (A)(i) includes integrated education and training 
                that uses immersive technology; and
                    (ii) is designed to increase the provision of 
                workforce training for students (including individuals 
                who are members of the Armed Forces and veterans) in 
                order to facilitate the entry of such students into in-
                demand industry sectors or occupations; or
                    (B) enables the training of instructors in the use 
                of immersive technology in education and workforce 
                training programs.
            (3)(A) To develop and implement, in consultation with one 
        or more of the entities described in subparagraph (B), an 
        immersive technology education and training program, which--
                    (i) is accessible to individuals with a disability, 
                disabled veterans, and individuals with a barrier to 
                employment; and
                    (ii) applies current and emerging accessibility 
                standards for extended reality technologies to provide 
                physical and programmatic accessibility, in accordance 
                with section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3248).
            (B) The entities described in this subparagraph shall 
        include one or more of the following:
                    (i) A disability advocacy group.
                    (ii) A researcher working on inclusive design and 
                accessibility.
                    (iii) A consultant of inclusive design and 
                accessibility.
                    (iv) An extended reality platform manufacturer, 
                software developer, or content developer.
    (c) Duration of Grants.--A grant awarded under this section shall 
be for a period of not more than 5 years, except that in the case of an 
eligible entity that has carried out a program or activity with such a 
grant that meets the criteria for satisfactory progress on performance 
indicators as determined under subsection (h)(1) for the initial 5-year 
grant period, the Secretary may award an additional grant under this 
section to such eligible entity.
    (d) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to any eligible entity that--
            (1) is working with, or in carrying out a program or 
        activity to be funded with such a grant plans to work with, an 
        industry or sector partnership that prioritizes the hiring of 
        individuals who have obtained a recognized postsecondary 
        credential as a result of the program or activity; or
            (2) submits an application under subsection (d) that 
        demonstrates--
                    (A) alignment with--
                            (i) the State plan under section 102 or 103 
                        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
                        (29 U.S.C. 3112; 3113) of a State in which the 
                        eligible entity will be carrying out a program 
                        or activity to be funded with such a grant;
                            (ii) the local plan under section 108 of 
                        the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
                        (29 U.S.C. 3123) of a local area in which such 
                        a program or activity will be carried out; or
                            (iii) the State plan under section 122 of 
                        the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
                        Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2342) with 
                        respect to a State in which such a program or 
                        activity will be carried out;
                    (B) with quantitative data and evidence, the extent 
                to which the program or activity to be funded by such a 
                grant will meet the needs of employers;
                    (C) how such a program or activity will target a 
                specific in-demand industry sector or occupation which 
                has a skills gap;
                    (D) how such a program or activity will retrain 
                workers from an industry sector that is experiencing 
                decreasing employment;
                    (E) how such a program or activity will target 
                individuals with barriers to employment;
                    (F) how such a program or activity will serve an 
                area of substantial unemployment (as defined in section 
                132(b)(1)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3172(b)(1)(B))); or
                    (G) how such a program or activity will serve a 
                rural area.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Report to the secretary.--Each eligible entity 
        receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the 
        Secretary a report for each year of the grant period for such 
        grant that includes a description of each program and activity 
        funded under the grant, including--
                    (A) the levels of performance achieved for each 
                indicator of performance under section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) 
                of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
                U.S.C. 3141(b)(2)(A)(i)), disaggregated, with respect 
                to the participants of such program or activity, by 
                age, race or ethnicity, gender, each subpopulation of 
                individuals with barriers to employment, and status as 
                a low-income individual; and
                    (B) in a case of an eligible entity that works with 
                an industry or sector partnership in carrying out such 
                a program or activity, the role of such partnership in 
                carrying out the program or activity.
            (2) Report to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        first grant is awarded under this section and biennially 
        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
        that includes a summary of the information submitted under 
        paragraph (1) for the most recent 2-year period.
    (g) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall reserve not less than 1 
percent and not more than 5 percent of any amounts made available for 
each fiscal year to conduct a rigorous, independent evaluation of, and 
technical assistance for, the programs and activities carried out under 
this section.
    (h) Satisfactory Progress.--
            (1) Determination of criteria.--The Secretary of Labor, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall determine 
        the criteria for satisfactory progress on the indicators of 
        performance under section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3141(b)(2)(A)(i)) for 
        programs and activities funded by grants awarded to eligible 
        entities under this section.
            (2) Cessation of funds.--The Secretary may not provide 
        funds to any eligible entity under a grant under this section 
        after the third year of the grant period unless each program 
        and activity carried out by the eligible entity with the grant 
        has met the criteria for satisfactory progress for the first 3 
        years of such grant period, as determined under paragraph (1).
    (i) Best Practices.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Education and each eligible entity that receives funds 
under grants awarded under this section after the third year of the 
grant periods for such grants, shall--
            (1) establish best practices for using immersive technology 
        in workforce training and education programs; and
            (2) publish such best practices on a publicly available 
        website of the Department of Labor.
    (j) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered community college.--The term ``covered 
        community college'' means--
                    (A) a public institution of higher education (as 
                defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act 
                (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), at which--
                            (i) the highest degree awarded is an 
                        associate degree; or
                            (ii) an associate degree is the most 
                        frequently awarded degree;
                    (B) a branch campus of a 4-year public institution 
                of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the 
                Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), if, at 
                such branch campus--
                            (i) the highest degree awarded is an 
                        associate degree; or
                            (ii) an associate degree is the most 
                        frequently awarded degree;
                    (C) a 2-year Tribal College or University (as 
                defined in section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3))); or
                    (D) a degree-granting Tribal College or University 
                (as defined in section 316(b)(3) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3))) at 
                which--
                            (i) the highest degree awarded is an 
                        associate degree; or
                            (ii) an associate degree is the most 
                        frequently awarded degree.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        partnership between or among a local board or State board and--
                    (A) a covered community college;
                    (B) an area career and technical education school;
                    (C) a postsecondary vocational institution (as 
                defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c))); or
                    (D) a consortium of such colleges, schools, or 
                institutions.
            (3) Immersive technology.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``immersive technology'' 
                means tools (including extended reality, virtual 
                reality, augmented reality, and mixed augmented 
                reality) that integrate the physical environment with 
                digital content to support user engagement.
                    (B) Virtual reality.--The term ``virtual reality'' 
                means an immersive technology tool that occludes a 
                user's physical surroundings with a simulated 
                environment, such as a construction site, a subway 
                system, a coastal floodplain, or an energy grid.
                    (C) Augmented reality.--The term ``augmented 
                reality'' means an immersive technology tool that 
                layers computer-generated imagery onto a user's view of 
                the physical world, thus providing a composite view.
                    (D) Mixed reality.--The term ``mixed reality'' 
                means an immersive technology tool that blends 
                augmented and virtual reality, allowing users to 
                experience simulated content within their physical 
                worlds and to manipulate and interact with virtual 
                elements in real time.
            (4) Rural.--The term ``rural'' means all populations, 
        housing, and territories not included within an urban area, in 
        which an urban area is defined as any gathered populations, 
        housing, and territories that meets or exceeds 50,000 or more 
        people, or is comprised of clusters consisting of at least 
        2,500 gathered populations, housing, and territory but less 
        than 50,000 people.
            (5) WIOA terms.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
        section, any term used in this section that is defined in 
        section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
        U.S.C. 3102) shall have the meaning given that term in such 
        section 3 (29 U.S.C. 3102).
                                 &lt;all&gt;
</pre></body></html>