I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7315 
To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-appren-
ticeship programs in the building and construction trades that serve 
underrepresented populations, including individuals from low income and 
rural census tracts. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2024 
Mr. NORCROSS (for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Ms. CASTOR 
of Florida, Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California, Ms. PEREZ, Mr. JOYCE 
of Ohio, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, and Mr. MORELLE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development 
of pre-apprenticeship programs in the building and con-
struction trades that serve underrepresented populations, 
including individuals from low income and rural census 
tracts. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pre-Apprenticeships 
To Hardhats Act’’ or the ‘‘PATH Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL.— 
The term ‘‘area career and technical school’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 3 of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 
2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302). 
(2) FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBE.— 
The term ‘‘Federally recognized Indian Tribe’’ has 
the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ in sec-
tion 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(3) HIGH
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘high school’’ 
means a nonprofit institutional day or residential 
school in a State that— 
(A) provides secondary education, as deter-
mined under State law; 
(B) grants a diploma, as defined by the 
State; and 
(C) includes, at least, grade 12. 
(4) IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTOR OR OCCUPA-
TION.—The term ‘‘in-demand industry sector or oc-
cupation’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
(29 U.S.C. 3102). 
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(5) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY; STATE EDU-
CATIONAL AGENCY.—The terms ‘‘local educational 
agency’’ and ‘‘State educational agency’’ have the 
meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801). 
(6) LOCAL AND STATE WORKFORCE DEVELOP-
MENT BOARDS.—The terms ‘‘local workforce devel-
opment board’’ and ‘‘State workforce development 
board’’ have the meanings given the terms ‘‘local 
board’’ and ‘‘State board’’, respectively, in section 3 
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
(29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(7) POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITU-
TION.—The term ‘‘postsecondary educational institu-
tion’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘institution of 
higher education’’ in section 102 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(8) 
PRE-APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘‘pre-apprenticeship program’’ means a pro-
gram or set of strategies that— 
(A) is designed to prepare individuals to 
enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship 
program in the building or construction trades; 
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(B) is carried out by an eligible entity de-
scribed in section 3(c) that has a documented 
partnership with at least 1 sponsor of a reg-
istered apprenticeship program; and 
(C) includes training (including a cur-
riculum for the training) that— 
(i) is aligned with industry standards; 
(ii) is reviewed and approved annually 
by sponsors of the registered apprentice-
ship programs within the documented part-
nership; and 
(iii) will prepare an individual for a 
registered 
apprenticeship 
program 
by 
teaching the skills and competencies need-
ed to enter such a registered apprentice-
ship program. 
(9) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.— 
The term ‘‘registered apprenticeship program’’ 
means a program registered under the Act of Au-
gust 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ‘‘National 
Apprenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 
U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
(10) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Labor. 
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section (c) that submit applications under subsection (e) 
to provide the Federal share described in subsection (g) 
of the cost of carrying out projects under subsection (f) 
that support the development of pre-apprenticeship pro-
grams in the building and construction trades. 
(b) PERIOD.—The Secretary shall make initial grants 
under subsection (a) for periods of not more than 3 years, 
except that if an eligible entity demonstrates satisfactory 
performance under subsection (h) by the end of that third 
year, the Secretary may extend the grant period up to an 
additional 1 year for that entity. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant from the Secretary under subsection (a), an entity 
shall be a nonprofit partnership that— 
(1) includes the equal participation of industry, 
including public or private employers, and labor or-
ganizations, including joint labor or management 
training programs, and may include State and local 
workforce development boards, community-based or-
ganizations, educational institutions (such as post-
secondary educational institutions, local educational 
agencies, State educational agencies, high schools, 
and area career and technical schools), small busi-
nesses, cooperatives, State and local veterans agen-
cies, and veterans service organizations; and 
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(2) demonstrates— 
(A) experience in implementing and oper-
ating worker skills training and education pro-
grams; 
(B) the ability to identify and involve in 
training programs carried out under this grant, 
target populations of individuals who would 
benefit from training, and be actively involved 
in activities related to all building and construc-
tion trade crafts; and 
(C) the ability to help individuals achieve 
economic self-sufficiency. 
(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that 
leverage additional public and private resources to fund 
programs under this Act, including cash or in-kind 
matches from participating employers. 
(e) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
from the Secretary under subsection (a), an eligible entity 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require, including— 
(1) with respect to the proposed pre-apprentice-
ship program, a description of the training and cur-
riculum described in section 2(8)(C) and how the 
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proposed pre-apprenticeship program makes individ-
uals who successfully complete the pre-apprentice-
ship program qualified to enter into an established 
registered apprenticeship program; 
(2) evidence that there are or will be sufficient 
openings available in such registered apprenticeship 
program to enable the sponsor of such registered ap-
prenticeship program to place into a corresponding 
registered apprenticeship those individuals who suc-
cessfully complete the pre-apprenticeship program; 
(3) information about the entity that dem-
onstrates the existence of an active, advisory part-
nership between the partners described in subsection 
(c)(1) and the capacity of a training and education 
provider of the entity to provide the training and 
education services necessary for a pre-apprenticeship 
program; and 
(4) information about the proposed pre-appren-
ticeship program that demonstrates— 
(A) that the program is in an in-demand 
industry or occupation in the region in which 
the project is located; 
(B) the inclusion in the program of career 
exploration focused activities, such as career in-
formation activities, and re´sume´ preparation; 
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(C) if the entity carrying out the project 
includes a high school, that the model to be 
used for the program leads to a high school di-
ploma for participants without such a diploma; 
(D) how the pre-apprenticeship program is 
aligned with and leverages resources of career 
and technical education programs, programs 
and services authorized under the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3101 et seq.), or activities of entities that pro-
vide supportive services for participants in pre- 
apprenticeship programs; and 
(E) that the project aligns with an estab-
lished registered apprenticeship program, in-
cluding that the model used for the program 
leads to the attainment of skills and com-
petencies necessary for entrance into the reg-
istered apprenticeship program for participants. 
(f) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity that re-
ceives a grant under subsection (a) shall use the 
grant funds to carry out a project that implements 
a pre-apprenticeship program, including the activi-
ties described in paragraphs (2) and (3). 
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(2) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—The eligible entity 
shall use such grant funds— 
(A) to pay for the cost of training or edu-
cation associated with a pre-apprenticeship pro-
gram for individuals from an underrepresented 
population; 
(B) for curriculum development that align 
with the requirements of the appropriate reg-
istered apprenticeship programs and learning 
assessments; 
(C) to maintain a connection between the 
pre-apprenticeship program and registered ap-
prenticeship program; 
(D) for assessments of potential partici-
pants for, and enrollment of the participants in, 
the pre-apprenticeship program; and 
(E) to conduct evaluations described in 
subsection (h)(2). 
(3) ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES.—The eligible enti-
ty may use such grant funds for— 
(A) stipends for participants during work- 
based training in the program; and 
(B) coordination of activities under this 
subsection with activities carried out under the 
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu-
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